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Guerrilla marketing is a fairly new topic for Russia, and there is almost no information on this area of marketing in Russian. Therefore, people interested in a seminar on guerrilla marketing often ask Alexander Levitas questions about what it is, where it came from and how it works.
To avoid repeating the same explanation over and over again, Levitas has prepared a list of answers to the most frequently asked questions about guerrilla marketing. These are the questions - and the answers to them. I hope you find the information you are interested in here:
If this information is not enough, you can always ask the question directly to Alexander Levitas.
And remember the main thing - Your business can bring in more money!
"Partisanism" in the modern world
To promote in this way, they use the surrounding space, cars, small handouts (business cards, flyers), posts in social networks and on forums and much more. Today, guerrilla marketing is multifaceted, but always distinguished by a creative approach, original execution and low budget.
Examples of effective and inexpensive marketing
For clarity, here are 15 examples of guerrilla marketing from companies that dared to use interesting ideas and didn't lose.
- At one time, when Apple were not better times, she made a clever move to promote her computers. The Apple manufacturer donated one Macintosh to every school in California. It was the mid-80s. The schoolchildren simply fell in love with the computer and vying with each other to tell their parents about the new product. Thus, Apple did a good deed and spread information about its computer product. As a result, a generation grew up in America that chose Mas for themselves.
- The well-known Mr. Proper also distinguished himself. The depicted hero, as it turns out, can cope with pollution outside apartments. Advertising agency Gray Worldwide chose the pedestrian crossing as its target. One of the stripes was painted bright white, so that it contrasts with the rest of the gray ones. And in the corner they painted the recognizable smiling Genie of Purity. I wonder how many people crossed the clean line so as not to get it dirty?
- The popular National Geographic channel took advantage of public transport. To advertise a new series of programs about predatory animals with the telling title “Made to Kill,” advertisers placed a shark on the side of a bus. Ominous jaws were placed on the sliding doors, which, when closed, seemed to “swallow” the passenger. Such advertising, of course, could not fail to attract attention. True, some especially sensitive people could have waited for another, “safer” transport.
- If you give examples of guerrilla marketing in Russia, you cannot help but recall Euroset. Chain of stores mobile communications staged a truly scandalous action. In 2002, the company opened almost a hundred salons. And it was necessary to attract clients. Then they carried out a promotional campaign on the brink of a foul right on April 1st. The first 20 people (10 men and 10 women) to strip naked will receive mobile phone as a gift. Of course, there were two dozen people who were not too scrupulous. But what a resonance the action itself received. Compared to the costs, the company gained a much larger number of real customers. The media savored the event for a long time, and photos of naked lucky people wandered around the Internet even longer.
- Spider-Man. It would seem, who doesn’t know about the popular comic book hero? But before the premiere of the second film, PR people decided to add fuel to the audience’s interest. And they did it in a very non-trivial way. The men's restroom has a "special" urinal for the superhero. Of course, almost under the very ceiling. Like it or not, it was difficult not to pay attention to this original move. And don’t think about the guy in the red and blue suit.
- In 2004, the rather spectacular disaster film “The Day After Tomorrow” was released. once again raised the issue global warming and its consequences. In order, in turn, to raise a wave of interest in him among their compatriots, Indian advertisers took extreme measures - they threw the poster into the sea. More precisely, not quite like that. The advertising agency Contact placed a billboard with a poster in the sea, near the city of Mumbai. The water almost half hid the poster, hinting at what was happening in the film.
- The Havana Club brand decided to advertise its new Cuba Libra cocktail. But they approached the matter with a twist. An Arab sheikh and his retinue came to the opening of the Hals yacht club, among the famous beau monde. The appearance of such a guest did not cause a stir, but it could not fail to attract attention. From the VIP seat where the sheikh and his retinue were seated, it was clearly visible what they were serving him. And, of course, the sheikh drank exclusively Cuba Libra. To maintain attention, the fake guests asked others about the sheikh, paying attention to his drinking. Towards the end, a guest from the Emirates treated everyone to a cocktail.
- Another example of an advertising campaign that cannot be ignored. Despite the fact that it happened at the beginning of the last century. None other than the then Russian businessman Nikolai Shustov, who produced the cognac of the same name, hired a dozen students. Young people went to taverns and demanded this drink. And if “Shustov” was not available, she caused a riot. Of course, the newspapers wrote about it. That's how Moscow learned about the new product.
- Sitronics decided to act as the creator of its popularity on its own. And I used the life placement technique. The point is that the fake people walked in busy places with the appropriate equipment. Periodically, they met “friends” and talked about the merits of the new thing. In addition, before sending their sales agents to the store where the company would like to see its product, the fake people would call this place and check if Sitronics was in stock. Thus, even before the start of sales, brand awareness has increased significantly.
