GUERRILLA MARKETING INSPIRATION: GRAB THE BRAND BY THE HORNS

19 August, 2021

Two different times during the summer, strangers came to our office door bearing gifts; free Red Bulls, to be exact. We asked, “What’s the catch?” They told us it was their summer job just to pass out Red Bull energy drinks to businesses around town. They said there was no catch, they were just “out promoting Red Bull.”

My first thought was, “Man, what a gig!” When I was their age, I was either in the fields detasseling corn or painting apartment buildings in 100-degree heat!

My second thought was, “Red Bull has been around a long time, and they’re STILL doing guerrilla marketing?” Now THAT’S what I call grabbing the brand by the horns!

And it was a good reminder that guerrilla marketing is NOT just for startups. It’s for any brand wanting to stay fresh in the minds of prospects, for creating buzz, to highlight brand relevance, and to give prospects ‘hands-on’ experiences with the brand.

Now before we go any further, let’s be clear about exactly what guerrilla marketing is, and who better to turn to than the “Father of Guerrilla Marketing,” Jay Conrad Levinson. Mr. Levinson published a book in 1984 called Guerrilla Marketing, and to date has sold 21 million copies worldwide. He’s certainly the guru, and he’s defined the term this way: