MKTG Principal: What is Guerrilla Marketing and 8 Stunning examples of this great Low-budget techniq
The word "guerrilla," in its written form, seems very intense. It conjures images of rebellion and conflict. Put it next to the word "marketing," and it makes a lot of people ask, "Huh?"
But guerrilla marketing isn't some sort of combative form of communication. In fact, it's actually a very unconventional form of inbound marketing, in that it raises brand awareness among large audiences, without interrupting them.
Because it's so unconventional, however, it's not the easiest concept to explain. Guerrilla marketing is often best understood when it's observed, see 8 stunning examples throughout this article.
We'll start with some basics around where it came from and how it works, followed by an examination of how it's been carried out successfully
Roots of Warfare
When we hear the term “guerrilla marketing,” it’s hard not to think of guerrilla warfare -- which makes sense, since that’s where this style of marketing got its name. In the warfare context, guerrilla tactics depend largely on the element of surprise. Think Ambushes, sabotage, raids!
But how does that translate into the marketing we do everyday? In marketing, guerrilla techniques mostly play on the element of surprise. It sets out to create highly unconventional campaigns that catch people unexpectedly in the course of their day-to-day routines.
The term itself was created in the early 1980s by the late business writer Jay Conrad Levinson, who wrote several books about guerrilla tactics in a number of professional areas. Of course, at that time, marketing in general looked very different, and while guerrilla marketing is still used today, the ever-growing digital landscape is changing what it looks like.
Budget-Friendly
What marketers really enjoy about guerrilla marketing is its fairly low-cost nature. The real investment here is a creative, intellectual one -- its implementation, however, doesn’t have to be expensive. It’s an investment of time, but not money, per se.
In a way, guerrilla marketing works by repurposing your audience’s current environment. Evaluate it, and figure out which segments of it can be repurposed to include your brand.
Types of Guerrilla Marketing
As niche as it might seem, there are actually a few sub-categories of guerrilla marketing:
Outdoor Guerrilla Marketing. Adds something to preexisting urban environments, like putting something removable onto a statue, or putting temporary artwork on sidewalks and streets.
Indoor Guerilla Marketing. Similar to outdoor guerrilla marketing, only it takes place in indoor locations like train stations, shops, and university campus buildings.
Event Ambush Guerilla Marketing. Leveraging the audience of an in-progress event -- like a concert or a sporting game -- to promote a product or service in a noticeable way, usually without permission from the event sponsors.
Experiential guerrilla Marketing. All of the above, but executed in a way that requires the public to interact with the brand.
