Types of Guerrilla Marketing and Why They Work
WHAT IS GUERRILLA MARKETING
What Is Guerrilla Marketing?
Guerrilla marketing is a marketing tactic in which a company uses surprise and/or unconventional interactions in order to promote a product or service. Guerrilla marketing is different than traditional marketing in that it often relies on personal interaction, has a smaller budget, and focuses on smaller groups of promoters that are responsible for getting the word out in a particular location rather than through widespread media campaigns.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Guerrilla marketing is the creating use of novel or unconventional methods in order to boost sales or attract interest in a brand or business.
- These methods are often low- or no-cost and involve the widespread use of more personal interactions or through viral social media messaging.
- This marketing method has increased in popularity with the rise of ubiquitous mobile and connected technologies that can amplify messaging and focus on target groups of consumers.
Guerrilla Marketing Explained
Companies using guerrilla marketing rely on its in-your-face promotions to be spread through viral marketing, or word-of-mouth, thus reaching a broader audience for free. Connection to the emotions of a consumer is key to guerrilla marketing. The use of this tactic is not designed for all types of goods and services, and it is often used for more “edgy” products and to target younger consumers who are more likely to respond positively. Guerrilla marketing takes place in public places that offer as big an audience as possible, such as streets, concerts, public parks, sporting events, festivals, beaches, and shopping centers. One key element of guerrilla marketing is choosing the right time and place to conduct a campaign so as to avoid potential legal issues. Guerrilla marketing can be indoor, outdoor, an “event ambush,” or experiential, meant to get the public to interact with a brand.
Guerrilla Marketing History
Guerrilla marketing is a product of the shift to electronic media from traditional print, radio, and television marketing. It was coined by Jay Conrad Levinson in his 1984 book Guerrilla Marketing. Its goal is to create buzz about a product or brand so that it increases the likelihood that a consumer will purchase the product or service, or talk about it with others potential buyers. Guerrilla marketing can be very cost-effective for small businesses, especially so if they manage to create a viral marketing phenomenon.
Guerrilla Marketing Types
There are several kinds of guerrilla marketing. Some examples include:
- Viral or buzz marketing
- Stealth
- Ambient
- Ambush
- Projection advertising
- Astroturfing
- Grassroots
- Wild posting
- Street
- Pop-up retail
Guerrilla Marketing Mistakes
With the risks inherent to guerrilla marketing, and the sometimes uncharted territory it travels in, there are a number of examples of campaigns gone awry.
- In 2007, the Cartoon Network promoted a show by placing LED signs resembling a character from the show all over Boston. The signs created a bomb scare and cost Turner Broadcasting (the network’s parent) $2 million in fines.
- In a 2005 Guinness World Record attempt, Snapple promoted its new frozen treats by erecting a 25-foot popsicle in a New York City park. It melted faster than expected, covering the park in sticky goo requiring the fire department to come to hose it down.
It’s highly likely that if you’re reading this, you’ve already heard of the term Guerrilla Marketing before. Maybe you’ve seen an installation in person or possibly online because they’re so darn shareable, but you probably know that it’s all about the element of surprise. That and getting onlookers to have a memorable experience with an installation connected to a specific brand.
It can be such an effective and evocative tool when used right, and it’s definitely a strategy in which the marketing team can really let themselves go and get creative. Not to mention that running these types of campaigns help keep your brand current, and maybe even go viral. In this article we’ll go through the different types of Guerrilla Marketing campaigns, and some examples, but first; a refresher on what Guerrilla Marketing actually is.
Guerrilla Marketing is a unique strategy used in advertising campaigns to compete with companies with much bigger Ad budgets, as it is inexpensive and focuses more on reach rather than frequency. It’s an alternative strategy which is about taking the consumer by surprise, delighting, and engaging them with an eye catching and usually smartly placed installation or visual set up in public. These campaigns aim to create memorable experiences, and to establish an emotional connection between the brand an the viewer. Just by creating this experience for the consumer, it’s more likely that the person will share their experience, tell their friends and family via social media. Thus the product or service being advertised has the potential to reach a mass audience.
These campaigns have been done in shopping centers, parks, beaches, and on the streets mainly to attract a large audience. It’s about creating buzz among the people, (especially now with the ease of sharing made possible by social media channels) and making big impression with your brand.
TYPES OF GUERRILLA MARKETING
1. Ambient marketing
This type of advertising is often done by placing an interesting, and attention grabbing object along with it’s message, somewhere with high visibility. The concept is to catch the consumer off guard by getting their attention in ways they aren’t used to. Magazine ads, product placement in TV and Movies, and news online, are typical forms that the consumer has grown accustomed to, and might be ignored. Whereas seeing a larger than life object or statement while on a walk to work, would definitely be more memorable and effective.