- From 2004 to 2014, the detective series ASPE was broadcast on English-language TV. One of the new seasons required only a box of chalk for its advertising. PR people drew silhouettes of people on the asphalt, which the police usually do at the scene of an accident involving victims. And in the center of each silhouette they announced the return of the detective and added the time of the premiere of the series. Not expensive, but attracts attention.
- Another series also decided to add a touch of drama. This time - on a criminal theme. The American television project “The Sopranos,” as the title suggests, tells about the life vicissitudes of a mafia clan. So they approached the advertising campaign for the new season like a gangster. A taxi was driving around the city, with a man's hand hanging sadly from the trunk. And next to it is a sticker with the name of the series. Is the taxi driver really who he says he is?
Advertisement "The Sopranos"
- They took an original approach to advertising a new car in Switzerland. There, the Jung von Matt agency received an order to promote the Smart car, known for its modest dimensions. PR people simply placed a small city car billboard between two standard-sized billboards with premium cars. Thus, advertisers hinted at the ability of a small-sized car to fit into any space, which is so valuable in big city.
- Known for his creative approach and Coca-Cola brand. This time they decided to combine classical and partisan approaches. Billboards at bus stops today are often ignored. While good advertising should be catchy. Literally. And the soda shield, with the help of Velcro, actually clung to the clothes of passers-by. It's hard not to pay attention in such a situation.
- Watch advertisements can also be unusual. The Swiss company IWC gave public transport passengers the opportunity to try on a new Big Pilot`s watch model, created for pilots. How? Simply by releasing seat belts for vehicles with watch prints. By grabbing the loop while moving, everyone could evaluate how the new product would look on them.
- English men love pubs, beer and billiards. And especially when it all comes together in one place. To increase its sales, Guinness played on male preferences. The tips of the cues had stickers advertising this beer. The men played billiards, wanted a drink, and ordered Guinness. For short term sales increased by almost 50%.
The average city resident encounters 1500-2000 advertising messages every day. In megacities this figure is 2-3 times higher. Now try to remember what advertisement you saw today. Don't remember? Why?
The information advertising noise is so great that people stop paying attention to it. The brain simply switches off when the film is interrupted by advertising, when after the song, cheerful selling slogans are heard on the radio. The eyes do not catch on to the posters that have become a familiar part of the urban landscape. Anyone who promotes products and services on the Internet is well acquainted with the term “banner blindness,” in which a site visitor unconsciously ignores even the most colorful and carefully thought out advertisement.
Will guerrilla marketing for business be the goose that lays the golden egg? For many companies, it has already become. But we are not talking about a simple solution. In many cases, success was preceded by weeks and months of searching creative ideas that can attract a potential client and be remembered by him.
What is guerrilla marketing
The founder of the direction, J.K. Levinson, defined guerrilla marketing as a non-standard way of promoting goods and services under conditions of limited budget. In other words, the marketing “guerrilla” must reach consumers through secret paths and hit the target, and if he’s lucky, harm his competitors along the way. And it doesn’t matter that in his hands instead of a grenade launcher he has an ordinary slingshot)
Guerrilla marketing methods are based on 7 basic principles:
- Creativity. Unusual idea+ high-quality implementation = great resonance. It is advisable to place advertising messages in such a way that the client does not expect to see them here, at this particular time. And when I saw it, I thought: “Oh, how cool,” I took a photo and posted it on social networks.
- Low cost. No expensive storage media or million-dollar media budgets. The simplest business cards, signs, banners (don’t forget – original in design and meaning!) are enough. The guerrilla marketing techniques used must convey information to the client absolutely free of charge or at a cost that is barely noticeable to the company’s budget.
- Psychological impact . You will hit the bull's eye only if you study it first target audience. The advertiser needs to know everything about potential clients - from their age to the films they like.
- Provocativeness. Thinking about morals and ethics? No, this is not for guerrilla marketing. Some ideas are really “on the verge of a foul”: for example, free distribution of cell phones to people who come to the salon completely naked (Euroset, 2002). Or a house falling apart during a swingers party (AlfaStrakhovanie, 2008).
- Short term. Small and medium-sized businesses do not have time to wait months for consumers to respond to advertising. The return is needed right now, or in a couple of days, or, in extreme cases, in a week. Thus, handing out flyers at the entrance to an attraction increases the customer flow, and speaking at a business conference with an expert lecture brings in customers.
