Street Teams

What is Guerrilla Marketing

When people hear the term guerrilla marketing, they may misinterpret the phrase and even believe that a swarm of marketers will attack them with posters and billboards. What most people don’t know is that guerrilla marketing is just an alternative form of marketing that uses unconventional ways to reach large groups of people and make them feel shocked, amazed, or surprised.

History of Guerrilla Marketing

The phrase was coined in the early 1980s by business writer Jay Conrad Levinson. He wrote multiple books detailing how to use guerrilla tactics in different types of businesses. The marketing business has changed a lot since he first wrote about it, but the technique is still widely used today.

Guerrilla marketing is comparable in style to some of the guerrilla methods used in combat. Consider it a marketing campaign with ambushes, raids, and unexpected tactics. guerrilla marketing concentrates on surprising the consumer, and it is this implementation and focus that results in these out-of-the-ordinary campaigns, which are able to catch people off guard as they go about their daily activities.

The Four Main Types

1. Outdoor Guerrilla Marketing

Outdoor guerrilla marketing is when something unusual is put in a natural outdoor setting. This is usually done in cities where a lot of people walk around. Outdoor guerrilla marketing includes efforts like putting something on a statue, placing a big version of something small (like a cupcake) in a park, or putting things in the street. A great example of this occurred back in 2017 when Ikea created model living rooms at bus stops in Sydney and Perth, Australia to celebrate the launch of their new catalog.

2. Indoor Guerrilla Marketing

Indoor guerrilla marketing uses public spaces that are closed off from the outside world to create buzz. This could be on college campuses, at train stations, or in museums. In 2009, T-Mobile paid for a flash mob at Liverpool Street Station. The video has over 40 million views on YouTube and won TV commercial of the year at the British Television Advertising Awards.

3. Event Ambush Guerilla Marketing

Event ambush guerrilla marketing promotes a product or service at a concert, sporting event, or festival that is already going on, sometimes without permission. This kind of marketing throws people at an event for a loop when something unusual happens. An example of this is the Golden Globes of Fiji Water photobomb. As usual, paparazzi took pictures of celebrities posing on the red carpet at the 2019 Golden Globes. Behind the movie stars, who didn’t know it, a model in a dark blue dress holding a tray of Fiji Water appeared in almost every shot. She stared right into the camera, which made people feel uneasy. The photos went viral on the Internet and even inspired a parody account on Twitter.

4. Experiential Guerrilla Marketing

Experience-based guerrilla marketing can happen anywhere (outdoors, indoors, at an event) and gets people to interact with the brand. This can be anything from a free sample of beer to a slide into a pit of branded pillows or subway stairs that look and sound like piano keys. An example of a big company using this type of marketing happened back in 2009. In Odenplan, Stockholm, Volkswagen created a piano staircase in one of the subway stations.

Major Benefits

1. Guerrilla campaigns are cost-effective and use unique ways to reach the consumer. Utilizing these strategies is a low-cost way to raise awareness about a brand. With this kind of marketing plan, creativity is more important than money.
2. Guerrilla marketing is hyper-targeted, allowing the brand to market to its audience where they live, work, and play.
3. In today’s world, where there is a lot of technology and more people have access to the internet and social media, consumers can take a memorable impression and spread it all over the world. It’s easy for marketing campaigns to go viral and reach millions of people.
4. Guerrilla marketing campaigns stand out because they are unusual and unique, and they show that with the right strategies, businesses can leave a lasting impression on consumers. When a guerrilla campaign works, buyers are amazed, impressed, and want to know more about the product or service. This marketing strategy makes the brand more memorable to consumers.

Our Guerrilla Marketing and Street Team Experiences

Motus Experiential has extensive experience using these methods. Recently, the Blue Man Group asked for our assistance while attending the Fisherman’s Feast in The North End in Boston, Massachusetts. Before, during, and after The Blue Man Group’s performance, our street teams distributed fliers, goods, and memorabilia. The staff ensured that all questions were answered and that all interested parties received the necessary information. RCN hired Motus Experiential to promote their services to new college students during move-in week. You can see more examples of our work by viewing more of our case studies on our website portfolio page.