2. Ambush marketing
Ambush marketing is a marketing strategy in which an advertiser “ambushes” an event, area, or ad space to compete for exposure against other (often direct competitor) advertisers. Like this advertising billboard exchange below between luxury car brands: BMW and AUDI
3. Stealth Marketing
Stealth marketing is the practice of marketing to consumers without their awareness. Whether it’s ads you see on the edges of Facebook that’s hardly noticeable anymore, to product placement in a film or TV series. Stealth marketing is everywhere, and it’s almost impossible to avoid. The best practice for stealth marketing is to make it so subtle that the viewer doesn’t notice that it’s a marketing tactic.
4. Viral/buzz marketing
Buzz marketing refers to marketing strategies in which the goal is to capture the attention of consumers and influencers to amplify the marketing message via word or mouth, and social media sharing. So much so, that talking about the product, brand, or service becomes newsworthy, fun, and entertaining. Check out this infographic from Feedough.com
5. Guerrilla projection advertising
This marketing technique is effectively a digital billboard that is projected at night onto the side of a building. This is often done without the permission of the governing bodies (council permits), or the permission from owner of the building. These projections are displayed on the sides of buildings in high traffic locations (people on foot and in vehicles). Guerrilla projection advertising is an effective addition to campaigns of a larger scale, like the launch of a product or service, a concert, shows, and events.
6. Grassroots marketing
Grassroots marketing from its namesake, begins from the ground up. It involves targeting your message to a smaller group, a niche, and hoping that group spreads the message to a larger audience. It’s about getting consumers on a small scale to advocate for you, and get more and more people on board. This is best for advocacies and campaigns that have something to stand for.
Below are some perfect examples of Grassroots campaigns from the awesome and insightful blog post: 50 Great Grassroots Marketing Campaign Examples. Visit their website at info.CQ.com
World Wildlife Fund: 202 Million Emojis Sent
“World Wildlife Fund (WWF) works for conservation in 100 countries and is supported by 1.2 million members in the United States and close to 5 million globally. Campaign Goal: Engage a younger audience with small donations and raise awareness of endangered animals using Endangered Emoji. Channel(s): Twitter Results: 17 endangered animals were turned into emoji characters, and every time a user tweeted one, they pledged to make a 10 cents donation that would be tallied at the end of the month, which the user could pay voluntarily. Within a year emoji had been used over 202 million times on Twitter.”
– Ann Dermody, 50 Great Grassroots Marketing Campaign Examples.
WestJet: Christmas miracle
“WestJet is a Canadian low-cost carrier that provides scheduled and charter air service Campaign Goal: Corporate Social Advocacy. Channel(s): YouTube Results: WestJet used a stunt-based social media campaign to engage goodwill and awareness for their corporation through social media. They asked some travelers what they wanted for Christmas, then, while the passengers were airborne, raced to buy and wrap the requested items, which were delivered to recipients via the destination airport’s baggage carousel. The campaign’s video received more than 36 million views at the time, and won a Shorty Award. Since then it’s gotten 44 million plus views.”
– Ann Dermody, 50 Great Grassroots Marketing Campaign Examples.
7. Wild posting
Also sometimes referred to as flyposting, wild posting is simple and consists of placing multiple posters or flyers in multiple locations, usually using repetition and appealing visuals to catch the consumers eye. They can be posted on any sort of structure in a high-traffic, urban area.
Wild postings add character and color to the boring, often monotone urban landscape. This is a great way of drawing eyeballs to your awesome event or product in an area where there’s little else vying for people’s attention.
8. Astroturfing
This is one of the most risky guerilla marketing techniques as it can be deceptive in nature. Astroturfing involves creating artificial hype and excitement around a certain product by getting people and influencers to positively review and react to it. Often times these influencers/endorsers are paid by the very company or brand advertising it, and these days it isn’t very hard to see when public figures are being disingenuous with their sentiments. Astroturfing derives from artificial “Turf”, or fake grass used in football fields or tennis courts. Hence fake endorsements, testimonials, and recommendations are all products of astroturfing. If consumers are able to see through this type of campaign, it can be detrimental to the company or brand, as word will spread and people may feel betrayed. It also keeps the company open to litigation.
9. Street marketing
This type of guerilla marketing is based on promoting products or services in an unconventional way in public places. The main function of street marketing is that the activities are done exclusively on the streets, high density areas rife for a public display. While ambient Marketing uses other public places, such as shopping centers.
By using these different Guerilla Marketing types and techniques the right way, ad campaigns are now capable of being more exciting and dynamic than ever. People these days love to share most things that are brilliant, eye catching, humourous, and thought provoking. It’s easier now to get campaigns viral and spreading like wildfire. So we urge you to be brave and to take advantage of new techniques like these. Try using our In-Transit Advertising platform GYPSY, where you can roll out interactive and hypertargeted digital ads to ride hailing passengers. Sign up as an advertiser and get 1000 FREE advertising credits today.
Now, go forth and be creative with your marketing!