- Invisibility for competitors. They simply can't track guerrilla warfare as effectively as regular warfare. advertising activity. On the other hand, guerrilla marketing tools will not help make your brand known to a wide audience, because advertising works exclusively for your target customers.
- Disposability. If a competing company finds out what you have in mind and implements the idea earlier, there is no point in repeating it. An identical proposal made second will not attract attention and will not bring results. And if they do, it will have a negative effect - after all, the one who is late will be considered a plagiarist.
Previously, when we were just starting our consulting activities, we did not spend a lot of money on advertising from our clients, trying to do it in low-cost ways.
Now I understand that in order to make GOOD money, you need to invest. Investments can be of 2 types. Either money or time. Sometimes time is more valuable than money.
Advertising without a budget?! How is that?
If you don’t know what it is and who invented it, everything is already written on Wikipedia, I advise you to read it, it’s quite interesting, but I’ll still tell you briefly.
Guerrilla marketing is a low-budget way of advertising and marketing that allows you to effectively promote your product or service, attract new customers and increase your profits without investing, or almost no money.
Types and features hidden marketing, its examples and simple ways in action that can be used in your business, this is what we will talk about in this article!
Examples of such advertising
Guerrilla marketing in action can be seen quite often abroad. This is exactly the same type of marketing as any other.
However, in Russia he is not yet so popular (although his name as a specialist in guerrilla marketing is known to many). But nevertheless, examples of guerrilla marketing in Russia will also be lower.
Example 1 – word of mouth
For example, one of the restaurants spends virtually no money on advertising. The main item of his expenses is that he feeds hairdressers for free. At a very decent level both in terms of service and quality of food.
And we all know that hairdressers/make-up artists/stylists are those who are especially trusted by people (and in fact, we wouldn’t trust our hair to a person we don’t know.
Especially women) and constantly talk to them, tell them their news.
And, as you understand, visiting the restaurant was the best news, so it was recommended with great enthusiasm. This is hidden incentive.
Are you serious!? Tell me more
By the way, the hottest clients come through word of mouth. You don’t even need to convince them to buy, they are already “ripe.” Therefore, this version of guerrilla marketing is very, very good.
By the way, we used it. In a slightly modified form, but still, in our client’s cafe.
Opinion leaders in his city were invited to a free tasting of coffee and food. The invitations were designed quite beautifully and even before attending the tasting, they posted them on their social networks.
And since the tasting went off with a bang, the reviews were very, very happy. By the way, many of those invited later became regular visitors to the cafe.
Example 2 – viral video
Guerrilla and viral marketing go hand in hand. That is why, another method of guerrilla marketing that we have long wanted to implement with some client, but have not yet implemented, is shooting a viral one.
WE ARE ALREADY MORE THAN 29,000 people.
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A simple example is how a restaurant chef sings or dances in the kitchen while cooking for customers. Filming can take place either on hidden camera or with “simulation of shooting with a hidden camera.”
We then post it on all social platforms (if the video is really good, it will start spreading on its own). One example of such a video is “A Hamster Trolls a Traffic Police Officer.”
The shooting literally cost 3 kopecks, and almost 2 million views brought orders to the online store E5.ru for orders from those same hamsters for six months in advance.
In fact, a viral video is probably one of the most... the best ways implement hidden marketing on social networks at the moment.
At a minimum, due to the fact that it is watched more and more actively (for example, on one of the most popular social networks Instagram), and due to the fact that it is quite easy to film it. You can read more about the viral video in our article.
Example 3 – another product
Another good example of hidden marketing is to stick advertising for your company on the back of coins. To make it clearer, see the picture.
Advertising on coins On it is an ordinary ten-ruble coin, which are issued as change in a network of solarium studios.
The method is quite simple and effective, however, you will have to worry about both making stickers and sticking them on coins. The effect may not be noticed immediately, but as one of the options for an additional advertising channel, it’s not even bad.
Clones of example 1
Example 1. Drawings on asphalt - something that used to be popular and was truly perceived as guerrilla marketing and brought customers, is now punishable by law.
Therefore, if you are a completely new entrepreneur, then I strongly advise against using it. Better find something else. These are the features of guerrilla marketing that you should not forget about.
Advertising on asphalt Example 2. Old cars that are standing still, but at the same time decorated from top to bottom with advertising.
As a rule, a couple of such cars (preferably interesting-looking and running) are purchased and weighed billboards and park in the most crowded places.
Advertising on a car Example 4 – shocking action
In general, if we talk about the effectiveness of guerrilla marketing, then it could even be some kind of advertising campaign with a high-profile campaign that will be trumpeted by all the media.
