Public Relations (PR) has grown beyond traditional media placements to embrace online strategies to amplify brand presence. Going back to the ‘before days’ for a moment, in the pre-digital media world, businesses relied solely on newspapers, television and radio to shape their reputation and messaging. Alongside digital marketing channels, digital PR, and by proxy digital PR examples, has become an essential part of modern marketing – it merges elements of SEO, content marketing, and social media engagement to enhance brand visibility and effectively communicate to their local and global audiences. 

Digital PR examples capitalise on the power of online publications, where traditional PR focuses on securing media coverage in print and broadcast outlets, digital PR can use social media influencer collaborations, viral content, high-authority websites and blogs and of course – social media platforms to build their brand image and reputation within their industry. A huge benefit of digital PR is the interactivity, so digital PR teams can see real-time engagement and are, broadly speaking, much more able to build relationships with customers and media professionals alike. 

Digital PR preamble aside, let’s go into digital PR examples and how it worked out for them! 

Digital PR Examples
Successful digital PR examples are the key to a brand being perceived positively by its target audience. Campaigns can encompass a seemingly endless range of applications, such as creative social media stunts to powerful storytelling and strategic partnerships – the possibilities for digital PR reach branch out indefinitely. 

Below are some, what we consider, standout digital PR examples. They offer some valuable insight and inspiration for businesses looking to design their own creative and impactful digital PR initiatives. It’s always good to research digital PR case studies to determine what the best route for your brand could be! 

1. Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” Campaign

Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign is one of the most iconic digital PR campaigns of the past decade. Launched globally, the campaign replaced the brand’s iconic logo on bottles with popular names, encouraging consumers to find bottles with their name or the names of friends and family. Coca-Cola also created a social media hashtag, #ShareaCoke, which allowed users to share pictures of their personalised bottles. The campaign was incredibly successful, generating millions of social media mentions and user-generated content. It increased both brand visibility and consumer engagement, contributing to a significant boost in sales and social media interaction.

2. Nike’s “Dream Crazy” Campaign

Nike’s “Dream Crazy” campaign, which featured Colin Kaepernick, was a powerful digital PR move that sparked both praise and controversy. The campaign included an emotionally charged video that encouraged people to follow their dreams, even if it meant going against the grain. The message resonated with Nike’s target audience and generated massive media coverage across traditional and digital platforms. By embracing the cultural conversation around Kaepernick’s protest and tying it into their brand’s message of empowerment, Nike managed to significantly enhance its visibility and relevance, driving both brand engagement and sales.

3. ALS Association’s “Ice Bucket Challenge”

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is a standout showcase for digital PR examples. The Ice Bucket Challenge was a viral social media campaign that raised awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The challenge involved participants dumping a bucket of ice water over their heads, then nominating others to do the same while making a donation to the ALS Association. The campaign went viral, with celebrities, athletes, and influencers participating and sharing videos online. The campaign was not only successful in raising awareness for ALS but also generated millions in donations for research, making it a prime example of how a digital PR campaign can drive both awareness and action.

The Benefits of Digital PR


What have we learned from our digital PR case studies? 

A well executed digital PR campaign is the lifeblood of a well trusted and recognised brand. The digital PR examples show that digital PR efforts often focus on securing backlinks from reputable sites, which is absolutely crucial for improving search engine rankings. You want high-authority websites to link back to your content to show search engines like Google that you’re a credible source of information, or products and services. This gives you boosts in organic traffic and search traffic, improving authority and leads overall. And it all stems from good digital PR. 

The same works for getting featured in authoritative publications. When consumers see your brand mentioned in respected media outlets, they perceive it as more reliable and knowledgeable. This credibility is essential for businesses looking to establish themselves as industry leaders.  

Strategic online placements also lead to higher website visits and conversions. Digital PR campaigns that position your brand on well-trafficked websites, blogs, and news platforms create opportunities for potential customers to discover your products or services, ultimately driving more traffic to your site.  

Viral campaigns and strategic digital PR examples can significantly improve social media engagement. By creating shareable content, encouraging discussions, and leveraging user-generated content, brands can foster a sense of community and enhance their online presence across various social media platforms.

Digital PR Examples: Successful Brand Strategies

Creating Data-Driven Content

A lot of these digital PR examples have utilised data-driven content as part of their digital PR campaigns. This meant they’ve been able to use unique insights, statistics and trends to build campaigns that resonate with journalists and potential customers alike. This is a method that adds credibility and value to a brand because it is a campaign backed by hard, verifiable data. It is an objective foundation for storytelling that journalists favour when writing about a brand. 

Making the Most of Social Media Virality

These digital PR examples show the importance of virality, and how social media influences trends and consumer habits. By tapping into cultural moments and online conversations, businesses can create content that they know speaks to their target demographics, and gear their branding towards them rather than becoming stuck in a loop of mixed messaging. 

Some of the best digital PR examples come from brands that successfully use platforms like Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram to spark discussions, generate buzz, and enhance brand visibility. Whether through humorous challenges, interactive polls, or emotionally compelling stories, these campaigns create organic engagement that extends beyond paid promotions. Partnering with influencers or celebrities further amplifies their impact, making them more likely to trend and reach new demographics.

