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Blog - guerilla marketing
Guerilla Marketing
10.10.11
This week we tackle one of our favourite topics, the concept of Guerilla marketing. The term, coined by Jay Conrad Levinson in 1970, describes an unconventional form of marketing intended to achieve maximum results using the minimum budget. Something we are sure all businesses will appreciate!
The main job of any guerilla campaign is to be noticed and remembered by the target audience. “Guerilla marketing works because it’s simple to understand, easy to implement and outrageously inexpensive.” – Levinson. The use of this type of marketing is effective for SMEs because it does not require big budgets. The most vital part of a guerilla campaign is creating a buzz around the message or product to ensure it gets people talking. Levinson states, “Broadening your search isn’t as important as aiming your message at the right people.”
Another advantage of Guerilla marketing is that it is unexpected - the recipient is caught off guard and as a result is more susceptible to an emotional response – laughter, confusion, happiness etc. This reaction is far more memorable than more traditional forms of marketing.
What is the difference between guerilla and traditional marketing?
In the 40’s and 50’s, the main goal of advertising was focused on educating your target audience, rather than entertaining or engaging with them. People became desensitized to this form of marketing and by the 70’s things needed to change. In response, Guerilla Marketing came into being and challenged traditional advertising, which revolved around huge budgets and widespread exposure. The attraction of guerilla marketing is that it is not educational or designed to teach us something. Instead, it evokes a unique reaction to distinguish the business and ensure it is memorable.
The interactive form of some guerilla marketing also allows the audience to feel as though they are part of a project, thereby fostering a relationship with the business. The more creative a project, the more attention it gets.
However, “mediocre marketing with commitment works better than brilliant marketing without commitment.” The main tenet for effective guerrilla marketing is time and effort. SMEs tend to have a greater awareness of their immediate marketplace, so preparation is key. Businesses need to generate interest by concentrating their efforts on small, focused areas of promotion that are effective; and then repeat them over and over again. This formula is demonstrated in the TLC Business PIPE Marketing Formula.
Preparation + Inspiration + Perspiration + Evaluation = Realisation
Without the ‘Preparation’ and ‘Inspiration’, SME’s will waste valuable time and money. The amount of time spent understanding your target audience is directly proportionate to the eventual success of your campaign.
An example of a successful guerrilla campaign is the Innocent Smoothie van. Their vehicles are covered in real, growing grass and are often seen around cities delivering smoothies. This type of guerrilla marketing allows a business to build awareness of their brand without necessarily pushing their products. The vans also serve a real purpose (delivering smoothies) and therefore do not alienate the customer or look like an advert.
Another campaign placed bottles of Absolut vodka on the luggage belt at an airport. The company placed their product in a setting in where their target audience are forced to wait, and therefore are more aware of any distractions.
Creating a big visual impact is also important in making a big impression, so there are alot of PR oppurtunities for SMEs. Swedish furniture company IKEA make over unattractive street corners in Manhattan with their colourful furniture. The campaign not only creates an awareness of their products by placing them in front of consumers, but it challenges more traditional marketing methods by placing their furniture in an unconventional, and therefore more memorable, setting.
Be warned though, the jarring effect of some guerrilla marketing campaigns has actually caused them to be unsuccessful. Toyota recently started a campaign called “Your Other You”, which was designed as a website to “prank your friends.” In one case, a woman was signed up by her friend and promptly began to receive a barrage of disturbing text messages, phone calls, e-mails and videos over a five day period. Miss Duick was reported to have believed she was being stalked and felt extremely frightened. She is now suing the company for $10 million. They say there is no such thing as bad publicity; Toyota may beg to differ.
In 2010, the total UK marketing spend was estimated at £16.6 billion. Businesses have clearly been spending. However, it is important as ever that businesses use their budget where it will be most effective. Guerilla Marketing should be appealing to SMEs because of its emphasis on investing time, energy and creativity, rather than money. If you get it right and start people talking (for the right reasons!) your target audience will do your job for you. Marketing doesn’t have to be expensive, it needs inspiration and imagination. Think differently and you can achieve maximum results!
Let us know about your Guerilla Marketing campaigns. What worked and what didn’t!
Top Marketing Tips For November
27.10.10
- Save the Words, a clever new Website from Oxford University Press. The makers of the Oxford English Dictionary have developed the site based on the simple idea that a word won’t die if it gets used often enough. Each year hundreds of words are dropped from the dictionary, make a change and adopt a word today.
- Guerrilla Marketing on the Internet: The Definitive Guide from the Father of Guerrilla Marketing. Jay Conrad Levinson changed marketing forever when he unleashed his marketing tactics for surviving the advertising jungle on a budget. Learn how to use the internet Guerrilla style.
- GroupTweet, is a website where you can create a community that privately shares tweets. Think of it as an ongoing Twitter conference call, a great way to keep in touch with people working on the same projects.
STOP Traffic This Autumn
16.09.10
We here at TLC Business have previously mentioned that ‘Gorilla Marketing’ remains a strong influence on our marketing philosophy. If used effectively, Gorilla Marketing can add a buzz to your brand and make a product or service worth talking about.
Last week, Oxford Circus was brought to a standstill, not only by the traffic but by the powers of the fashion industry. Commuters and shoppers stood in amazement as they witnessed a Halle Berry lookalike abseil into Oxford Street dressed head to toe in high street fashion, providing onlookers with a ‘Vertical Catwalk’.
This unique stunt was to promote the beginning of the second week of High Street Fashion Week, featuring retailers such as French Connection and H&M. Last Year the event kicked off with a catwalk on a tube, this year they took to the skies, so what will next year bring?
This is an extreme case of Gorilla Marketing and due to health and safety restrictions we do not recommend dangling your product or colleague off a building to promote your brand; however we do believe that adding a fresh, creative aspect to your marketing can provide you with the results you desire.
Here are some great examples of how different organisations have used Gorilla Marketing to create a brilliant PR spin for their brand:
Puma created a breakout of fashion onto the streets making the sports world stylish with a successful Gorilla Marketing concept.
Mini in the Netherlands came up with a quirky way of promoting the Mini Cooper by littering the busy streets of Amsterdam with over sized ‘mini boxes’.
Unique online jewellery and fashion accessory company Boticca staged a flash mob in Portobello Market Notting Hill.
Like any marketing, Gorilla Marketing can go wrong. We believe that the preparation stage of any marketing concept is vital and when not researched and implemented properly, brilliant marketing campaigns can flop.
The major fashion brand DKNY produced what looked like a fantastic Gorilla Marketing campaign by placing neon bicycles around New York City in an effort to promote their brand, as well as the eco friendly way of transport. The BMX bikes were covered in bright neon colours with the DKNY logo in contrasting black. The marketing concept did not receive the feedback you would have expected from a high profile brand; the bikes that weren’t removed by the police due to being illegally chained to trees were picked clean for spare parts and left by the side of roads as litter. Not a great message for a luxury brand.
If you are a retailer or a business that feels the need to inject a bit of creativity into your marketing, then get in touch. The TLC Business team can help you create a campaign that stands out from the crowd and gets your business noticed for all the right reasons. Take advantage of our 15% off any campaign offer in September and make your brand work for you. Contact us on +44(0)1962 600 147 or email Anna at anna@tlc-business.co.uk
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