What is guerrilla marketing and how does it work?

November 2, 2021

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Guerrilla Marketing

We live in a time where there are enough notifications and updates to even drown the world. Now, how do you get noticed with such a competition? It is hard and almost incomprehensive, this data pool we live in today. But some brands have somehow still managed to catch the attention of their customers. Simply by taking them by surprise. Remember the giant mascots running about the streets? Well, this strategy of using over-the-top methods to grab people’s attention toward your brand is guerilla marketing. And that’s what we’ll be talking about today.

As it’s said, “when the classic strategies aren’t delivering, you send in the guerrillas.” Guerrilla marketing is a strategy that takes us all by surprise with its uniqueness. The term “guerrilla marketing” was first coined by Jay Conrad Levinson in 1984 and has since become an important aspect of marketing. Guerrilla marketing is about using time, energy, and imagination in a campaign. It does not rely on merely spending money. Guerrilla tactics use surprising expressions, often used in unexpected places. It focuses on low-cost strategies that make a long-lasting impression.

Why does guerrilla marketing work so well?

Today, we are growing in information. The value of proper communication from the company to the consumer is very essential. There are other problems such as low conscious attention. Also, the effectiveness of television advertising is decreasing these days. Under these circumstances, companies have to reconsider their approach to communication strategies. s. Consequently, more and more forms of unconventional advertising techniques are in our surroundings.

Nowadays, companies have more than ever instruments to do effective marketing communication. We can assume unconventional marketing communication in the digital environment is a hot topic. From a strategic perspective, unethical marketing actions can harm a company or product image while strengthening competitors which is opposite to guerrilla objectives. At a relatively low cost, a successful guerrilla ad campaign will generate a great amount of interest. Also, this kind of marketing diffuses or increases the number of people it affects – without any increase in cost. With guerrilla marketing, imagination is more important than budget.

Guerrilla marketing relies heavily on word-of-mouth marketing, considered by many one of the most powerful weapons in a marketer’s arsenal. There’s nothing better than getting people to talk about your campaign on their own accord. News and media houses are also keen on picking up anything interesting in the market. Guerrilla campaigns often get a push from such publicity favours.

Guerrilla Marketing Fundamentals

While guerrilla marketing campaigns work so well, that’s because they connect with consumers’ emotions. And, you have to be careful wherever there are emotions involved. Therefore, it is very necessary to know the basics of this technique before trying to execute it. A successful guerrilla campaign can drive you to fame but also can easily drag you into a PR nightmare. Here are some of the fundamentals of guerrilla marketing that you specifically need to keep in mind:

Focus on how your customer will engage with your advertisement. How interactive is your campaign makes or breaks the case? How active the location is, how is the crowd, is the crowd interactive enough? All these factors affect the result of your campaign and you should keep them in mind.

Define clearly what you’re trying to achieve from this campaign. When you know w=exactly what you want, you’ll start seeing how to achieve that. Setting clear goals will also save you time, energy, and most importantly, money.

Timing things perfectly is the most crucial part of executing a killer guerrilla marketing campaign. If you shout New Year on Independence Day, it’ll just mess things up.

Use different types of strategies, don’t stick to just one. It’ll eventually get boring and it’s not a campaign if it consists of just one type of ad.

How to develop a killer guerrilla marketing campaign?

It all starts with a fresh, out-of-the-world idea which later develops into a full-fledged campaign. So, first, get your ideas straight. Accumulate them in a single place and think. Ponder more on how to use them to your and your customers’ benefit. Especially, think about how you can surprise them. Surprises and innovative methods of communication are key components for engaging the interest of the consumer.

Use a variety of creative methods —and indeed, one of the principles of guerrilla marketing is to use a combination of methods. There are many types of guerrilla marketing strategies like:

Graffiti: Always take permission from authorities before painting city walls as your marketing strategy.

Stickers: Creative and free stickers with a secret message? Yay for everyone!

Treasure hunts: Who doesn’t love a little mystery and free rewards?

Flash mobs: Unexpected and entertaining.

Competitions: most exciting for interactive ads.

Viral videos: Fun, short, entertaining, largest audience in the shortest time.

One important thing to keep in mind is that, while using a variety of methods, the overall marketing message should be consistent. Repeated sightings of the surprise message build interest while changing messages for each stunt tends to confuse the customer. The surprising message should inspire consumers to share their finds with their friends. Having everybody talking about your product is far better than talking about your product to everybody.

In conclusion, this marketing strategy can greatly help your business remain ahead of the competition. Indeed, in some ways, that’s the only way to stay above water and be a profitable business. Risk-taking has become a trendy way of doing business and there’s a lot of risks involved in guerrilla marketing. But the rewards for a successful campaign are big. Whatever you decide for your brand, be sure to be careful.