Guerilla Marketing: Concept and Principles

The term guerrilla marketing is easily traced to guerilla warfare which utilizes unusual tactics to achieve a goal in a competitive and callous environment. The term, “Guerilla marketing” was coined by Jay Conrad Levinson (1983) in his book, “Guerilla Marketing”,. The term has since entered the popular vocabulary and marketing textbooks.

The business environment is highly competition and in recent times marketers have evolved several approaches and strategies to stay above board. Guerilla marketing is one of such strategies. The aim of guerrilla marketing is to reach more people with a limited budget and a more effective message. This unit introduces you to the concept of Guerilla marketing, some of the key elements of guerilla marketing, the principles of guerilla marketing, the risks involved and the associated marketing trends.

The Concept and Definition of Guerilla Marketing

The concept of Guerilla Marketing was invented as an unconventional system of promotion that relies on time, energy and imagination rather than a big marketing budget. Typically, guerrilla marketing campaigns are unexpected and unconventional, potentially interactive and consumers are targeted in unexpected places.

Guerilla marketing is an advertising strategy in which low-cost unconventional means for example graffiti, sticker bombing and flash mobs are used, usually in localized fashion or large network of individual cells to convey or promote a product or an idea. Customers are shocked and surprised in guerilla marketing as it involves unusual approaches such as intercept encounters in public places, street giveaways of products, PR stunts or any unconventional marketingintended to get maximum results( by way of reaching more people) from minimal resources. With this type of advertising strategy, customers are able to remember the things that surprised them.

The main objective of guerilla marketing is to create a unique engaging and thought provoking concept to generate buzz and consequently turn viral. Viral (Buzz) Marketing is a marketing technique that encourages people to spread your message to others to make a difference in a short time. The message quickly spreads like a virus from one person to another.

Some key elements of guerilla marketing are

i.                    Creativity

ii.                  Unexpectedness

iii.                More for less

The pictures below, Figures 3.1.1 and 3.1.2 are perfect examples of guerilla marketing, the firs t is that of pasta firm and the other, a beverage firm. In order to keep a place in the mind of its customers, the pasta company created a huge sticker of a faces turned ships into permanent pasta nibblers. The Beverage Company also created replicas of ice cream and coffee on the roundabout in the high ways.

This technique of marketing breaks the traditional marketing rules; it is unique, highly visible, unexpected and sort of shocking. It is very successful in attracting a lot of attention as evident in the pictures of figures 3.1.2 and 3.1.2b of guerilla marketing by the Beverage Company.

Principles of Guerilla Marketing

Levinson (1983) identified the following principles as the foundation of guerilla marketing and these are:

i.                  The first principle is that guerilla marketing is specifically geared for the small business and entrepreneur- who need to make an impression in the industry as there are already existing players in the industry.

ii.                It should be based on human psychology rather than experience, judgment and guess work

iii.              The primary statistic to measure your business is the amount of profit, not sales

iv.              The marketer should also concentrate on how many new relationships are made each month

v.                Create standard of excellence with an acute focus instead of trying to diversify by offering too many diverse products and services.

vi.              Instead of concentrating on getting new customers, aim for more referrals, more transactions with existing customers and larger transactions

vii.      Use current technology as a tool to build your business

viii.      Messages are aimed at individuals or small groups, the smaller the

better.

Risk involved in Guerilla Marketing

i.         There is the risk of misrepresentation of the brand image intended to

be promoted as word of mouth does not always present the brand image decided.

In many situations, Guerilla marketing is not very definitive if it tries to promote brand image thoroughly and creates false rumours about the brand.

iii. There are also times that the devices used might be misunderstood, for example, in a particular case of guerilla marketing around Boston, USA, several magnetic boxes used to promote animated series of teen Aqua Hunger Force were mistaken for possible explosives and this led to the closure of bridges, several subway station as the police examined, removed and destroyed the devices.

Associated Marketing Trends

The term Guerilla Marketing is now often used more loosely as a description for non-traditional media such as :

1.      Live-in Marketing- This involves real life product placement

2.      Undercover Marketing- This involves subtle product placement

3.      Experiential Marketing- This occurs when a customer meets with a product

and uses it. They play a vital role while making the purchase decision. They provide greater interaction between firm and consumer

4.      Tissue-pack Marketing- This involves hand to hand marketing.

5.      Reverse Graffiti:  This refers to clean pavement adverts

6.      Undercover Marketing: This involves subtle product placement

7.      Viral Marketing: This is done through social networks

8.      Grassroots Marketing:  This involves tapping into the collective efforts of brand enthusiasts

9.      Buzz Marketing:  This is word of mouth marketing 

Conclusion

Guerilla Marketing is an inexpensive but non conventional way of promoting goods and services. It is highly visible, spontaneous and highly successful for attracting a lot of attention. It is highly recommended for small businesses or new entrants into any industry as a way getting attention from people or customers.