
It is so unexpected and out of the norm that it breaks through the fog in their minds.

Suddenly, in the midst of the dull, worn-down sidewalk, they come upon a bright advertisement painted on one section. Their minds are accustomed to the pattern and color of the sidewalk, so they can tune and move robotically through their walk. For instance, they are walking to work the same way they do every day. Guerrilla marketing means shocking people in the midst of their regular daily routine. It is unexpected, bright, and impossible to ignore. Using guerrilla marketing is the equivalent of being the sun suddenly breaking through the clouds on a gloomy day. To be successful, you must be able to stand out among the crowd, but this can be difficult to do when the public ignores the entire crowd. Being bombarded by endless emails, texts, social media ads, and even billboards make them easy to ignore. The public has become somewhat “nose blind” to most traditional marketing tactics. Over the years, the specific tactics have expanded to cater to social media and the digital world, but the foundational principles remain the same. He shared that the “shock and awe” tactics were very effective for creating publicity, increasing popularity, and garnering support for a company’s product or service.Īfter the release of his book in 1984, businesses began adopting this idea, and street promotion was born. Jay Conrad Levinson examined the success of guerrilla warfare and adapted it to marketing.

They were also very effective at drumming up publicity and support, even from some groups who did not wish to get involved. These tactics were typically carried out by armed civilians and other small groups who were not directly related to the military. Guerrilla warfare was intended to shock, awe, and ultimately defeat the enemy through irregular tactics, such as ambushes, raids, and hit-and-run strategies. The idea was derived from guerrilla warfare, a term used to describe unconventional techniques used in battle for centuries. Guerrilla marketing is a term that was first used by Jay Conrad Levinson in the book Guerrilla Marketing.
