Guerilla Marketing Definition: unconventional, creative strategy designed to grab attention by surprising or delighting its audience. It breaks the rules of traditional marketing methods by relying on imagination and creativity rather than a large budget.
Here are the main concepts of guerrilla marketing:
Unconventional Tactics: Guerrilla marketing uses unconventional tactics that disrupt public spaces and engage audiences in unexpected ways. This could involve flash mobs, street art, or placing surprising advertisements in locations where they wouldn’t normally appear, like on everyday objects or in unusual locations [1].
Cost-Effective: One of the main advantages of guerrilla marketing is that it requires relatively low financial investment compared to traditional marketing strategies. It focuses on creativity and leveraging public spaces or community events to generate buzz without the need for expensive media buys [2].
Memorability and Engagement: Guerrilla marketing thrives on shock value and aims to create memorable, emotional experiences for the audience. By creating a sense of surprise or intrigue, these campaigns tend to leave a lasting impression, driving brand awareness and word-of-mouth advertising. The goal is to be so memorable that people talk about it long after they’ve seen it [3].
Viral Potential: Many guerrilla marketing campaigns are designed to be shared on social media, increasing their reach beyond the initial physical interaction. User-generated content from campaigns (like photos or videos) often fuels online virality, further amplifying the campaign’s success and reach [2].
Risk and Creativity: While guerrilla marketing can be very effective, it’s not without its risks. Poorly executed campaigns can backfire, leading to negative public reactions or legal issues. Therefore, careful planning and creativity are essential to ensure the campaign aligns with the brand and resonates with the audience [1].
These core principles of guerrilla marketing illustrate why it’s such a powerful tool for brands looking to engage with consumers in an unconventional and memorable way.
Guerilla marketing and Guerilla marketing tactics feature the use of unconventional communications, often via unexpected places.
Why is Guerilla Marketing More Effective Compared to Traditional Marketing?
Having looked at guerilla marketing definition, we now evaluate why the marketing method is more effective than traditional marketing. Let us jump into it!
Ability to Reach a Wider Audience At Minimal or No Cost
Guerilla marketing relies on at-hand promotions. For instance, a door hanging or a branded pizza top will reach a greater audience as the target customers share the message via social media and with their close friends, family members, or colleagues. Therefore, with guerilla marketing, the marketing message spreads through a viral marketing strategy, making it an excellent method to reach a broad audience.
Cost-Effective Marketing Strategy
Being a cost-effective marketing approach, guerilla marketing is ideal for small startups or marketers with a limited budget. The reason why it is a cost-effective approach is that the marketing message teaches a broader audience. Therefore, the marketer can reach a greater audience without necessarily topping up their marketing budget.
Leaves a Lasting Impression
Guerilla marketing is the best way marketers can create a lasting impression on their target audience’s minds. Bear in mind that the purpose of guerilla marketing is to enter the subconscious of people. Therefore, guerilla serves the purpose better compared to conventional advertising methods.
High Return on Investment
Are you at loggerheads with your chief financial officer regarding the low return from your previous marketing projects? Probably you should give guerilla marketing a trial. The method of marketing provides a high return on investment. This is because of the ability to reach a broad audience while spending a low budget.
What Are the Examples of Guerilla Marketing?
Pizza Box Top Advertising
The pizza box top advertising is a unique guerilla-marketing example that allows marketers to reach their audience while still at home. The advertiser prints an advert on the pizza boxes often referred to as pizza toppers and shipped to strategically chosen pizzerias. The pizza delivery van delivers the pizza with the advert on the box in the target audience’s hands.
Coffee sleeves
The advertiser’s logo and the message are printed on the sleeves that advertisers use for protecting coffee drinkers from the hot coffee. The coffee sleeves are distributed to chosen coffee shops.
Sanitizing Stations
Sanitizing stations have become a high traffic area following the Covid-19 pandemic. Advertisers are using branded sanitization stations to reach their target audience. The method has a broad reach, and it is a low-cost advertising approach.
Bar Advertising
The approach leverages printed coasters hence reaching the target audience who frequent the relaxing environment. The advertiser’s logo and the marketing message are printed on the coasters and distributed to the selected venues.
Pharmacy Bags
Advertising on pharmacy bags works just like it sounds. Essentially, the advertisers print a custom message and distribute it to targeted pharmacies. The message is delivered to the target audience upon purchasing from the pharmacy.
