“Guerrilla marketing – structuring the manifestations and critical evaluation” AUTHORS Gerd Nufer https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1414-004X ARTICLE INFO Gerd Nufer (2013). Guerrilla marketing – structuring the manifestations and critical evaluation. Innovative Marketing , 9(2) RELEASED ON Monday, 29 July 2013 JOURNAL "Innovative Marketing " FOUNDER LLC “Consulting Publishing Company “Business Perspectives” NUMBER OF REFERENCES NUMBER OF FIGURES NUMBER OF TABLES 0 0 0 © The author(s) 2021. This publication is an open access article. businessperspectives.org Innovative Marketing, Volume 9, Issue 2, 2013 Gerd Nufer (Germany) Guerrilla marketing – structuring the manifestations and critical evaluation Abstract Guerrilla marketing designates the selection of atypical and non-dogmatic marketing activities that aim to achieve the greatest possible impact – in the ideal case with a comparable minimum investment. Guerrilla marketing has developed into a basic strategy overarching the marketing mix, a basic marketing policy attitude for market development that goes off the beaten track to consciously seek new, unconventional, previously disregarded, possibly even frown-upon possibilities for the deployment of tools. It is a fine line between innovative, creative marketing and producing reactance in the minds of the audience by exceeding limits. While guerrilla marketing activities can be seen more and more in the marketing practice, the phenomenon is either discussed very controversially in the marketing science or even neglected completely in the scientific marketing literature. The paper gives an overview of guerrilla marketing. It describes and structures guerrilla marketing in a novel form and shows illustrating examples. Finally, guerrilla marketing is evaluated from a neutral perspective and developmental trends are traced. Keywords: guerrilla marketing, marketing communications, marketing mix, innovative marketing. Introduction The transfer of the guerrilla concept to marketing terminology results in diverse interpretations and These days, companies are primarily engaged in a opinions as to the implementation and functions of communications competition and no longer in competition over products. Due to intensified guerrilla marketing. The fundamental determinant in communications efforts, the attempt is being made to characterizing guerrilla marketing is its unconventional counter the increasing homogenization of products by nature. “Guerrilla marketing is a body of uncon- achieving a needs-oriented differentiation. The ventional ways of pursuing conventional goals is a communications market is undergoing economic, proven method of achieving profits with minimum communicative and social changes that are making money” (Levinson, 2013). reorientation of communications policy a necessity. For the following analysis a comprehensive definition The willingness of the public to be subjected to a of guerrilla marketing is applied: Guerrilla marketing static, continuously repetitive and thereby allegedly is as an alternative, holistic marketing approach. The boring constant stream of information and concept designates the selection of atypical and non- communication continues to drop. According to dogmatic marketing activities that aim to achieve the various studies, the level of information overload of a greatest possible impact with a minimum investment. consumer amounts to between 95 and 98 per cent – Guerrilla marketing has developed into a basic strategy i.e. only a minute fraction of the information being overarching the marketing mix, a basic marketing offered has even the slightest chance of being policy attitude for market development that goes off absorbed by consumers (Homburg, 2012; Kotler, Armstrong, Saunders and Wong, 2010). the beaten track to consciously seek new, uncon- ventional, previously disregarded, possibly even To keep scatter loss as low as possible, an inter- frown-upon possibilities for the deployment of tools instrumental shift is taking place in favor of non- (Zerr, 2003; Schulte, 2007; Levinson, 2013). classical communications tools, as the failure of classical, conventional forms of advertising to be There are many other approaches to defining and effective becomes increasingly evident. This is attempts at circumscribing the term guerrilla mar- giving rise to a demand for innovative new keting. In reviewing these, one can identify constantly recurring constituent characteristics of guerrilla marketing strategies such as guerrilla marketing. marketing. According to these, guerrilla marketing is Guerrilla marketing offers new and unusual (Levinson, 2008; Patalas, 2006; Jäckel, 2007): opportunities to counter the increasing consumer aversion to advertising. i unconventional; 1. Characterization of guerrilla marketing i surprising; i original/creative; The term “guerrilla” originates with the military. i cheeky/provocative; “Guerrilla” is the diminutive of the Spanish word for i cost-efficient/effective; war, “Guerra”. Thus, “guerrilla” is equivalent to i flexible; “small war” or “partisan warfare” whose goal it is to i unusual/atypical; weaken the opponent in certain spots (Schulte, 2007). i funny/witty; i spectacular; Gerd Nufer, 2013. i contagious. 