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In a fast-paced world where many marketing techniques have been exhausted, guerilla marketing is an innovative way to captivate audiences. What is guerilla marketing, you might ask? It refers to unconventional marketing methods that engage audiences and leave a lasting impression. In this blog post, we will highlight three different campaigns that use guerilla marketing tactics and demonstrate the power of thinking outside of the box.
Event Ambush Marketing
Ambush marketing involves riding off the coattails of another advertising campaign, often capitalizing off the visibility of a major event without authorization or event sponsorship.
One of the most popular examples of ambush marketing is the feud between PayPal and WePay. In 2010, PayPal was under scrutiny for freezing customer accounts. WePay, a competitive group payment service, used this to their advantage. They decided to visit PayPal during a developer conference in San Francisco, California (and came bearing gifts)! On a pallet mover, WePay wheeled in a 600 pound block of ice with hundreds of dollars frozen underneath the surface along with the words, “PayPal freezes accounts - unfreeze your money.” While the stunt stirred up some drama, it certainly reinforced the message WePay was trying to put forward: Unfreeze your account by switching to WePay.
It drove actual business, too. According to the WePay team, conversions on the landing page were 3x higher than a normal day. WePay also reported a 300% increase in weekly traffic, and a 225% increase in signups from the days following the stunt.
Stealth Marketing
Stealth marketing is a strategy that seamlessly integrates promotional messages within everyday experiences. It subtly influences consumer behavior without explicitly revealing the true intent.
The following example of stealth marketing involves product placement. In the 2000 film, Castaway, FedEx executive Chuck Noland (played by Tom Hanks) was attending to a routine assignment in Malaysia when his plane crashed over the Pacific Ocean. Most of his survival was dependent upon the contents of the numerous FedEx boxes that washed ashore of the remote island that he, too, found himself stranded.
The product placement helped create awareness and interest surrounding the brand. A Nielson study reported that 96% of viewers recognized and remembered FedEx’s involvement in the movie. Because the product placement felt more organic, it allowed for more direct advertising down the road.
Street Marketing
Street marketing uses alternative advertising channels to create memorable brand experiences. Just like the name implies, street marketing often involves promotional activities in public spaces.
Paramount, the world’s leading entertainment producer, shook up the digital landscape in 2022 while promoting the upcoming release of horror film, Smile. Instead of following traditional marketing strategies, Paramount decided to create a viral social stunt. Prior to its release on September 30th, 2022, the movie employed members of the cast to attend various MLB and NFL games. The actors were strategically placed in the stadium, ensuring utmost camera time. Just as Paramount’s marketing team intended, many viewers took note of the creepy, unchanging smiles plastered on the actor’s faces in the background.
From the simple purchase of a few game tickets, the stunt garnered more than 160,000,000 views and 100,000,000 media impressions. As a result, the movie ended up grossing $216 million worldwide off a $17 million budget. It was also covered by several media platforms, like TMZ, CNN, and national and local news networks.
Guerilla marketing provides an opportunity for people to disrupt traditional marketing strategies. The campaigns highlighted above share a common thread: they shocked, engaged, and organically approached their audiences.
Ready to revolutionize your marketing strategy? Contact Omega today and let us help you!
Written by Omega High-Impact Print Solutions’ Marketing Intern, Gracie Steel.