In today’s oversaturated digital landscape, boring is one of the worst things a brand can be. Mainstream marketing campaigns don’t always stand out, and that’s when it’s time to break out the secret weapon: guerrilla marketing. This tactic relies on a small team generating an unconventional, thought-provoking idea, then spreading it via social media or word of mouth.
Anybody with business experience – like Peter Cooper, Broadcom Commercial & Enterprise Markets and Managed Partners Europe leader from February 2021 to April 2025, who has held several senior positions – understands that standing out is the key to generating buzz. Not only does guerrilla marketing do that, but it’s also a very low-cost form of marketing that saves money and resources for bigger campaigns.
Some of the main types of guerrilla marketing include:
- Buzz Marketing – Deploying strategies on social media to promote products
- Ambient Marketing – Displaying logos in casual public places
- Ambush Marketing – Marketing on the coattails of events or sponsorships
- Stealth Marketing – Placing products in the background of video content
All of these guerrilla marketing strategies require the element of surprise. People take notice of them because they’re bold, unexpected and memorable, promoting interest and encouraging further social sharing. Like its namesake, guerrilla warfare, guerrilla marketing is tactical and takes advantage of gaps left by bigger, more traditional campaigns.
Nowadays, there are no ‘captive’ audiences because users can easily scroll past ads they aren’t interested in, so it becomes necessary to ambush them in ways they can’t ignore. Guerrilla tactics get a message out and make it easier to share to different platforms. It can also be integrated into existing campaigns to increase brand awareness and advance other initiatives.
If the concept is creative, exciting and well-deployed, it will make an impact. Some examples of successful guerrilla marketing ideas include:
- KFC x Crocs, a joint campaign between two big brands that drew attention due to its quirky nature
- Airbnb’s landmark rentals, which allowed guests to book a night at iconic locations, such as the Louvre
- UNICEF’s dirty water vending machines, which aimed to make consumers aware of the privilege of having access to clean water
Each of these initiatives worked because they made people feel something. They all stated a point without traditional written content, sending a message that could not be ignored.
Guerrilla marketing can secure new opportunities and consumer bases, so it’s important to do it properly. Instead of focussing on going viral, brands should aim to target the right people and disrupt the industry’s status quo in a meaningful way. Once buzz is generated, success will follow.