7 Top PR Case Studies that Will Inspire You  

In contemporary business where each interaction counts, public relations (PR) is the lantern that guides companies through the tunnel of consumer consciousness.  

The role it plays in influencing perspectives, creating relationships, and increasing brand awareness cannot be underlined.  

PR is the engine of successful outreach methods because it weaves narratives that captivate, influence, and inspire. 

Even in the B2B space, PR plays a fundamental role in sculpting success stories that transcend industries. Unfortunately, many B2B players fail to leverage its potential, leading to questions such as: Is it necessary? Will it yield fruitful results? Where should one begin? 

But, we are here with the answer! 

We have covered the top 5 PR case studies that will inspire you. These case studies aren’t just success stories but blueprints, illustrating how effective PR strategies can elevate businesses, establish connections, and solidify trust in the cutthroat B2B world. 

Let’s get started. 

Case Study 1: Aldi’s Crisis Management Success  

The crisis turned into a gripping tale– a battle between two supermarket giants, Marks and Spencer (M&S) and Aldi’s over their famous chocolate caterpillar cakes, respectively Colin the Caterpillar and Cuthbert the Caterpillar. 

For several decades, a popular item, Colin the caterpillar cake, had already been established in the market by the huge British store Marks and Spencer (M&S). But this familiarity came crashing down when the German-owned budget store Aldi entered the market with Cuthbert the Caterpillar, their own variation on the well-known cake. 

Following a dispute about cake designs, Marks and Spencer filed a lawsuit for violating M&S’s cake’s trademark against Aldi to force them to pull Cuthbert the Caterpillar off its stores.  As this dispute turned into a legal battle Aldi’s reputation and customer perception was attacked. 

However, Aldi’s crisis management team executed a strategy which has marked a memorable moment in PR history. The PR team at Aldi made a daring decision by using social media, especially Twitter, as a platform to manage the issue.   

The team adopted a lighthearted and creative tact by sharing several witty and engaging social media posts. These posts were meant to mock M&S the rival, in a lighthearted manner. 

Aldi trolls M&S with the billboard 

Additionally, the hashtag #FreeCuthbert unified all of these posts, successfully generating support and creating a sense of unity among people as the case proceeded. 

Resulting, Aldi’s won the court case. They declared the same, first on social media with #CuthBack.  

This PR case study teaches: 

• Quick and open communication: Aldi’s audience kept treating them with trust and confidence because of their prompt and open communication. 

• Strategic social media engagement: Aldi was able to express its views and establish direct engagement with customers by utilizing social media channels. 

• Seizing control of the narrative: Strong public opinion can be a powerful instrument for dealing with difficult circumstances. Showing the influence of a positive public attitude was made possible by Aldi’s ability to turn the story in a different and positive direction. 

Case Study 2: Deloitte’s Great Thought Leadership 

The Women @ Work campaign by Deloitte is a fantastic example of how to use thought leadership in your PR plan. This campaign won PRWeek Award for best global effort and the PR Platinum Award for the best global PR campaign. 

The significant concerns of gender diversity and women’s empowerment in the workplace were intended to be covered by the campaign. It was a global outlook that presented a comprehensive understanding of what is failing, as well as crucially, what is required to achieve the much-needed change for gender equality in the workplace. 

It offered insightful analysis, research-based findings, and professional viewpoints on key issues that confront women in the workplace. 

The PR campaign included several components, such as research studies, webinars, podcasts and interviews, to promote conversations and provide realistic answers for promoting inclusivity and gender equality within corporate environments.  

By creating excellent material that addressed relevant concerns encountered by women in a wide range of industries, they positioned themselves as a reliable source of knowledge and answers. 

Deloitte’s campaign made effective use of thought leadership PR techniques by conducting the survey and then publishing studies that provided feasible fixes and suggestions to promote change. 

This PR case study teaches: 

• Content quality and relevance: One must emphasize relevant and quality content. The secret to Deloitte’s success was its ability to deliver intelligent, data-driven material that spoke to the actual problems that its audience was facing. 

• Establishing thought leadership: It is possible to elevate a brand’s reputation and influence within a specific industry or on a social issue by establishing authority through valuable insights and expertise. 

• Engagement and interaction: Using various modes of media to interact with audiences and working with professionals in the field, increases the campaign’s legitimacy and effect. 

Case Study 3: Levoit’s Triumphant Product Launch   

This case study highlights how PR can create a buzz on any product launch. Levoit, a major air purifier and smart home manufacturer, had challenges launching new products and categories, suffering from a brand recall and product advertising. Their objectives were to generate excitement, gain media coverage, and use influencers to increase brand and product awareness. 

Interdependence created an in-depth strategy using multiple kinds of techniques to improve Levoit’s brand recognition and media exposure. 

The strategy and approach included creating persuasive press materials and carefully selecting target media outlets to obtain coverage in renowned lifestyle, home, health/wellness, and technology platforms. 

They successfully attracted media attention with product introductions and relevant events, such as gift guides, Amazon Prime Day, and allergy seasons. 

To ensure authentic and reliable reviews, the agency gave media and influencers the chance to test new products. They also oversaw editor activations like the NYC Holiday Gift Guide Media Event and helped showcase Levoit’s items on specific local and national TV shows. 

And it showed amazing results! Over 853 placements, produced whooping 11.7 billion+ media impressions in less than a year. 

