For break-through-the-clutter results, public relations and marketing communications stunts have their place. In the 1800s, P.T. Barnum stirred the imagination with his stunts and outrageous promotions. Edward Bernays staged the 1920s march of cigarette-smoking women in the “Torches of Freedom” ploy for the American Tobacco Company. It raised the company’s stature – and established Bernays as a P.R. pioneer.

Stunts and outlandish promotions rise above the noise, pique people’s curiosity, and intrigue their innate sense of human interest. But there’s a difference between a stunt and a hoax.

Such is the case with the recent Balloon Boy adventure into the bizarre. Reports now say that the runaway balloon didn’t have little Falcon Henne on board; all it carried were the dreams of fame and riches for father Richard Henne. All was going great until the child tipped dad’s hand and said on Larry King Live, “You said, ‘We did this for the show…’”

While King-stand-in Wolf Blitzer seemed puzzled by Falcon’s response, the message became clear to publicists and marketing folks everywhere: Try a stunt and risk getting exposed.

There’s a difference here: Playful stunts that create a buzz can make for fun and memorable marketing. Creative stunts can capture the imagination and drive awareness. They can help your product or brand (even if the brand is You) rise above the pack.

If that little voice inside your head – or someone on your marketing team – questions the honesty of your intentions or poses possible negative outcomes, or if the police get involved (and the District Attorney decides to pursue charges based on a fraudulent claim), or people worry about someone’s welfare and safety, then it’s probably best left off the marketing plan.

Actually, Richard Henne should have taken his own advice when he said of Falcon, “Whenever we tell him, ‘It was a bad thing to do, he does go and hide.”

Next time you think about pulling a stunt that will send police and public citizens on a hunt, maybe it would be best to go and hide, think twice, and come up with a better marketing plan…