So Good They Can’t Ignore Your Product
Guerrilla your product to the top of the market
Guerrilla marketing is a way to drive publicity and, as a result, brand awareness by promoting using out of ordinary methods designed to invoke surprise, wonder, or shock.
The word “guerrilla,” in its written form, looks quiet intense. It makes us imagine the images of rebellion and conflict. Put “marketing,” next to it and boom, it makes many people ask, “Huh?”
The birth of guerrilla marketing was in 1957 by the late business writer Jay Conrad Levinson, who wrote several books about guerrilla tactics in several professional areas. He is considered as the Father of Guerrilla marketing.
Of course, marketing at that time looked very different from what it is now. While guerrilla marketing is still used today, the ever-growing digital landscape is changing what it looks like.
The Spread Of Guerrilla Marketing
Right from the start of it, guerrilla marketing sparked possibilities in the minds of entrepreneurs. It flourished and gained fans for ten simple reasons, which genuinely helps guerrillas make more money.
- It is simple and not complicated.
- It works every time if you do it right.
- It has an enticing name that attracts experimentation.
- It fits a small business, which grows at a record pace.
- It is affordable no matter how dismal the economy.
- It embraces new forms of marketing.
- It eliminates most of the stress about marketing.
- It is ideal for the internet and connected world.
- It helps big business as much as small business.
- It grows profits for businesses around the planet.
Now let us get deeper into the concept of Guerrilla marketing. There are 4 types of Guerrilla marketing. Outdoor guerrilla marketing, Indoor guerrilla marketing, event ambush guerrilla marketing and experimental 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 guerrilla marketing, like outdoor guerrilla marketing, occurs in indoor locations like train stations, shops, and university campus buildings.
Event ambush guerrilla marketing engages the audience of an in-person event — like a concert or a sporting game — to promote a product or service noticeably, usually without permission from the event sponsors.
Experiential guerrilla marketing. This includes all of the above but is executed in a way that requires the public to interact with the brand.
Guerrilla Marketing Examples to Inspire Your Brand
BBC’s Dracula Billboard
When I personally think about Dracula, I end up the ultimate villain, synonymous with everything that goes bump in the night. The BBC saw this as a golden opportunity to promote their show Dracula and decided to capitalize on this eerie association.
During the day, their billboard was deliberately minimalistic, featuring red text on a white background with a few strategically placed bloody stakes. However, as night fell, the billboard underwent a remarkable transformation.
The stakes, positioned just right, cast a shadow that resembled the iconic silhouette of Dracula himself. This clever and subtle change not only caught the attention of passersby but also added an element of surprise and intrigue to the advertisement.
This innovative installation quickly gained traction and was featured in Adweek, garnering viral success for its creativity and skillful execution.
The big takeaway?
Always Think outside the box for your advertising materials.
In this case, light and shadow were enough to convey the message and capture attention. Like the same, you can utilize the theme of our business and create something just way more innovative. Remember that people like entertainment.
Burger King’s Moldy Whooper
Have you ever thought about a negative ad campaign throwing away a positive impact on the brand?
Yes, Burger King is doing the same to compete with various brands including McDonalad’s and so.
Not many people must have thought that a rotten burger would be the face of a widespread ad, which is why Burger King decided to launch their time-lapse ad campaign about their whopper burger decaying for 35 days.
You know how everyone always complains about how burgers and cereal in ads look way too perfect to be real? Well, Burger King decided to flip the script and show off just how real their burgers actually are to generate trust among their customers.
They did this by letting a Whopper burger sit out and actually grow mold. The images in the ad show mold creeping over the burger, from the buns to the fresh tomatoes, lettuce, onions, and that juicy beef patty.
To really drive home the point, they included a little counter that shows how many days have passed since the burger was made. And right underneath, it says, “The beauty of no artificial preservatives.”
It sounds pretty gross, but surprisingly, the ad was a hit with their target audience. Some people even said they’d choose the Whopper over other burgers because it had no preservatives.
The big takeaway: When it comes to marketing our products, sometimes we’ve got to go to the extremes.
It might sound risky, but it can actually have the exact effect we’re aiming. Of course, being careful and truthful is crucial too.
Take the Burger King Whopper ad campaign. They went all out, showing a Whopper burger actually growing mold to prove they removed artificial preservatives. However it wasn’t very pleasing but it paid off big time.
By being so upfront and honest with their customers, Burger King created a sense of unity and trust among them. And you know what? It worked. A lot of people started choosing Burger King over other burger joints because of it.
Starting to make a little more sense?
I hope these examples must have sparked some inspiration for you, especially if you’re promoting a smaller brand. One thing to remember is not to shy away from crowdsourcing content for these campaigns.
Being creative in your approach is key to keeping guerrilla marketing budget-friendly and inbound and however in this generation who doesn’t want to be creative, right?
The idea is to catch people where they already are and seamlessly insert your brand into their world. It’s not about interrupting them but inviting them to join in the experience.
