INNOVATIVE

WAYS OF
BRAND BUILDING
 Product & Brand Management
Assignment Submission

INNOVATIVE WAYS OF BRAND BUILDING

Mridul Vijay
Roll No: 053 WEB
IIMK Kochi Campus
 INNOVATIVE WAYS OF BRAND BUILDING

Guerilla Branding

The world of advertising is changing every day. The traditional media is becoming cluttered with
advertisements; it has resulted in a situation where a newspaper publishes a supplementary
paper only to accommodate ads and that too without any news! Advertisements in traditional
media like newspaper, television, if not placed along with news will not catch the attention of the
target audience. Brands spend huge money in traditional media and that too without any differ-
entiation, thus making it hard for the target audience to catch the communication. Its also the
same in the case of television, with the power of remote control, people can move out easily
when they find it needed. At the same time, cost of releasing or publishing advertisements have
sky rocketed making it more difficult to get the ROI. The advertising agencies and marketers
looked for alternative solutions to build brands and communicate cost effectively to target audi-
ence. In a cluttered media world, clients and agencies alike are turning to innovative ways like
Guerilla marketing as a means to cut through the noise at low costs.

Guerrilla Marketing/Branding is strategy that focuses on low-cost unconventional marketing

tactics that yield maximum results. Originally the term was introduced by Jay Conrad Levinson in
his book titled Guerilla Advertising. The purpose is to create an imaginative solution to how to
represent a company. Guerilla Marketing should surprise consumers, create a memorable
impression and create a large amount of social buzz. This involves high energy and imagination
focusing on grasping the attention of the public in more personal and memorable level. Some
large companies use unconventional advertisement techniques, proclaiming to be guerrilla mar-
keting but those companies will have larger budget and the brand is already visible. The main
point of guerrilla marketing is that the activities are done exclusively on the streets or other
public places, such as shopping centers, parks or beaches with maximum people access so as to
attract a bigger audience. The importance of Guerilla Marketing is not only the aesthetics and
appeal of the design but the concept behind the idea. The message conveyed to the audience
needs to be clear and effective. If the consumer does not understand the message in a short
amount of time then the concept should be re-evaluated. Guerrilla Marketing is an alternative
strategy and is about taking the consumer by surprise to make a big impression about the brand,
this in turn creates a buzz about the brand or product being marketed. It is a way of advertising
that increases engagement with the product or service, and is designed to create a memorable
experience for the consumer. By creating this memorable experience for the consumer, it also
increases the likelihood that a consumer, or someone who interacted with the campaign will tell
their friends about it and via word of mouth the product or service being advertised reaches a lot
more people than initially anticipated, and means it has more of a mass audience. This style of
marketing is extremely effective for small businesses to advertise their product or service, espe-
cially if they are competing against bigger companies as it is inexpensive and focuses more on
reach rather than frequency. For guerrilla campaigns to be successful companies dont need to
spend large amounts, they just need to have imagination, energy and time. Guerrilla market-
ing is also an effective way companies who dont provide a tangible service can advertise their
products through the non traditional channels as long as they have an effective strategy. As
opposed to traditional media Guerrilla marketing cannot be measured by statistics, sales and
hits but is measured by profit made. It is designed to cut through clutter of traditional adver-
tising and have no mystery about what is being advertised. The message to consumers will be
clear and concise, the business will not diversify the message to the consumer and focus will
be maintained. This type of marketing also works on the unconscious mind, as purchases
quite often are decided by the unconscious mind. To keep the product or service in the
unconscious mind means repetition is needed, so if a buzz is created around a product and
it is shared amongst friends it enables repetition.

A good idea does not need to be expensive. As designers we have to find ways to create
something visually effective without having a large budget. So if your company has a creative
solution it can be an interesting way to interact with the community and your brand.

In this Hunger Awareness advertisement, Feed South Africa uses emotions and guilt to speak
to the audience. Although most Guerilla Advertisements are witty and humorous, some can
really touch the audience on a more serious subject.
Taiba Breast Bump

The challenge of the campaign was to target the Taiba Hospital patients, specifically women
in order to encourage them to have their breasts checked for cancer. Since breast cancer is a
sensitive issue in Kuwait, the challenge was to convey the message in a subtle and light way
that would encourage women to have breast check up.