The ideal example that everyone gives is the Euroset advertising campaign that they ran on April 1, 2002.
Everyone who came to their salon on this day without clothes (AT ALL) received a gift cell phone. Lovers free phones It turned out to be a lot, but there were even more onlookers. And the media, TV and radio that filmed all this, documented it, etc., were simply countless.
Shocking action at Euroset After this campaign, Euroset’s sales increased significantly. They are still trying to repeat the action in one interpretation or another, but apparently the arrogance and outrageousness that Evgeny Chichvarkin had is not enough for the current leaders.
Clones of example 4
Here are a couple of guerrilla marketing options that I know about, which means the rumors have still reached me:
Clothing store. You could go into it in your underwear and get for free what you managed to put on yourself in a certain time
Jeans store. If you rip your jeans in front of everyone, you can choose new ones in the store for free
Tele2. At the exhibition cellular communication in St. Petersburg caused a sensation by having a couple of promoters under their brand serve as pallbearers. Coffin, Karl! With the inscription “Dear connection”. Of course, everyone was shocked and this was broadcast to various sources.
Guerrilla marketing from Tele 2 Example 5 – partnership
In general, I personally believe that guerrilla, low-cost, viral marketing is a partnership or, to use a fashionable word, “collaboration.” Examples:
Example 1. In a dentist's office, a dental company that produces toothpastes and rinses placed a sign on the ceiling (do you know that it is the ceiling that we all look at while sitting in the dental chair?) - “Do you want to never see that boring ceiling again? Our toothpaste will help!”
Example 2. A lawyer I know who deals with compensation after an accident paid extra to traumatology doctors for distributing it to those involved in an accident. They called him even at night, but there was no end to his clients.
In general, partnering with a business that has the same business, but you are not directly competing, is a very good idea.
Good question
Who will benefit from guerrilla marketing? After all, as a rule, guerrilla marketing in action is equated to low-budget ways to attract customers, which, in turn, is equal to advertising for small businesses.
And sometimes even for startups. That is, if there is no money, use guerrilla marketing, read, draw your proposal on the asphalt (often precisely because of this attitude towards it, experienced businessmen extremely dislike guerrilla marketing methods).
However, this is fundamentally wrong. The thing about guerrilla marketing is that it can suit any business.
Both small and medium, and even large. The only question is how to use it?
If you are a small business, then, of course, guerrilla marketing methods will be one of the main ways for you to attract customers (especially at the start);
If you are medium business and you already have advertising budgets, you can use guerrilla marketing as a way to increase
Example. One of our clients involved in well drilling, based on what we developed, implemented the following: they began to show well drilling on their website online.
That is, the user could go to the site and see how the drilling process goes, in what condition the site is left after drilling, and so on.
This became an excellent tool for additionally attracting customers, as they began to discuss it and talk about the company.
If you are big business, then this will be a great way to reach an audience that you usually don’t pay attention to.
And if you are a really big business, you can even afford to use long-term guerrilla marketing. As Apple did in the USA at one time.
They donated to every school in the state of California personal computers. Such a good deed made their name quite famous, however, final goal was in another.
Literally in 5-10 years they received a whole generation of fans who grew up on Apple products.
Briefly about the main thing
There are a lot of examples about guerrilla marketing on the Internet, and we did not set out to collect all possible examples and cases in this article.
If you want more examples, fully tested and working, you can look at the blog of Alex Levitas, he is considered the No. 1 expert in Russia on guerrilla marketing.
The funny thing is that his last name is Levitas, and the last name of the one who invented guerrilla marketing itself is Levinson 😉 But let’s think that this is a mere coincidence. The most important thing I want to convey to you is:
- You need to use this channel, but not first of all, because as I already wrote, time spent on creativity and other things may turn out to be more expensive;
- You need to be careful when implementing, otherwise everything can work in the opposite direction. And instead of advertising and customer love, you will get complete negativity;
- You can’t just engage in guerrilla marketing and still count on a large flow of clients. Use our selection and the results for your clients will not be long in coming.
Marketers rule our world. They are the ones who set trends and create excitement. The composition of our shopping basket largely depends on them. And although many people try to resist advertising imposition, defending their right to choose, marketers do not give up.
Today we will talk about one of the most effective advertising tools - about guerrilla marketing.
What is guerrilla marketing
In short, then guerrilla marketing- This is a low-budget way to promote a product or service. It is based on non-standard solution advertising issues and is suitable primarily for small and medium-sized businesses.
The term was coined in 1984 by Jay Conrad Levinson in his book Guerrilla Marketing" Why partisan? Because the author describes effective, but practical, discreet and inexpensive ways of advertising.
