The Concept and Principles of Guerrilla Marketing
The idea behind guerrilla marketing is to engage consumers with a memorable experience that makes a lasting impression. It embraces unorthodox methods, since traditional forms of advertising and marketing can be too costly and time-consuming. Guerrilla marketing is not about having the biggest budget, but about being creative and thinking outside the box.
At its core, guerrilla marketing is about targeting consumers directly, on a much more intimate level than traditional marketing techniques. Buzzwords associated with guerrilla marketing include “sneak attack”, “street smarts”, and “grassroots campaigns”. It harnesses the power of social media, word-of-mouth and human interaction to get a message across.
Innovative Guerrilla Marketing Tactics and Strategies
Guerrilla marketing is all about thinking on your feet and getting creative. Here are some innovative tactics and strategies that marketers use to get the most out of their guerrilla marketing campaigns:
- Unconventional Placements: This includes placing ads in unconventional spots like public bathrooms, elevators, and in the street.
- Guerilla Street Teams: A street team is a group of people who are hired to promote and market a product or service in public places by handing out samples or engaging in interesting activities.
- Shocking stunts and gimmicks: Creating a controversial stunt or gimmick can draw attention to your product or service in a unique way.
- Alternative media: Guerrilla marketing makes use of alternative media like online videos, podcasts, and social media.
Examples of Successful Guerrilla Marketing Campaigns
There are countless examples of successful guerrilla marketing campaigns across the world. Here are some of the most impressive and memorable campaigns:
- Red Bull’s Stratos Mission: In 2012, Red Bull became the first company to launch a human to space and back using only its own resources. The marketing campaign was a huge success and helped boost the brand’s worldwide presence.
- Guerrilla Gigs: In 2016, music group Maroon 5 set up a pop-up store in New York City and surprised customers by performing a free concert. This guerrilla marketing campaign resulted in hundreds of thousands of online video views and increased album sales.
- Burger King’s Whopper VW Bus: Burger King created a replica of their iconic Whopper Burger in the shape of a VW Bus and took it around different cities in the United States. Passersby could get a free Whopper Burger just by waving at the bus. This campaign generated a lot of curiosity and earned massive media coverage in the US.
