In October Prime Minister Stephen Harper surprised everyone when he showed up on stage at a National Arts Centre Gala in Ottawa. Harper showed up on stage during what was supposed to be the intermission of the Gala, and joined by Yo Yo Ma and a few other musicians and together performed a rendition of The Beatles song, With A Little Help from my Friends.





This "event" was found shocking to some people due to the fact that Harper had made some unfavorable comments about musical galas, much like the one he was at. This "event" also came at a very opportune time for the Prime Minister, as only days later he called four federal by-elections.



This "event", I believe was a ploy to attract voters in the areas having a by-election because Harpers unfavorable attitude towards the Arts is partly blamed for the lack of Conservative voters in Quebec. The "event" worked well for Prime Minister Harper, his popularity went way up after the surprise appearance.

I think pseudo events, much like this one, are a fantastic PR strategy. They get people talking about your product/cause/client and word-of-mouth is one of the best ways to achieve free publicity. If people know about what you're trying to sell/inform them about, they are far more likely to care.