Successful event PR tips courtesy of U2

Photo credit:  Daniel Boud

Last Saturday, U2 brought its U2360 tour to TCF Bank Stadium and had the Twin Cities talking about the concert before, during and after the show. Here are some tactics that U2 used successfully in promoting the concert and just might work for other events:

1. Involve the fans. Fifteen minutes after the set of the opening act (Interpol) ended, U2's crew was capturing the entire stadium using a GigaPixel FanCam. Concert attendees were then able to visit U2's website a couple of days later, tag their images, and share via social media.
2. Connect with the community. Even though he has a very tight schedule, Bono took the time before the show to meet representatives of the local Somali community to talk about efforts to combat famine in East Africa. U2's show even featured Somali rapper K'naan on a cover of "Stand By Me."
3. Conduct pre-, day-of and post-event publicity. There were so many angles to the story -- "The Claw" stage, parking issues, first concert at TCF Bank Stadium, number of attendees and other concert statistics, and more. News stories about the concert started a few days before the show and continued for a few days afterward.
4. Embrace the rain. This was a big story the day of the show. What would U2 do if it rained? Well, it rained throughout most of the band's set, and they played on. The band and the crowd definitely shared a special moment by persevering through the rain.
5. Tap into emotions. At the beginning of "Beautiful Day," a video played on the concert screen featuring NASA astronaut Mark Kelly, the husband of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. The video was recorded from space, and Kelly said, "Tell my wife that I love her -- of course she already knows."

I have been constantly thinking about the concert since last Saturday. Maybe if some of these tactics are incorporated into your organization's event, attendees may feel the same impact.