You are probably aware of many forms of marketing and advertising that businesses large and small use to promote their brands, products, and services, but have you heard of street marketing?
Let’s take a look at what it is and how this type of marketing helps your business to stand out from the crowd.
What is street or guerrilla marketing?
Street marketing, also known as street advertising or guerrilla marketing, aims to use unconventional methods and advertising spaces to attract greater attention for a particular campaign.
Business writer Jay Conrad Levinson coined the term ‘guerrilla’ in the early 1980s and explained guerrilla tactics in several of his books.
Companies are tasked with finding new methods to connect with their customers when the effectiveness of their usual marketing has waned.
Street marketing takes the opportunity to correct this by placing ads in locations in which you would not expect to see them.
Famous examples of street marketing campaigns
An extremely simple yet effective example of a street marketing campaign is the one created for the horror film ‘It’.
The campaign featured a single red balloon attached to several drainage gates around Sydney, along with a stencilled chalk note claiming: “It is closer than you think”.
Horror lovers quickly realised that the campaign was referring to the new film adaptation of Stephen King’s classic horror in which Pennywise the clown is often found clutching a single red balloon.
It is safe to say that this campaign was as cheap as chips yet achieved the recognition it so clearly deserved.
Another great example is when IKEA installed sofas at bus stops in Sydney and Perth in Australia to promote its 2018 catalogue.
Apart from running the risk of people not wanting to get off their comfy sofas and onto a bus, IKEA provided both a relaxing place to wait for transport and a striking ad campaign that got people talking.
Who uses street marketing?
Across the globe, you will find both start-ups and well-established companies ditching the traditional methods of marketing in favour of street marketing.
It takes a lot of planning, but the results can be very rewarding, especially if you find that you have exhausted other traditional methods of advertising.
Another great reason why many companies, both big and small, use street marketing is that it is relatively cheap to implement if executed correctly.
All you need for a successful street marketing campaign is time, a plethora of energy, and some major creativity.
This is where Street PR comes in. We are here to boost your marketing campaigns with a little creative flair and a lot of knowledge to help you avoid the pitfalls and mistakes that others make.
We manage the logistics, staff and reporting on your behalf.
We enjoy getting the most out of marketing and ensuring your brand gets the attention it needs. Speak to a street marketing expert today.