Prominent articles in publications including BuzzFeed, Good Housekeeping, and WireCutter resulted in an earned media value of more than $108.74 million. Further, influencer partnerships produced over 50,000 interactions and over 565,000 impressions on TikTok and Instagram. 

This PR case study teaches: 

•  Strategic multifaceted approach: Brand visibility improves significantly with a diversified media strategy that spans multiple platforms and industries. 

• Authentic engagement and messaging: Tailored advertising that highlights fresh uses for products, improves brand recognition and attracts untapped markets. 

• Influencer collaboration and engagement: Influencer collaborations are a great way to increase brand awareness and cultivate a loyal base of customers. 

Case Study 4: Lyft’s Successful Influencer Marketing  

In direct rivalry with Uber, Lyft is a ride-sharing service that was introduced in 2012 as an alternative to traditional taxi services that facilitate connections between drivers and passengers.  

The “Undercover Lyft” campaign demonstrated how well influencer marketing was incorporated into their PR plan. 

The strategy involved collaborating with well-known influencers, who were often celebrities and well-known figures on social media. These influencers presented themselves as Lyft drivers (  Undercover Lyft with Alicia Keys ) to entertain and surprise passengers with astonishing trips, all the while demonstrating the friendliness and convenience of Lyft’s service. 

Videos that recorded the passengers’ responses and experiences during these Undercover trips were extensively shared on social media sites including Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. The campaign’s post got over 11 million views on Facebook and almost 26 million views on YouTube. 

The Undercover Lyft series highlights the main differentiators of Lyft, which help to position the brand as enjoyable and engaging. 

The campaign artfully leveraged the influencers’ pre-existing fan base and reach to create buzz and encourage interaction.  

This PR case study teaches: 

• Strategic influencer partnerships: You can greatly increase a campaign’s reach and engagement by working with influencers who have an extensive following and share your brand values. 

• Cross-platform promotion: A campaign can become noticeable to a wider range of audiences and reach a broader demographic by utilizing various social media platforms simultaneously. 

• Engaging and shareable content: Creating material that is startling, thought-provoking, and emotionally compelling can help you make the campaign more popular and shareable on social media. 

Case Study 5: IKEA’s Corporate Social Responsibility  

The industry leader in home goods, IKEA started the ‘Stay-Home’ campaign during the pandemic. From the other top PR case studies this one is a perfect example of the strategically combining public relations to corporate social responsibility in times of difficulty. 

The main objective of the stay-home campaign was to support and encourage individuals to remain at home during times of unusual worldwide circumstances, the COVID-19 epidemic, by promoting health, safety, and a sense of community. 

The campaign offered online guides and advice on home decor and assisted its target audience in rejuvenating their living areas, besides delivering a comforting and cheerful message through videos. 

IKEA increased its influence and reach by working with local communities, health authorities, and influencers to support a range of pandemic relief programs. 

IKEA showcased its social responsibility, empathy, and humanitarian principles by inspiring people to make the shift by living indoors with useful ideas and emotional support. 

This PR case study teaches: 

• Adaptability and responsiveness: The capacity to quickly modify offers and messaging in reaction to changing conditions highlights how crucial it is to be flexible and responsive in times of crisis. 

• Empathetic communication: During difficult times, expressing empathy and concern in communications can help to build a stronger bond with the audience and improve one’s perception of the company. 

Case Study 6: CheapAir.com’s Amazing Exposure 

The human connection-focused travel website CheapAir.com places a high value on the convenience of booking by providing a wide range of options, transparency, outstanding customer service, and flexible payment options. 

The brand wanted to raise exposure, build reputation, and encourage reservations because of the post-COVID travel spike. 

CheapAir.com partnered with Interdependence to elevate its brand. Interdependence createdmade a strategy involving creating engaging narratives around relevant airfare research, up-to-date consumer and travel data, and emerging trends. 

The objective was to establish the brand as a reputable resource that tackled real-world travel issues and highlighted innovative technologies—notably, the company was one of the first in the travel sector to use Bitcoin. 

Using in-house Interviewed technology and a rigorous pitching schedule, Interdependence regularly secured deals that established CheapAir.com and its founder as industry leaders in the travel industry. 

Over a span of one year, with Interdependence, CheapAir was able to secure more than 1,350 placements and generated over 10.5 billion media impressions,  engaged key audiences within mainstream travel sectors, and increased its visibility and relevance. 

This PR case study teaches: 

• Strategic storytelling for brand authority: In any industry, brand authority is established through crafting distinctive and relevant tales centered around studies, consumer data, and trends. 

•  Distribution of first-hand data: By offering concrete, data-driven information, the brand strengthens its reputation as a reliable and informed player in the industry. 

Case Study 7: Spotify’s Viral PR Campaign  

This PR case study sets a perfect example on how to provide personalized experience to users. Spotify’s ‘Wrapped’ campaign received worldwide recognition for providing people with a customized year-end experience. 

It provided summaries of music listening habits from the previous year and information about the artists, tracks, genres, and even the total time spent listening to music on Spotify to users.  

The data is attractively structured and presented in eye-catching, colorful graphics that encourage users to easily share the results on a wide range of social media sites. This feature is a major factor in why it’s one of the best and the most important PR case studies in history. 

Users were emotionally moved by this degree of personalization, which evoked sentiments of nostalgia and connection. This not only boosted Spotify’s audience but also increased user interaction and conversation. 

Wrapped campaign is a PR case study example of the power of personalization, interactive content, and emotional connection in grabbing users’ attention and creating a viral PR sensation.