60 Innovative Marketing, Volume 9, Issue 2, 2013 In summary, it can be stated that the philosophy of financial resources are essential for the success of guerrilla marketing consists of attaining conventional both strategies. A focus on the competitor’s marketing objectives with unconventional methods. unprotected or unattended market segments due to Thus, surprising content can turn a classical concentration on the core business is the essence of advertising vehicle or medium into a guerrilla the flank attack and the circumvention strategy. marketing activity. In this way, guerrilla marketing These strategies are particularly applicable if the does not make traditional marketing obsolete, but challenger has fewer resources available than does has a supportive point-to-point effect and helps the the market leader. In contrast to the above, the marketing mix, mainly the communications mix, to guerrilla attack is comprised of multiple small, point take on an innovative new face. At its core, guerrilla by point attacks with a cumulative effect. The marketing aims to be different and to attract attention. element of surprise is the decisive component of this As a rule, a comparatively smaller investment (than is strategy. The strategic expediency of the guerrilla common for traditional marketing) should achieve as attack is primarily suited for smaller companies with great an impact as possible (Patalas, 2006; Jäckel, weak financial resources due to its short-term 2007; Schulte, 2007). concentration of power. 2. Guerrilla marketing as a strategy 2.2. Niche strategy. The objective of a niche Guerrilla marketing is a philosophy and an attitude strategy is the focus and concentration on a very that must be deeply ingrained in the company specific and narrowly confined buyer segment. (Patalas, 2006). At the same time guerrilla marketing Companies who serve niche markets are distinctive varies with the size of the company, which is why for the “otherness” of their range of products and Levinson (2007) states “different wars require services. As a niche strategy, guerrilla marketing different tactics”. In literature there can be found a incorporates the requirement for the development or differentiation of three distinct strategies that can be creation of new niches and the defence of traditional implemented using guerrilla marketing. Guerrilla market niches (Porter, 1992). marketing as an attack strategy, as niche marketing The example of the American fast food restaurant and as a strategy for small and mid-sized companies “Heart Attack Grill”, that serves only unhealthy (Schulte, 2007; Kotler, Armstrong, Saunders and products, is an impressive personification of the Wong, 2010; Patalas, 2006; Zerr, 2003). niche idea of guerrilla marketing (see Figure 1). The 2.1. Attack strategy. Based on the military origin name of the restaurant itself already allows to draw of the term guerrilla and the obvious association, inferences as to its unconventional positioning and guerrilla marketing may initially be designated as an the promotion of a counter-trend in nutritional attack strategy. This is a competition-directed behavior. The high-calorie orders are served by marketing strategy, focusing on a particular attractive young “nurses” in skimpy nurses’ competitor, the recipient of this unexpected attack costumes, who also offer carafes of beer and (Welling, 2005; Durö and Sandström, 1986). unfiltered cigarettes. This unusual niche positioning There are five different types of attack strategy provided the Arizona enterprise with a great deal of (Kotler, Armstrong, Saunders and Wong, 2010): media resonance in the American and even in the The frontal attack and the encirclement strategy aim Japanese press. In addition, they established an at the general weakening of the market leader. They extraordinary pricing model: “All You Can Eat & relate to all areas of the marketing mix. Sufficient Drink” for 499 dollars a year. Source: http://www.heartattackgrill.com. Fig. 1. Guerrilla strategy of the “Heart attack grill” 61 Innovative Marketing, Volume 9, Issue 2, 2013 2.3. Strategy for small- and medium-sized compa- 3. Marketing mix for guerrilla marketing nies. The guerrilla marketing approach that is based on the attributes of ingenuity, unconventionality and With its creative and unconventional