In the wild world of branding, it’s no longer enough to simply hawk your wares – oh no! You’ve got to make eyes pop, brows arch, and hearts go aflutter with palpitations of pure astonishment. Enter the grand carnival of guerrilla marketing, stomping in with swagger and style.
Imagine, if you will, ambling down the digital promenade, trawling through a quagmire of samey-samey ads. Suddenly – WHAM! Your senses are ambushed by a guerrilla marketing blitz so jaw-droppingly splendid, you're left questioning whether you've inadvertently slipped through a wormhole into some bizarre alternate ad-verse.
From brain-twisting antics to participatory shenanigans that make you blink twice, guerrilla marketing is the sly fox of the marketing ecosystem, melding the shock of the new with the cunning of the old to etch your brand into the collective memory. So, if you're hatching plans for your next guerrilla marketing escapade, seeking inspiration from brilliant guerrilla marketing exploits of yore, or scouring the horizon for the hottest guerrilla marketing brain waves that are steamier than a cup of English Earl Grey, stay with us.
We're plunging headlong into the realm of UK-style guerrilla marketing, digging up the most delectable morsels for ad campaigns that will leave 2023 gasping, Good heavens, where have you been hiding?
Guerrilla marketing, dear reader, is the marketing equivalent of a crafty raccoon pilfering your picnic. It’s a rambunctious strategy that aims to seize your attention with low-cost, high-imagination antics. It’s how brands transform into mischievous foxes, darting through the forest of marketing clichés to leave an unforgettable trail of breadcrumbs.
The backbone of guerrilla marketing is simple: creativity, novelty, and a Sherlockian insight into the minds of the audience. It’s about crafting a message so resonant, your audience will hum its tune for weeks on end. Guerrilla marketing ventures are typically peppered with the unexpected, seasoned with humour, and spiced with a pinch of daring to snare the attention of their prey.
In short, it's the sort of marketing that doesn't just tiptoe through the tulips; it tap-dances through them in hobnail boots.
Need a sprinkle of inspiration? Have a gander at these:
THIS are a plant-based meat alternative company that love to rustle (plant-based) feathers. In this campaign, THIS hired an Ed Sheeran lookalike to serve their ‘chicken’ nuggets from a food truck. Crowds, natureally, gathered in huge numbers, believing that not only this was the real Ed, but that the nuggets were real chicken. Of course, neither of which is true. Punters were let in on the big reveal afterwards, which made for heaps of on-camera, real reactions to just how good their product is. This is an excellent example of “show, don’t tell”.
You’ve almost certainly heard of Liquid Death. If not, what the f*ck man? These guys are the holy grail for marketers. Being content-first, they focus on ridiculous campaigns and videos that seem to show no sign of slowing down. In this particular campaign, Liquid Death filmed an ad with a real porn star, who strictly instructs the viewer to not “f*ck the planet”. A loud and clear statement from someone who literally f*cks for a living. Bold, outrageous and original. We highly recommend watching all of their ads, you won’t regret it.
If you’ve taken a walk through Oxford Street in London recently, you’ll have seen a ginormous iconic blue Ikea bag. 62ft tall to be precise. No copy, no images, no fancy lights or photoshop wizardry. Their bags have become such a staple in most households, that seeing it on its own is enough to bring up that little itch for some houseplants and a cheeky plate of meatballs. This is to promote the opening of their newest store, and of course, it’s a bloody massive instagram trap for passers by. Hell yeah.
All right, chaps, let's cut to the chase – life is simply too fleeting for yawn-inducing, snore-worthy marketing. Time to bring in the big guns: augmented reality, a.k.a. your golden ticket to morphing the humdrum of the high street into a digital theme park of delights.
Just imagine it: your target audience, wielding smartphones like modern-day Excaliburs, galloping through the streets in pursuit of mythical creatures such as unicorns and dragons. All in your brand's honour, naturally. I mean, who could resist the allure of embarking on a mythical, magical quest just to earn a coveted badge of brand loyalty?
But let's not get carried away in all the excitement. Remember, the key is to keep it playful, keep it enchanting, and above all, reassure your audience that no actual unicorns suffered any indignities during the creation of this campaign!
Are you feeling a bit deflated by the same old shopfronts and billboards? Fancy a change of scenery, perhaps something a bit more...subterranean? Right, let's take your brand on a spelunking expedition – straight to the depths of an abandoned underground station. Picture the scene: unsuspecting commuters, confronted by your pop-up bazaar amidst the grime, the echoes, and that oh-so-authentic aroma of dampness (vintage, darling!).
Fetch some flamboyant lights, perhaps a boombox, and voila – you've got yourself an underground extravaganza. You're not just flogging products here, dear friend, you're pedalling an experience, a yarn, a moment of solace amidst the helter-skelter of urban life. They may have come for the Tube, but they'll stick around for your subterranean shenanigans, guaranteed!
In an age of AI and hyper clever automations, the world needs artists more than ever. Bringing real creatives on to your project is not only a refreshing break from trends, but an extremely important part in the future of marketing and creativity. Hire a graffiti artist to create a mural, or have a musician write a ludicrous song about your competitors. In our opinion, creativity comes first, the marketing comes after. Embrace creators and rebels everywhere, be on the right side of advertising!
A bit of sage advice from yours truly, the marketing maestro next door: get chummy with your audience, make it snappy and straightforward, and for the love of metrics, measure your darn results! I mean, come on, how else are you supposed to suss out if you're a marketing Merlin or just another mundane muggle?
And there you have it, a thrilling journey through the electrifying world of guerrilla marketing. From awe-inspiring success stories to the psychological magic that makes guerrilla campaigns tick, we've unveiled the art and science behind this audacious approach. Now, armed with the golden commandments, it's time to unleash your inner guerrilla genius and rewrite the rules of marketing.
But here's the juicy part – it's your turn to step into the guerrilla spotlight. Take a leap, experiment with bold ideas, and turn life's lemons into guerrilla lemonade that leaves the world in awe. Whether you're a seasoned marketing maverick or a newcomer to the guerrilla scene, the stage is yours to make an impact that echoes through the ages.
As we part ways for now, remember – in the world of guerrilla marketing, the only limit is your imagination. So, keep surprising, keep daring, and keep the guerrilla revolution alive!
Ready to redefine your brand's success through humour? Give us a bell, and let's embark on a rip-roaring journey of turning the sceptics into your brand's biggest cheerleaders with the charm of comedic video ads. Your audience is ready for a good chuckle, and your brand's ready to shine. Onwards and upwards, I say!
Until next time, keep it dirty!
