Why use guerrilla marketing

This means that instead of relying on a genuinely enthused public to spread information regarding a product or brand, this type of marketing involves paying a person, or people, to publicly endorse a product on social media platforms, blogs or other forums.

What makes this kind of advertising different from employing a famous actor to advertise a brand is that astroturfing creates the impression of widespread, grassroots support for a product or brand. Companies can also create fake blogs or may pay employees to post positive reviews about their brand. Example: A company has decided to create a positive awareness of its brand by sending paid representatives to events where the target audience is likely to congregate.

The idea is for these representatives to seamlessly incorporate the brand into conversation without disclosing the fact that the company is paying them to do so. To ensure that your guerrilla marketing campaign is successful, here are a few steps:. One of the most important tactics of guerrilla marketing, and a major reason for its effectiveness, is the element of surprise.

The difference between a normal advertisement on a billboard and an ambient marketing campaign that places an oversized ice cream on a sidewalk is the surprise factor. To create the element of surprise, you will need to think in an original and creative way, as consumers cannot be surprised by something they know and are familiar with.

Once you have managed to surprise your consumer, you have caught their attention and have made a memorable impression. Although guerilla marketing should seem spontaneous and random, you need to do a lot of research and careful planning before launching a guerrilla marketing campaign. For guerrilla marketing to be effective, the message and the execution of the campaign need to be clever and highly original.

This, together with the fact that these kinds of campaigns typically do not have a large, requires creativity, as well as an in-depth understanding of the worldview and preferences of the target audience. Guerrilla marketing strives to entertain and interest consumers to create a lasting and positive impression of the brand.

One of the best ways to gain the attention of your audience and keep them entertained is to involve them in the campaign. Whether you ask consumers to dispense your product from a vending machine, pose for photos or sit on your couches on sidewalks, they are far more likely to remember your brand if your campaign requires interaction. For guerrilla marketing to work, the audience must willingly engage with the campaign. This means that you should be aware of the needs of your consumers and approach them with respect.

If you are targeting a select audience, doing proper research will give you insight into the best ways of approaching them.

Compared to traditional marketing, guerrilla tactics are definitely riskier. Then again, the rewards can be brilliant, when things go as planned. As noted above, one telltale sign of guerrilla marketing is the way it blends multiple tactics to create maximum exposure and impact. Most guerrilla marketing campaigns incorporate multiple marketing communication methods and tools to carry out the the full vision.

For example, organizers of guerrilla stunts and feats frequently film their activities and post them online to generate hopefully viral videos and other content. Real-world guerrilla messages and promotional pieces often include information to access company Web sites, where custom-designed landing pages welcome visitors to the online counterpart of the guerrilla experience.

Social media is a staple of guerrilla marketing. Social media also helps generate the buzz that drives guerrilla content to become viral. As guerrilla activities draw media attention, they intersect with PR and media relations. Skip to main content. Search for:. Reading: Guerrilla Marketing Guerrilla Marketing: Thinking Outside the Box Guerrilla marketing is a relatively new marketing strategy that relies on unconventional, often low-cost tactics to create awareness of and goodwill toward a brand, product, service, or even a company.

Classic Guerrilla: Nike Livestrong at the Tour de France Although this campaign was a full-blown IMC effort, at its core it was really a memorable guerrilla marketing stunt: the spectacle of painting the streets of France during the world-famous Tour de France bicycle race. Telltale Signs of Guerrilla Marketing Guerrilla marketing campaigns can be very diverse in their approach and tactics. It's so simple, in theory, that it sounds like fiction. But when the GoldToe brand needed a way to tease and promote the launch of its new undergarments, that's exactly what it did -- casually placed these new items of clothing on statues throughout New York.

And while we can't be sure that it's the route GoldToe took, we sincerely hope that those bull-sized briefs were made with leftover manufacturing fabric, helping to make this campaign even budget-friendlier.

The big takeaway: Don't overthink it. Sometimes what looks like your silliest idea might be the best one. How is this real? FijiGirl GoldenGlobes pic. Strategic product placement is one guerilla marketing tactic to gain attention in subtle ways.

One such example includes Fiji Water's presence at the Golden Globes where models wore blue and carried trays of water for thirsty attendees. It didn't end there, though. One model -- Kelleth Cuthbert -- positioned herself in the background during photoshoots, effectively photo-bombing high-profile celebrities. When the photos started appearing on social media, people began noticing Cuthbert as a common denominator, dubbing her FijiGirl.

Ultimately, she became one of the highlights of the evening, winning over fans and drawing attention to Fiji Water's brand. The big takeaway: Your brand doesn't need to be the focus of an event for it to stand out. When pub and brewing company Greene King feared that small, neighborhood establishments -- notably, the pub -- would start to be overtaken by large corporate retail, it launched a campaign to communicate just how important these local businesses really are.

Even better, the content was almost entirely created by those who understand this predicament best: Pub owners, bartenders, and patrons. These individuals were given cameras to capture video of the most meaningful moments and gatherings they've experienced inside these local pubs -- from weddings, to funeral receptions, to birthdays. These videos were shared on Greene King's YouTube profile and posed the question, "Without these neighborhood meeting places, where would we share these moments?

The big takeaway: It's okay to get a little sentimental with guerilla marketing. Think about the emotions invoked by what you offer. Then, invite your audience to create content around what your brand means to them. When I think of Count Dracula, I conjure the penultimate villain synonymous with everything that goes bump in the night. The BBC wanted to capitalize on this feeling to promote their show, Dracula.

By day, their billboard was designed to be minimalistic with red text on a white background with a few bloody stakes. However, like its subject, the billboard changed completely every time night fell. The installation ended up being featured in Adweek and had some viral success for its creativity and skillful implementation. The big takeaway: Think outside the box for your advertising materials. In this case, light and shadow were enough to convey the message and capture attention.

Hopefully, you'll be inspired by these examples, especially if you're promoting a smaller brand. Don't be afraid to crowdsource the content for these campaigns, for example -- after all, it's creative approaches to your work that help maintain guerrilla marketing's budget-friendly, inbound nature. Remember: Catch people where they are, and insert your brand there. Don't interrupt, but invite them to participate. Editor's note: This post was originally published in July and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Originally published Aug 17, PM, updated August 17 Logo - Full Color. Contact Sales. Overview of all products. It can help you rack up millions of views quickly.

Guerrilla marketing companies can use this to their benefit and make tremendous campaigns that go viral. You can think up as many ways as you can to attain your goals. Try to collaborate with another business that attracts the same consumers as your business does. Also read : All you need to know about Network Marketing.

The importance of Guerilla marketing. We, at OpenGrowth , are continually looking for trending startups in the ecosystem. If you want to know any further information about the startup ecosystem or have any mind-boggling ideas, do refer to the other blogs at OpenGrowth. If you have any suggestions, do let us know in the comment section below. Beauty is an eloquent individual, loves to express a myriad of topics through her words. With a never-say-no attitude, she is ready to take any professional challenge head-on and gives her best to any project entrusted to her.

She hopes to make an impact through her writing and build a career out of my passion. Guerilla marketing is the capacity to attract a lot of attention without the need for an extremely large budget.