Guerrilla Advertising: What is it all about?

Jay Conrad Levinson, an American business writer, created the term "guerrilla advertising" or "guerrilla marketing" in 1984.  It is a corporate marketing approach that uses unorthodox methods to obtain the best results while incurring cheap costs. Guerrilla marketing efforts are more often than not the ones that go viral online and through social media.

 

The basic goal of guerilla marketing, also known as experiential marketing, is to provide potential customers with an immersive and remarkable experience. 

 

Guerrilla advertising, in a similar fashion, is targeted at members of the public in order to generate involvement with the product or service being advertised, frequently through shock value or unique and imaginative concepts. 

 

Because the consumer has had such a memorable and immersive experience with the advertisement, they are more likely to tell others about it, spreading the word about the campaign and allowing it to reach a larger audience than it would have otherwise. 

 

Due to the function of social media and the methods in which it is used in the contemporary day, a campaign can be focused on city centers or public areas with significant traffic and see the impacts of their campaign extend wider. 

 

When people encounter something great, new, and unoriginal, they are compelled to photograph it, film it, and share it on social media.

 

(Targeted Advertising is great for creating your brand awareness. Here are some of the Targeted Advertising techniques you must explore)

 

Characteristics of Guerrilla Marketing
 

Guerrilla marketing is difficult to define due to its complexities. A guerrilla marketing campaign, on the other hand, is easy to spot. All you have to do is look for specific characteristics.

 

• The surprising element

 

This sort of marketing provides unique opportunities for connection with potential customers. Guerrilla marketing frequently attempts to surprise or shock the audience.

 

• Cost-effectiveness

 

The majority of guerilla marketing efforts have small expenditures yet produce excellent outcomes. Guerrilla marketing resembles growth hacking because of this attribute.

 

• Interactiveness

 

Guerrilla marketing appeals to the target audience's emotions and experiences in order to persuade them to join a campaign.

 

• In business-to-consumer (B2C)

 

Emotions are a powerful sales motivator in B2C marketing. Because B2B decisions are made more carefully and thoroughly, guerrilla marketing is less effective in this industry.

 

• Provocativeness

 

Guerrilla marketing initiatives are frequently provocative and hazardous since it relies on emotional contact.

 

However, It's easy to misinterpret mysterious messages. Guerrilla marketing efforts frequently have a sense of mystery about them, and while this mystery can help a campaign gain attention and notice, the lack of clarity can also cause audience interpretation to be skewed.

 

Watch this: Guerrilla Marketing: Shockingly Great Marketing On A Small Budget

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Benefits of Guerilla Marketing

 

We've discovered that guerrilla marketing is a cost-effective and efficient technique to advertise a company. Let's look at some of the other benefits of this strategy.

 

• Increased brand awareness

 

The goal of guerrilla marketing is to create a buzz around a business. Campaigns that are provocative and unorthodox are ideal for increasing brand awareness.

 

• Standing out from Competitors

 

In terms of establishing your firm apart from the competition, bold and memorable guerilla marketing acts are just as effective as a distinct value offer.

 

• Emotional Connection

 

A single guerrilla marketing campaign can generate a deep emotional connection between a brand and a customer since guerilla marketing is good at generating emotions. The be-all and end-all of successful long-term relationships with buyers is this connection.

 

• Creating ties

 

The majority of guerilla marketing initiatives are large-scale endeavors that necessitate collaboration between numerous enterprises or groups. As a result, guerrilla marketing can be an excellent foundation for forming collaborations.

 

(Heard of Display Advertising? Here’s a Beginner’s Guide for you to Display Advertising)

 

Types Of Guerrilla Marketing

 

• Ambush advertising

 

This is a high-risk tactic in which a firm disrupts an event hosted or sponsored by a competitor. If your opponent, for example, supports a local sporting event, you might present important rewards to the winners or attendees. This technique allows you to reap the full benefit of a competitor's activities.

 

This strategy generates a memorable event and allows a brand to reach out to the opponent's target demographic. However, because event sponsors frequently have regulated agreements with event organizers, it may generate legal issues.

