While the word Guerrilla is uncanny when paired next to marketing, it’s actually a wonderful tactic for turning your business advertising around. Guerrilla marketing is a unique form of inbound marketing designed to raise awareness for your brand. At the same time, guerrilla marketing doesn’t use conventional methods but instead relies on personal interactions. In most situations, guerrilla marketing is budget-friendly and experimental. We’ll explain some great strategies for guerrilla marketing below.
Use Your Surroundings
Some of the most clever guerrilla marketing tactics involve a brand using its surroundings occupied by many people. In one example, Mr. Clean applied fresh white paint to just one stripe on a faded crosswalk. The popular cleaning brand then stuck a sticker on the bright white stripe with their mascot on it. People walking nearby associated the fresh paint with the “clean” reputation of the brand. While the ad stands out and grabs people’s attention, it’s still just a part of the surrounding environment done in a clever fashion.
Creativity
One of the most important strategies for Guerilla Marketing. Thinking out of the box is what gives consumers a separate feeling from looking at a traditional billboard. Consumers reward a creative marketing strategy by engaging with it. The perfect example is what paper towel company Bounty created in the busy streets of New York. Bounty creatively placed a gigantic coffee cup spilled over as people walked by. A simple message states, “Make small work out of BIG spills” near the spill with the Bounty logo. People took pictures and posed near the silly spill. Bounty’s ad spread fast in a densely populated city and successfully sparked consumer-generated viral content.
Interact with Consumers
Guerrilla marketing tactics are also special and interactive with consumers. Being interactive connects consumers to your brand. The Polish brand Tyskie used interaction to promote their beer. Life-size beer mug stickers were placed behind the door handles of restaurants and bars. Every time a consumer opened the door, it appeared as if they were clutching one of Tyskie’s giant beer mugs in their hand. The ad isn’t pitching a direct sale, but it’s easy for the consumer to imagine themselves having a beer. Not to mention, it’s a budget-friendly option for an ad.
Make It Unexpected
What’s the quickest way to get people talking? Do something unexpected that they can’t ignore. A great example of shocking your consumers is what IHOP did in the Summer of 2018. IHOP, known for their breakfast items and especially pancakes, pulled a marketing stunt where they teased a name change. “IHOb – The International House of Burgers” took social media by storm. People couldn’t stop talking about the ridiculous name change. The marketing strategy helped IHOP sell four times as many burgers according to the Chief Marketing Officer.
Guerilla marketing strategies seem both simple, yet it takes careful thought to succeed. It’s a low-cost way to market your brand and specifically target an audience. The great guerilla marketing strategies are often ones that are creative, interactive, shocking, and subtle. It’s unconventional, but a great strategy will reward your brand with a rapid increase in awareness.