Introduction:
Gorilla marketing is a term used in the advertising and public relations industries to describe extremely aggressive, unconventional, and often outrageous marketing tactics. The goal of gorilla marketing is to generate buzz and publicity for a product or service by using shock value and grabbing attention. While there are many benefits to using gorilla marketing, there are also some drawbacks that you should be aware of before deciding if this approach is right for you. In this blog post, we will give you an overview of what gorilla marketing is, how it works, the benefits and drawbacks, and some examples of successful campaigns.
What Is Gorilla Marketing?
Gorilla marketing is a term that gained popularity in the early 2000s first coined by Jay Conrad Levinson in his 1984 book Guerrilla Advertising. Gorilla marketing is a form of advertising that focuses on low-cost, high-impact tactics that are often unconventional, unexpected, and attention-grabbing. The goal of gorilla marketing is to create a buzz or stir up publicity for a product or service by using shock value and grabbing attention. Gorilla marketing tactics are often bold, creative, and even outrageous. This approach is typically used by small businesses or startups that don’t have the budget for traditional advertising methods like television commercials or print ads.
How Gorilla Marketing Works
Gorilla marketing works by using unconventional, low-cost tactics to grab attention and create a buzz. The goal is to generate publicity and awareness for a product or service by using shock value and generating word-of-mouth marketing. Gorilla marketing tactics are often creative and unexpected, which makes them more likely to be noticed and talked about. Some common gorilla marketing tactics include:
- Ambush marketing
- Guerrilla advertising
- Stunt marketing
- Viral marketing
Benefits of Gorilla Marketing
Gorilla marketing can be a very effective way to generate buzz and publicity for a product or service. The benefits of using gorilla marketing include:
- Low cost: Gorilla marketing tactics are often very low cost, which makes them a great option for small businesses or startups with limited budgets.
- High impact: Gorilla marketing tactics are designed to be high impact and attention-grabbing. This can help you reach a large audience quickly and generate a lot of word-of-mouth marketing.
- Flexibility: Gorilla marketing is very flexible and can be adapted to almost any product or service.
- Creativity: Gorilla marketing allows you to be creative and think outside the box. This can help you come up with unique ideas that will grab attention and make people take notice.
Drawbacks of Gorilla Marketing
While there are many benefits to using gorilla marketing, there are also some drawbacks that you should be aware of before deciding if this approach is right for you. These drawbacks include:
- Can be disruptive: Gorilla marketing tactics can be disruptive and even intrusive. This can turn people off and make them less likely to do business with you.
- Can be offensive: Gorilla marketing tactics can sometimes be offensive or in bad taste. This can damage your reputation and make people less likely to use your product or service.
- Can be illegal: Some Gorilla marketing tactics, such as flyering, can be illegal in some areas. This could lead to fines or other legal problems for you or your business.
- Requires careful planning: Gorilla marketing tactics require careful planning and execution. If not done correctly, they can backfire and cause more harm than good.
Examples of Gorilla Marketing
Gorilla marketing can be a very effective way to generate buzz and publicity for a product or service. Some examples of successful gorilla marketing campaigns include:
- The Ice Bucket Challenge: The Ice Bucket Challenge went viral on social media and raised awareness for ALS.
- The Gorilla Channel Prank: A fake news website created a hoax about a made-up cable channel called the Gorilla Channel.
- The Walking Dead Escape: A zombie-themed escape room generated publicity for the TV show The Walking Dead.
Conclusion:
As you can see, Gorilla marketing can be a very effective way to generate buzz and publicity for a product or service. However, it is important to carefully consider the benefits and drawbacks before deciding if this approach is right for you.
Have you ever used Gorilla marketing? What was your experience? Let us know in the comments below!