In our minds, guerrilla marketing often conjures up images of guerrilla warfare. In the warfare context, guerrilla tactics depend largely on the element of surprise, and the same goes with guerrilla marketing.
The campaign aims to create highly unconventional content that catches people by surprise in the course of their daily routines. For this reason, guerilla marketing is often not expensive as it relies more on creativity and witty ideas rather than on a large budget.
Four types of guerilla marketing
Outdoor guerrilla marketing adds something to pre-existing urban environments, such as modifying statues or installing temporary art on sidewalks, or even bringing a whole new aspect, such as a removable house in the city center. It is anything, big or large, that catches the eye of a person passing by.
Indoor guerilla marketing is similar to outdoor guerrilla marketing, but it takes place indoors, such as shops, train or bus stations, and commercial buildings.
Event ambush guerilla marketing leverages the audience of an in-progress event, like a concert or sporting event, in order to promote a product or service in a noticeable way, usually without the permission of the event’s sponsors. For example, your furniture company may bring chairs to the people waiting in line to purchase concert tickets, creating a line of the chairs marked with your brand name.
Experiential guerilla marketing combines all of the types mentioned above but is executed in a way that requires the public to interact with the brand.
Get started with these tips
- Think outside the box
While it may seem obvious, it is important to think outside the box to find something the audience will find surprising. Remember that the whole aspect of guerilla marketing relies on the element of surprise. What can you bring to your atmosphere that brings your message or brand closer to people in a way that stays in their mind long after they have seen it. Don’t get stuck with how things have been done in the past and remember that nothing is too big, as long as it fits in the voice of your brand.
- Research what other brands have done – but don’t copy
To get inspiration, research what others have done. Don’t copy the idea of a competitor working on the same field but rather, get inspired by what others – even from polar opposite industries – have done and use those while thinking of your own approach.
- Make your campaign interactive
People are curious by nature and like to interact with things. Use this to your advantage when planning on your guerilla marketing campaign. How can you get people to engage with your advert you have placed in their atmosphere. Make interaction easy and include a trick that makes people want to interact with the campaign.
- Don’t focus on going viral
While we all want your clever campaign to go viral, don’t focus on it. Don’t focus on everyone seeing your guerilla marketing campaign through social media, but instead, focus on your target audience in your target area: the people who are seeing and interacting with your campaign where it is physically happening. Going viral is an additional plus that happens if it happens.