Collaborating with Influencers and Bloggers

Making use of influencers is one of the most powerful digital PR tactics that a brand can employ, as it helps them to reach even more niche audiences, and build further credibility through trusted voices. Successful digital PR examples show that working with bloggers, YouTubers, and social media influencers puts out an authenticity to content that consumers are more willing to engage with. They also help build up a following made from the existing followers of the influencer, allowing potential for deeper connections between the brand and the consumer. 

Expert Commentary as a PR Asset

An often underused digital PR strategy is expert commentary. Your client may have journalists asking for insights or comments from them, and as the PR it’s up to you to decide whether it would be valuable for them to appear as an expert within that publication, and if it’s the right one, a thought leader within their industry. The client’s quote will appear in high-authority media outlets, which gives visibility and trust to the brand. 

At Nautilus Marketing, this is a core part of our digital PR service. We actively monitor press opportunities and match them with our clients’ expertise. Whether it’s a financial advisor weighing in on budgeting tips, a tech entrepreneur analysing AI trends, or a wellness coach offering advice on mental health, expert commentary allows businesses to organically enter important conversations.

This type of media coverage not only builds brand authority, but also earns valuable backlinks from reputable publications. It’s a long-term brand-building strategy that enhances online presence while positioning your business as the go-to voice in your sector. Think of it as real-time, relevant PR that aligns naturally with what’s trending in the media landscape, without having to launch a full-scale campaign. 

Newsjacking and Trend-Based PR

You might be asking yourself what newsjacking is. 

When a news topic is trending, marketers can lead at the opportunity to position a brand within the conversation, which makes it a highly effective digital PR strategy. Successful digital PR examples of this often are responding using social media, for example, way back in 2017 there was an Oscar’s mixup when reading the winner for best picture (do you remember La La Land?) and Specsavers took the opportunity to tweet “Should have gone to Specsavers”. It’s simple, but it’s their iconic line that fits into their humour and bran messaging all the same. 

It is important that newsjacking is done well, because when it is done well it is an extremely cost effective way to engage with your audience and keeps the brand relevant in the public eye – and it doesn’t hurt to get a couple of laughs in if you can. 

Creative Stunts and Experiential PR

Some brands create bold digital PR campaigns by organising creative stunts, viral challenges, or interactive experiences that captivate audiences and generate buzz. This can involve “guerilla” marketing stunts – like flash mobs of dancing people in public spaces, or an augmented reality experience, one of the most effective examples of this being all the PR work around The Blair Witch Project that involved websites links to read and “interviews” of townsfolk to watch that helped build up the myth of it being real found footage. These methods of marketing build upon an experience for the audience, by surprising them or humouring them, it can truly create a lasting impression. Like, Jaws wasn’t that scary but if you tell people that a bunch of moviegoers were too scared to even take a bath afterwards, it makes you wanna see what Jaws the Shark has going for him. 

Interactive Content and Gamification

Evidenced in these digital PR examples, brands increasingly use interactive content, such as quizzes, games, and tools, as part of their digital PR campaigns to captivate audiences and drive engagement. These assets not only entertain users but also provide value, whether through personalised recommendations, skill-testing challenges, or educational insights. 

These are so effective for digital PR because it encourages longer site visits from the users, and if you have something shareable and interactive then, well, they’ll want to share it and get other people to interact with it. People love comparison and competition, and it could be your brand that leaves a lasting impression because of it. 

How to Create a Successful Digital PR Campaign

Here’s a step-by-step guide to launching a successful digital PR campaign, based upon what we’ve seen in previous digital PR examples, and designed to help brands amplify their online presence, boost credibility, and engage their target audience effectively. 

  1. Identify Your Goals 

Define whether you want to increase brand awareness, generate backlinks, drive conversions, or enhance customer loyalty through strategic PR efforts. Clearly understanding your goals will guide the direction of your campaign and help you measure its effectiveness in achieving specific outcomes.

  1. Develop a Compelling Story 

Focus on creating content that is newsworthy, engaging, and relevant to your audience. Your story should be authentic and resonate with the interests or concerns of your target market, making it more likely to be shared, discussed, and picked up by media outlets.

  1. Choose the Right Channels

Determine the best digital platforms for your outreach, such as industry blogs, social media, or news sites. Each channel has its own audience, tone, and potential reach, so think about how your approach fits the platform’s strengths and the type of content it supports.

  1. Engage with Influencers

Partner with bloggers, influencers, and journalists who can amplify your message to a wider audience. Collaborations with trusted figures in your industry can lend authority to your campaign, ensuring that it reaches the right people and builds credibility for your brand.

  1. Optimise for SEO 

Ensure your content includes relevant keywords and links to improve search rankings. Optimising your digital PR materials will make it easier for search engines to index your content, increasing its visibility and driving organic traffic to your site, which benefits your overall digital presence.

  1. Monitor and Analyse Results

Track metrics such as website traffic, backlinks, media mentions, and social shares to evaluate the success of your campaign. Regularly analysing these key performance indicators helps you understand what’s working, identify areas for improvement, and adjust your strategy to achieve better results.