 

• Undercover marketing

 

This strategy entails presenting a covert sales pitch to a potential consumer who is unaware of it. The strategy tries to generate interest and build a community around the product.

 

Product placement in movies and television shows is the most well-known example of this strategy. You may have seen your favorite characters sipping a specific type of beverage or wearing shoes from a well-known design business.
 

• Ambient marketing

 

Ambient marketing is perhaps the most common type of guerrilla marketing. The concept refers to the placement of a compelling message or image in an unexpected location. As a result, ambient marketing occurs entirely offline.

 

This sort of guerilla marketing, on the other hand, does not simply entail placing an ad in an unexpected location. The message should be unexpected, surprising, and innovative in nature. Louis Vuitton, a fashion house, provided an excellent example of ambient marketing. It erected a massive suitcase exhibit in Red Square.

 

• Experiential marketing

 

Experiential marketing is all about putting your target audience in a memorable environment where they can connect with something that represents your business. Experiential marketing strategies are designed to foster a deep relationship between your organization and potential clients.

 

The most obvious strategy is to organize or support an event, such as a convention, fair, or other similar gatherings. However, you might use a more inventive method, as Rick & Morty did in their animated series. The show's creators drove an automobile shaped like Rick across US cities. 

 

They also arranged for the campaign's social media support. The video quickly went viral. People followed the truck across the country to photograph it and purchase items.

 

(Explore the concept of Native Advertising, What it means, examples as well as How it works)

 

Guerrilla Marketing Techniques and Advice

 

A few recommendations to help you with your creative process

 

• Set up a pop-up shop

 

A pop-up shop is a temporary store that can be simply set up and taken down by entrepreneurs. These businesses are typically utilized to draw customers' attention to a brand rather than to make revenue. As a result, choosing the appropriate size for a pop-up shop is crucial to its success.

 

If you wish to use this strategy, go outside the box and choose a unique but well-traveled location. You could, for example, set up a pop-up shop within another store or at a large event. Renting a van or truck to construct a mobile version of the business is another alternative.

 

• Posters and stickers can be used

 

Guerrilla marketing with posters and stickers is a low-cost option. You can provide branded stickers to your customers so that they can promote your business to others.

 

Placing your posters in public places, such as walls, sidewalks, sculptures, and so on, is an even more effective approach to apply this strategy. Sticking them to moving items, such as public transportation, can also be beneficial.

 

• Provide samples

 

The efficiency of samples is determined by two factors. The first is that most individuals enjoy obtaining something useful for free. The second is that they feel obligated to acquire something after receiving it. It's called reciprocity, and it's a basic human psychological trait that encourages people to give someone a favor if they've already received one.

 

Make sure you offer something valuable if you decide to use the reciprocity principle. After obtaining your sample, people should be satisfied, if not astounded.

 

• Keep it simple and consistent

 

The key to success with marketing approaches is succinct and consistent messaging. It's much more vital in guerilla marketing since campaigns catch your audience off guard and elicit an immediate response. So, until your campaign's message is razor-sharp and unequivocal, fine-tune it.

 

(Learn about How AI can be used in Advertising)

 

• Concentrate on small groups

 

A target audience is made up of numerous different types of clients. Instead of attempting to reach out to all of them with your guerrilla marketing effort, concentrate on smaller groups.

 

This method will assist you in developing more successful campaigns that provide tangible results. Even better, it makes it simple to maintain long-term connections with customers and cultivate brand evangelists.

 

Watch this: 100 Best Guerilla Marketing Tactic Examples

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Several businesses are focusing on creating relationships with their customers and boosting customer follow-up as a result of guerrilla advertising. Companies may keep repeat customers and gain new ones by using tools like email subscriptions, newsletters, and deals, as well as recommendations and word of mouth. 

 

While there is a risk of misinterpretation, dishonesty, and possible legal implications when using guerilla advertising, the rewards of a successful campaign are enormous and unpredictable.