Trending PR Campaigns
Directions to Lake Ontario
MapQuest put up billboards in Toronto showing driving directions to Lake Ontario from the billboard site itself. The deliberately unnecessary directions—and their disappearance the next day—created a small mystery and a neat visual joke for local news.
Why it worked: It engineered a fast, local “now” moment—a visual gag plus sudden removal—that created conflict (who pulled them?) and guaranteed newsroom-friendly B-roll.
The lesson: Consider staging a simple, camera-friendly stunt that vanishes within 24 hours so reporters must cover it immediately or miss it.
Coverage over time
How this story spread across the media
| Publication | Headline | Date |
|---|---|---|
| thestar.com | MapQuest’s Lake Ontario billboard in Toronto removed 1 day after mapping service doubles down on renaming row | Friday 11th September, 2026 |
| ctvnews.ca | MapQuest puts up billboards in Toronto with directions to Lake Ontario. One day later, they’re gone | Friday 11th September, 2026 |