The guerilla idea drew a parallel between the bumps felt on the breasts and the bumps on
the street. Using the road sign that is visually placed close to bumps to warn against the, the
activation placed after the bump and dislayed a message, which urges women to have their
breasts checked.

Guerilla Marketing can help your brand become memorable. Guerilla advertisements are
known to be shocking and all-consuming, so most people who encounter these ads will
most likely remember the brand and become familiar with their essence.
Understanding the culture of the target market can help you narrow ideas for a guerilla adver-
tisement. For example, Bounty places their guerilla advertising in the middle of New York streets
that are full of locals and tourists. This is a perfect photo op and for people to interact with the
brand.

To activate a campaign successfully, you need a mix of the following elements: insight, concept,
consumer interest, promotional support, sufficient time in market, eye catching creative and, an
important point to consider from the outset, a brand that will respond well to such initiatives.
The right mix is critical to campaign success. If the creative is not captivating, the prize not aspira-
tional, the campaign not promoted or the promotion not given enough time in market, etc, the
campaign may not meet the objectives set at the outset. There really is a science behind getting
the formula correct.

It should be considered as a vital part of the overall marketing approach, or marketing mix, and
not a standalone discipline. A good advertising or specialized agency has to be roped in to do
brand activations. There are specialist Brand Activation agencies that are experts in this space
and are dedicated to creating campaigns that deliver on brand objectives. The major objective
of guerilla campaigns are not sales but it can generate trial, awareness, brand switching and
brand loyalty. Its all about employing the right tactics.

The Fitness Company in their campaign to pull more people to their gym, used bars inside buses
and metros to connect with the target audience. They placed dummy barbells instead of bars
which people use as a support while standing in buses. The idea also conveyed message that
with Fitness Company, you dont need any support as you will be healthy and fit. Placement of
ideas or execution part is very critical in guerilla branding. If the placement is in a wrong place, it
will not catch the attention of the target audience, hence no interaction and engagement lead-
ing to the wastage of money.
They are very crucial part of building a positive perception of a brand. This encompasses the
brand figuring out a few core features that will distinguish them amongst their competition in
crowded marketplaces. They have to find brand positioning that will uncover assets that will
highlight long term benefits to the company. Brands must find a way to reach potential custom-
ers that can shift perceptions and create a real emotional engagement. It needs to bring up posi-
tive feeling in the minds of target audience about the brands inorder to create loyal customers.
Timing plays an important role in connecting consumers at the right time, and the right place so
that the consumer becomes a motivated user and fan of the brand.
The guerilla branding by Jeep in streets expresses the USP of the brand which is off road vehicle.
By placing the idea on uneven platforms it communicates the advantage offered by the brand.
The activation is very simple and communicates muti-fold than any print communication. The
purpose is to reach people on multiple levels (emotional, rational, psychological) so that they
walk away from event remembering what is was like to touch, taste, and feel the product rather
than just reading about it. The targeting part of guerilla branding can take many forms, it can be
targeted at businesses, to retail and wholesale companies or it can targeted at the end consum-
er. For example, in retail marketing, a brand can be marketed using guerilla branding through
eye- catching designs, installation of promotional shelves and point of purchase displays.
Guerrilla marketing is an increasing solution to giving companies the comparative edge over
others. During times where companies are downsizing and cutting costs, companies look to
guerrilla marketing as a cheaper strategy than conventional marketing. Instead of investing
money in the marketing process, guerrillas invest energy, time and creativity. If done successful-
ly, companies will be able to reach conventional goals for profits and growth with a smaller mar-
keting budget.
During a tough economy, it is important to focus on building relationships rather than sales, and
aiming at individuals instead of groups. This promotes repeat sales, referrals and increased size
of purchase. The best part of using Guerilla is the low cost and high impact. The Guerilla market-
ing is the best way for a small business to build its brand. Being a small one, it can cut short on
huge main line media spending and invest more on unconventional guerilla techniques to reach
out to their target audience easily. Innovative branding techniques like Guerilla are useful tools
for marketers in the present marketplace and space, with competition touching new heights.
Reference

http://www.digett.com/blog/09/24/2013/why-small-businesses-should-use-guerilla-marketing

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guerrilla_marketing

https://www.simplyzesty.com/blog/article/september-2012/50- guerrilla-marketing-cam
paigns-that-dared-to-be-different