In today’s challenging economy, while some businesses cut back, others are turning to innovative strategies like guerrilla marketing to drive growth. If you start scaling back now, your competition might take over the market share you leave behind, potentially putting you out of business and costing you more to regain that position in the future.
In this blog, we explore how guerrilla marketing can benefit businesses and how you can start using its smart tactics to your advantage.
Simple Definition of Guerrilla Marketing
Jay Conrad Levinson first coined the term “guerrilla marketing.” This approach focuses on using imaginative, outside-the-box thinking where businesses can invest time, energy, and money. It’s an action-oriented technique that requires businesses to develop customized solutions that work for their brand.
By utilizing unorthodox styles and methods to grab attention, your digital marketing strategies can significantly benefit from guerrilla marketing. Companies across various industries, from mid-cap to blue-chip organizations, rely on this technique to build brand recognition, awareness, and reputation over time.
Examples of Guerrilla Marketing
Here are some great examples of guerrilla marketing to illustrate how effective it can be:
- Faber Castell: This brand captured the innocence and artistic expression of children by creating a billboard campaign where a little girl's hand, holding a color pencil, extended out of the frame and into the sky. The campaign slogan, “See, I Can Draw The Sky,” became a memorable line, showcasing the brand’s creative approach.
- Coca-Cola: The “Share A Coke” campaign encouraged customers to share a Coca-Cola with someone whose name was featured on the company’s social media. This campaign went viral across over 70 countries, boosting the brand’s online presence and driving significant engagement.
- Mr. Clean: The brand ultra-whitened one strip of a crosswalk and added their mascot to it, creating a simple yet effective marketing stunt that increased brand recognition.
- Kit-Kat: This brand placed a hammock in a billboard at ground level, inviting people to “have a break.” This creative approach not only drew attention but also increased sales.
- Sarova: This environmental organization placed a fake leopard plush-doll on a street lamp to highlight the urgent need for conservation, making a powerful statement about deforestation.
- It Movie: To promote the release of the movie “It,” the production team tied red balloons to sewer grates and sprayed messages in key locations, creating an eerie atmosphere that aligned with the film’s theme and contributed to its box office success.
Top 5 Guerrilla Marketing Tactics for Brands & Businesses
Now that you’ve seen what guerrilla marketing can achieve, here are the top five tactics that can help grow your business:
- Billboards: Creative billboards can enhance brand recall and encourage word-of-mouth marketing. Their strategic placement in high-visibility areas makes them an effective tool for guerrilla marketing.
- Locations: Choosing the right location is crucial for guerrilla marketing. A well-researched hub or hotspot can significantly increase your campaign’s reach and engagement.
- Wall Art: Graffiti and wall art can serve as a resourceful and aesthetically pleasing marketing technique. It can also turn neighbourhoods into iconic locations, boosting brand recall and attracting influencers.
- Food Trucks & Vending Machines: Both of these can be powerful marketing tools. Food trucks serve as mobile billboards, while vending machines offer a constant stream of brand exposure, especially for food and beverage companies.
- Witty Countering: Cleverly countering a competitor’s advertisement can position your brand as witty and relevant. This tactic can effectively capture consumer attention, especially when done in proximity to the competition’s ads.
Choose the Right Guerrilla Marketing Strategy
No matter how creative your marketing idea is, the right strategy and timing are essential to maximize profitability and reach. Guerrilla marketing aims to improve brand recall and generate word-of-mouth marketing.
Partner with digital marketing agencies like The Madras Branding Company, which boasts a creative and enthusiastic team of professionals who can elevate your guerrilla marketing tactics. Located in Chennai, The Madras Branding Company specializes in branding, digital marketing, and crafting innovative strategies to help your brand succeed in competitive markets.