Traditional advertising can struggle to cut through the noise and needs a flux of new ideas. For businesses looking to make a splash, unusual marketing strategies can be the key to capturing attention and building a loyal following. Here are a few unconventional tactics to consider, along with real-world examples of their success.
Guerrilla Marketing: The Element of Surprise
Guerrilla marketing uses unconventional, high-impact tactics to grab attention in unexpected places. Take the famous launch of the movie The Blair Witch Project as an example. The filmmakers created a viral marketing campaign that seeded the internet with fake websites and news stories about the disappearance of student filmmakers, leaving audiences to wonder if the movie was based on a true event. This creative and unexpected campaign generated massive buzz and helped turn the film into a surprise hit.
You could also create a marketing campaign that engages multiple senses. Think of a pop-up art exhibit with textures and scents to promote a new line of bath products, a historical walking tour with costumed actors to launch a new book, or even an escape room experience designed around your brand identity. Looking to target music lovers, Porsche created a pop-up experience styled like a record store. The space featured classic cars alongside curated vinyl selections and live DJ sets, creating an association between Porsche and a love for music and a specific cultural vibe.
Gamification: Make Marketing Fun
Incorporate game mechanics like points, badges, and leaderboards into your marketing strategy. This can incentivise engagement and encourage customers to interact with your brand in new ways. Duolingo, the language learning app, uses gamification to make learning a foreign language feel more like a game, increasing user engagement.
Mix things up by offering a variety of incentives to cater to different preferences. Some users might be motivated by discounts, while others might value exclusive content or early access. Online gaming platforms that offer free casino bets are a prime example of businesses using incentives through gamification. Players earn points through gameplay, and reaching higher levels unlocks benefits like free spins, increased bet limits, or even additional free bets.
Embrace User-Generated Content (UGC): The Power of the People
Leverage the creativity and enthusiasm of your audience by encouraging user-generated content. Run photo contests on Instagram, host hashtag challenges that tie into your brand identity, or invite customers to submit testimonials in a quirky format. The core idea behind a UGC campaign is to tap into the authenticity and trust that consumers place in reviews and recommendations from real people, rather than relying solely on polished marketing messages from the brand itself.
The iconic Share a Coke campaign replaced Coca-Cola’s logo on bottles and cans with popular names. People were encouraged to find their names or collect personalised bottles to share with friends and family. The campaign resulted in a massive surge in social media posts featuring Coca-Cola products, driving brand engagement and sales.
GoPro, for example, doesn’t spend millions on flashy commercials because their customers do the advertising for them. The company encourages users to share their action-packed videos captured with GoPro cameras, using the #GoPro hashtag. This authentic user-generated content showcases the camera’s capabilities in a way that traditional advertising can’t replicate.
The key to success with unusual marketing is to be creative, strategic, and aligned with your brand identity. By implementing these tactics thoughtfully, you can break through the clutter, capture attention, and build a lasting connection with your target audience.