Features of guerrilla marketing
Guerrilla marketing has the following distinctive features:
- Limited budget. Guerrilla Marketing does not require large investments, but at the same time quite effective due to creativity and narrow focus.
The pet store invites students from a nearby school on a field trip, and then gives each child a fish in a jar with detailed instructions about how to look after and care for her. The goal has been achieved - parents of schoolchildren buy everything they need in this store.
- Non-standard methods. The more unexpected the advertising idea, the higher the result can be.
The owner of the restaurant invites people who work with clients every day (hairdressers, manicurists, cosmetologists) to the opening and arranges a first-class banquet for them. Relying on the fact that professionals will share their impressions when communicating with clients works. Within a few days the newly opened restaurant was completely sold out.
- Freedom of expression without regard to morality and ethics. We are talking about shocking and provocation as advertising tools.
- Psychological impact. Detailed analysis target audience, identifying its “pains”, playing on feelings and emotions in right time V in the right place- the key to the success of any advertising campaign.
Advertising brochures or even gift coupons for specialized stores of goods for expectant mothers and babies are freely available in antenatal clinics. Future parents will definitely find them useful, especially since these stores are usually located not far from the antenatal clinic.
- Quick results. Guerrilla Marketing refers to advertising tools for small and medium-sized businesses. Beginning entrepreneurs are not ready to wait a long time for the results of an advertising campaign, and the effect of marketing activities should be almost instantaneous.
Distribution of service station business cards in auto parts stores. Parts buyers are immediately informed where they can get help.
- Disposability. Guerrilla actions are bright and memorable, but they are only suitable for one-time use. Using the same ad a second time would be a waste of money.
Apple, in order to kill two birds with one stone - to spread the word about itself and increase sales - gave each California school a brand new computer. Only one at a time. The marketing service managed to capture the imagination of students and teachers, who enthusiastically told their parents about the miracle computers. The company's expectations were more than justified.
Types of Guerrilla Marketing
There are more than a dozen of them, we’ll only talk about the most popular:
- "Word of mouth". This type is also called “viral advertising”. Dissemination of the necessary information occurs with the help of product consumers themselves and, as a rule, not on purpose.
- Outdoor advertising. Billboards, banners, leaflets that appear in the right place at the right time. For example, at the exit of the city there is a billboard advertising a large hypermarket, or not far from the store there is a billboard of competitors with an attractive promotion.
- Spot advertising. This is highly targeted advertising, for example, for pensioners, youth, young parents, accountants, etc.
- Local advertising. It is broadcast in a specific territory. Grocery store in a big city it is worth advertising only in the area where it is located. There is no point in covering the entire city with advertising.
- Hidden advertising. It disguises itself as a sincere and interesting discussion, exchange of opinions or recommendation “from the bottom of my heart.” Today, this type of guerrilla marketing is most often used by popular bloggers on social networks.
Guerrilla Marketing Techniques
All methods can be safely divided into two groups - online and offline.
1. Offline methods
These include methods that were popular back in the last century:
- souvenirs with the company logo;
- thematic events, trainings, marathons, forums;
- promotions and gift bonuses;
- additional free services.
2. Online methods
- active development and maintenance of social networks;
- creation of mobile applications;
- creating memes and viral pictures;
- reworking of popular songs;
- e-mail newsletter.
These methods are actively used by startups and owners small companies, because do not require large financial outlays.
Methods guerrilla marketing most effective in tandem.
The online school accelerator Accel is an online project, but its creators gather residents twice a year at an online conference in Alushta and once every few months at forums in Moscow.
Guerrilla Marketing Examples
The most striking examples guerrilla marketing we have listed above. Here we give interesting examples from the history of Russian marketing:
- An unknown entrepreneur, Nikolai Shustov, hired several students to go to drinking establishments and demand Shustov cognac. When they received a refusal, the students began to swear, become rowdy, and fight. The next day, Shustov cognac was known throughout Moscow.
- Marketers advertising the legendary cleaning product Mister Proper decided to paint one of the stripes of the pedestrian crossing with bright white paint. Compared to the other stripes, it looked the cleanest. And, of course, it had the cleaning product logo on it.
- The appearance of children's rooms in cafes and restaurants is also good example guerrilla marketing. The owners needed to increase the time that customers could spend in the restaurant. And they succeeded: children play, and parents increase the average bill.
Conclusion
Have you found out what it is guerrilla marketing, and met interesting examples. Now you can safely apply this knowledge in business. However, we still advise you to be careful. Not every creative and controversial idea is received with a bang. But if everything works out, your brand will become recognizable and you will make a profit.
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