In recent years, guerilla marketing has been seen in action across the globe. From startups to giant companies— the marketing trend has been widely accepted. Some campaigns brought massive responses while some went in vain too. This article will tell stories of a few successful implementations of guerrilla marketing that nailed the market. Read till the end to know its pros and cons.
Few Successful Guerrilla Marketing Examples
- KitKat’s Customized Benches
KitKat ran an ambient guerrilla marketing tactic that picked a vast response. It customized public benches and shaped them like real KitKat candy bars. The brand’s tagline said “Have a Break, Have a Kit Kat” and really provided a setup to do so. Passers-by took a look at the bench and literally took a break. This move is a perfect example of how to use guerrilla marketing strategy in public places and let your audience interact.
- Mr. Clean’s Crosswalk
Another perfect example of creative street guerrilla marketing was run by Mr. Clean with their mascot painted on crosswalks. The stripe with the logo painted on it was brighter while the others were pale. It delivered a message easily even without the need for a word. Crosswalk is, no doubt, an unlikely place on the streets to catch people who are crossing the road and brand something to them. And maybe that’s the exact reason why it came up being effective.
- Coca-Cola’s Honest Confession
Coca-Cola is probably the boss of guerrilla marketing. The brand initiated a perfect buzz marketing tactic. It honestly admitted that its products have contributed to people’s health hazards. The fact was an open secret but their own confession made a buzz in the market. The campaign worked clearly because something unexpected happened (the honest confession by Coca-Cola itself).
- UNICEF’s Dirty Water Vending Machines
What if all the water bottles you waste money on were filled with dirty water? UNICEF ran a campaign to hit the audience with this very question. It was an effort to remind the privileged class that many people around the world don’t have access to clean drinking water. This heart-touching campaign is a sheer example that guerrilla marketing doesn’t work only for sales purposes. Rather, it can be a great tool for delivering a brain-knocking message.
- Fiji Water’s Fiji Girls
Fiji Water perfectly executed an ambush guerrilla marketing tactic and reached a global stage. Models represented the brand, dressing up in its signature colour blue. They were holding trays with the brand’s water bottles. Among them, Los Angeles-based model Kelleth Cuthbert sought the most attention and became the Internet-crowned Fiji water girl sensation at the 76th Golden Globes in 2019. Fiji Water was not the centre of attention at the event, yet made the best out of it.
When Guerrilla Marketing Goes Wrong?
Risk is a part of business and marketing. A marketing strategy can bring massive success while it can also make disaster. Here are two stories when guerrilla marketing went wrong.
In 2005, Snapple promoted its new frozen drink by erecting a 25-foot popsicle in a public park in New York City. Unfortunately, it melted faster than expected and covered the park with sticky goo. Eventually, it required the fire department came to calm it down. Ironically, Snapple came up with this idea for a Guinness World Record attempt. Two years later, in 2007, Cartoon Network promoted a show resembling one of its characters with LED signs all over Boston. The signs threatened mass people and cost the channel’s parent company Turner Broadcasting fines of $2 million.
Guerrilla Marketing: Pros and Cons
Guerrilla marketing has both advantages and disadvantages. The following section represents a few pros and cons of it.
Pros of Guerrilla Marketing
- Easy And Affordable: No matter how big elements you need, guerrilla marketing ends up being cheaper than any classic advertising. This criteria makes the strategy suitable for small businesses.
- Creative Freedom: Guerrilla marketing gives you enough room for creativity. In fact, the effectiveness of the marketing campaign depends much more on your creativity with the idea, rather than your budget.
- Spreads Organically: In guerrilla marketing, your customers play a big role in the branding process. Nothing can be easier than getting your marketing done by others without paying a penny! In some cases, your creative campaigns may seek media attention and be featured on local or national TV news channels or newspapers, which will give your branding a big boost— that too organically.
Cons of Guerrilla Marketing
- Message Misinterpretation: While you go creative you might give your audience some food for thought. However, the message or your stand can be misunderstood and misinterpreted which may result in controversy.
- Authority Intervention: Not all forms of guerrilla marketing tactics are allowed. Since it takes place in public places, road painting or street graffiti might not be permissible by the local administrative body.
Conclusion
We can wrap up the discussion by saying that guerrilla marketing is a powerful strategy yet it has its own risks. There are examples of successful campaigns that nailed the market, again examples of failed efforts. The effectiveness and success of your campaign highly depend on the creativity of the idea, ad placement, and interactiveness. However, if you own a personal small business and are looking for a cost-effective marketing strategy, guerrilla marketing is, no doubt, a must-try.
