A successful advertisement must first and foremost attract the attention of its audience. In the digital age, the number of channels that are used to reach audiences has increased. This does not necessarily make it easier for the advertiser. As a recent study has shown, multitasking and multiscreen reduce the users’ capacity to absorb advertising content by 25 percent. Additionally, there is the increasing usage of ad blockers. The publishers’ attempt to ban programs such as Eyeos Adblock had little success. However, the human brain is also called an even more effective adblocker.

Guerilla marketing creates the desired attention!
The term was coined in the 1980s by Jay Conrad Levinson and describes campaigns that focus more on creativity than on budget. The aim is to surprise the audience with unexpected actions to leave a lasting impression. The moment of surprise is the strongest weapon in guerrilla marketing. Let it snow in midsummer and celebrate an apré ski party in the open-air swimming pool or transform a schoolyard into a circus landscape for one day!

In the beginning, it was an opportunity for small companies to keep up with large corporations that have a much larger budget. Due to the great success, organizations of all kinds – whether associations, large and small companies or non-profit organizations – are now using guerrilla methods in their marketing strategies.

Guerrilla marketing uses the familiar environment of the target group and interacts with it – it requires a lot of creativity to find a suitable action. How can a company’s message be integrated into this environment in such a way that it attracts the attention of potential customers? Whether the campaign is to take place indoors or outdoors (pedestrian zone, central station, etc.) or in conjunction with an event (football match, concert, etc.) – it is much more important how the product is communicated to the target group in the most unconventional and emotional way possible.

Guerrilla tactics can also support traditional measures. For example, visitors can be guided to a trade fair or information stand. The most successful campaigns interact with the target audience, engage with them and encourage them to create their own content. The latter is particularly important in the digital sector, so the interaction of potential customers on site can be quickly and easily shared with the right #hashtag in the social networks.

The challenge in guerrilla marketing is to find a creative idea that is unusual and thus generates attention, offers as much interaction with potential customers as possible and at the same time conveys the product or organization in the best way possible.

– This article was written by Ebru Özalan, Account Manager at HBI

https://www.hbi.de/en/2018/08/08/marketing-strategies/