What is guerrilla marketing? It’s a creative marketing strategy that breaks from convention and relies on ingenuity—not big budgets—to surprise and engage your target audience. The term was coined by Jay Conrad Levinson in 1985 and focuses on standing out in crowded markets with imaginative, memorable campaigns.
Guerrilla marketing techniques
- Ambient media: Use everyday environments with high foot traffic, like bus stops or metro stations, to deliver your message.
- Ambush marketing: Leverage large events to get noticed without paying for official sponsorship.
- Flash mobs: Surprise audiences with spontaneous, attention-grabbing performances.
- Viral marketing: Create content (often videos) designed to spread rapidly across social media and messaging apps.
Examples of guerrilla marketing
Netflix: Went viral by posting a hater’s tweet on a billboard in Madrid, sparking widespread conversation.
Starbucks: Launched the #UnicornFrapuccino campaign, which became a global trending topic and sold out quickly, blending guerrilla and experiential marketing.
Conclusion
Guerrilla marketing is about surprising your audience with clever, creative tactics—often on a small budget. With imagination and effort, any business can use these strategies to stand out and win customers.
