Bold, original and often inexpensive, this type of promotion helps improve the image of an SME. Here is an overview of the most effective practices.
When a company wishes to launch a promotional campaign but does not have sufficient funds, guerrilla marketing can be a good alternative. Originally, this method was used by SMEs to protect themselves against the invasion of multinationals. Today, the concept has been adopted by all advertisers.
«Guerrilla marketing differentiates itself by an unusual style, and inexpensive and unconventional methods. With the exception of the legality of the idea and implementation of the concept, which must be guaranteed, there are no limits to creativity. Posters put up in atypical places as well as "reverse graffiti i.e. tags made not with paint but by removing the dirt from a part of the ground or a wall, using a pressure washer for example. There are also more extreme options, such as tattooing a brand name on someone’s body (e.g. a sportsperson).»
two examples of successful guerrilla marketing operations:
- In Scotland, a radio station set up a stand in the street offering free air guitars. The originality of this concept made passers-by laugh while promoting the services supplied by the company.
- In the U.S., the chocolate biscuit brand Kit Kat put stickers on public benches to make them look like its bars of chocolate. This operation gave the company a cool and irreverent image.
Sources: Guerrilla Marketing, 4th edition: Easy and Inexpensive Strategies for Making Big Profits from Your SmallBusiness 2007.
