Is Guerrilla Marketing Dead?
Before the rise of social media, brands had to find innovative ways to capture audience attention. Guerrilla marketing (also spelled guerilla) employs unconventional tactics, drawing inspiration from guerrilla warfare, particularly the element of surprise, to promote a product or service. The goal? To create hype and make people stop, share, and talk.
Fast forward to today: with the impact of COVID and the digital empire that is Meta, guerrilla marketing may seem off-trend. But is it really? Here are a few of our favourite outdoor campaigns from the past decade:
Carlton Draught – "The Beer Chase": In 2010, Carlton Draught created a buzz with a guerrilla campaign featuring an elaborate chase scene through the streets of Melbourne. Actors dressed as iconic characters from their ads ran through the city, interacting with the public and creating a lively spectacle. This campaign generated significant social media attention and encouraged engagement with the brand.
Westpac – "The Westpac Banking Experience": In 2016, Westpac launched a pop-up installation in Sydney simulated various banking experiences. This hands-on approach allowed people to engage with the brand in a memorable way, encouraging relaxed conversations about banking and showcasing Westpac’s commitment to customer experience.
Showtime Marketing – "Community is Kindness": During COVID, like many businesses, marketing agencies had to pivot quickly to ensure their survival. I love this Sydney marketing agency’s approach. Their campaign began with framed poster sites spreading the message "Community is Kindness," emphasising together we are stronger. They later expanded this to include their key clients with the “Support Locals” initiative. Each poster encouraged social sharing during the limited outdoor excursions allowed.
Sundae – “Body Whip”: Launched in late 2023, this campaign featured AI-generated large-scale versions of a new product placed in iconic locations along Sydney’s coastline, including Bondi Icebergs and Bondi Beach. Designed for social distribution on Instagram and TikTok, it represents a new frontier in marketing sophistication through AI integration. The primary campaign video, which took 120 hours to create, garnered over 90,000 views across both platforms in just 72 hours, making it one of Sundae’s best-performing Reels to date.
The Weeknd Australian Tour - “After Hours Til Dawn”: In August of this year, a spectacular guerrilla installation took over Melbourne’s historic Nylex Plastics Factory to promote The Weeknd’s newly announced Australian tour. The experience began at twilight with cryptic messages like "Everything Will Fade" and "The End Is Near," projected in stunning 3D.
As the globe continues to reset post-COVID, guerrilla marketing is making a vibrant comeback, proving creativity and boldness still capture hearts and minds. This is where Penscope comes in. With our quirky approach and knack for thinking outside the box, Penscope can help you craft unforgettable guerrilla campaigns which will resonate with your audience and leave a lasting impression.
If you’re ready to shake things up and create buzz which gets people talking (and sharing), let’s chat! Our team is passionate about developing innovative strategies tailored to your brand’s unique personality. Together, we can turn the unexpected into a powerful marketing tool which not only engages but inspires your audience. Why not choose Penscope for your next guerrilla campaign? Let’s make some noise!
