Brand Perception & Consumer Engagement Impacts of Guerrilla Marketing

Compared to Traditional Advertising Methods

Daoud Jerab1

Abstract

Guerrilla marketing, known for its unconventional and cost-effective approach to capturing
consumer attention, challenges traditional advertising by fostering immersive, memorable brand
interactions. This research aims to evaluate the long-term effects of guerrilla marketing on brand
perception, consumer loyalty, and engagement, offering insights into how non-traditional
campaigns influence audience behavior and shape brand equity over time.

Keywords: Guerrilla marketing, Brand Perception, Consumer Engagement, Consumer Loyalty

1. Introduction

With the development of new technology, everyday life has changed and the way people consume
services and products too. The emergence of many new products and services creates the need for
their developers and providers to market these products and services. In other words, marketing is
applied to create consumers of certain products and services. With marketing, companies try to
conquer consumer attention and desire, which sometimes leads to marketing overload. People
daily receive advertisements from many different media. The situation has led to a need for
marketing strategies and tactics that would go along and against the normative direction of
marketing development – it has become a need to develop guerrilla marketing strategies and
tactics. Most conventional marketing activities are bringing consumer attention and desire as the
results of the applied marketing strategies and tactics. On the other hand, some marketing activities
force consumers to pay attention to and desire a certain product or service without using
conventional marketing strategies and tactics.

Guerrilla marketing is based on pulling consumer attention, not pushing it. That means creating
and applying strategies and tactics that would provoke consumers to become interested in the
product and desire it, without using normative marketing principles and procedures. Each
marketing action using unconventional marketing strategies and tactics that create a product or
service consumer is guerrilla marketing. Because of innovations in the marketing approach that
bring consumers unexpected consumer experiences, novel marketing approaches, such as buzz
marketing, viral marketing, ambush marketing, and activities with similar purpose as guerrilla
marketing, are often misinterpreted as guerrilla marketing (Milak & Dobrinić, 2017).

1.1. Background and Significance of the Study

As consumer behaviors have changed, so have the marketing strategies that reach them.
Information overload and the need for speedy dissemination of information have created a wave

1
PhD Scholar, Istanbul University, Institute of Social Sciences, Department of Business Management and Organization, Avcılar Campus 34850,
Istanbul-Turkey e-mail:daoud.jerab@aaup.edu / daoud.jerab@gmail.com

1
of new marketing strategies—some of which have turned consumer engagement on its head. In
the late 1990s, a new style of marketing emerged that would later be dubbed “guerrilla marketing.”
Since the dawn of the internet age, advertisements that consumers would once proactively seek
out and pay attention to have been increasingly ignored, skipped, blocked, or otherwise evaded
(Milak & Dobrinić, 2017). In response, many brands have taken on unconventional strategies to
keep their brands relevant, top-of-mind, and one step ahead of the competition. Some hope that as
consumers are saturated with marketing, an opposing force will break through: the unobtrusive
and unexpected. Instead of creating brands that connotate luxury or attractiveness, some marketers
hope to create confusion or intrigue. Rather than controlling a message, some seek to add
ambiguity or room for interpretation. As consumers rebel against traditional forms of advertising,
some hope to engage them in ways they don’t even know they’re being engaged. Despite the quick
rise and proliferation of such marketing strategies, academic research around guerrilla marketing
is still relatively limited, especially in regards to its long-term impacts on brand perception and
consumer engagement compared to traditional advertising methods. As companies increasingly
devote time and resources to guerrilla marketing campaigns, gaps in understanding the effects of
such campaigns persist. On the other hand, traditional advertising methods have remained tried-
and-true consumer engagement strategies. Understanding the comparative long-term impacts of
these two opposing paradigms is imperative for companies researching and designing their
marketing strategies. Ultimately, this research aims to inform companies of how best to utilize
their resources to maximize the long-term brand perception impacts and consumer engagement of
their advertisements.

The Long-Term Brand Perception and Consumer Engagement Impacts of Guerrilla Marketing
Campaigns Compared to Traditional Advertising Methods? This research question is crucial as it
investigates the sustainability and effectiveness of guerrilla marketing beyond the initial shock or
novelty factor. While guerrilla marketing is often recognized for its creativity and ability to
generate buzz, there is limited understanding of how these campaigns influence brand reputation
and consumer relationships in the long run. The study will:

 Fill Knowledge Gaps – Explore the durability of guerrilla marketing's impact compared
to conventional marketing strategies.
 Practical Applications – Equip marketers with data-driven insights to balance guerrilla
tactics with long-term brand-building initiatives.
 Innovation in Marketing – Expand current marketing literature by analyzing the
psychological and emotional engagement evoked by guerrilla campaigns.

By addressing this question, the research will provide a nuanced perspective on the evolving
landscape of advertising, guiding businesses on how to integrate guerrilla marketing effectively
within comprehensive marketing strategies

Guerrilla Marketing: Definitions and Key Characteristics

While the term “guerrilla marketing” was coined in 1984, this style of marketing would not be
widely adopted until the late 1990s. As media fragmentation ushered in an age of consumer on-
demand control over information, advertising became futile. In 1998, one of the originally
proponents of guerrilla marketing described the media landscape as having “overgrown,” with too

2
much advertising suffocating consumers. It was noted that “the more media you have, the less
effect your message has.” It was believed that in this new world, the methodologies of big business
would fail. Instead, scrappy companies would turn to unconventional guerrilla tactics to outsmart
their larger, heavily-bureaued competitors.

In the original conception, guerrilla marketing consisted of innovative, low-cost consumer

engagement strategies tailor-made for small businesses. Still, it has since evolved into a broader
style of marketing implementable by businesses of all sizes. In perhaps the most extreme
manifestation, some brands have fully embraced consumer culture ironically and sought to
commodify apathy and misanthropy. One example covertly infiltrated a venerated public library
and threw an underground party that provoked public outrage. The party was depicted by the
company as a rebellious, anti-establishment rager in a multi-million-dollar campaign that
highlighted how the company’s energy drink had liberated the library from stuffiness. In today’s
information-overloaded environment, so many absurdity-saturated marketing efforts have
proliferated that engendering confusion has ironically become a convention.

Key Terms and Concepts

To provide clarity in the scope of the research, key terms and concepts are defined. Brand
perception refers to a consumer’s view of a brand based on any interactions with that brand. A
brand’s image is a consumer’s mental representation of a brand, while a brand’s identity is the
image the brand seeks to convey. Advertising campaigns comprise a series of advertisements that
share a common theme or message and are designed to be run in succession. Consumer
engagement can be either behavioral, emotional, or cognitive. For this study, consumer
engagement refers a consumer’s behavioral engagement with an advertisement or advertising
campaign—specifically, how a consumer’s action of sharing an advertisement affects their
engagement with the brand and the long-term impacts of that engagement. Finally, traditional
advertising methods refers to advertising strategies that have been used prior to the implementation
of the comparative guerrilla marketing strategies and are more in line with conventional
advertising practices.

2. Literature Review

2. Literature Review Brand perception is shaped through exposure to a wide variety of marketing
strategies, such as traditional advertising, product placement, sponsored celebrity endorsement,
and guerrilla marketing (Milak & Dobrinić, 2017). Traditional advertising uses familiar TV, radio,
print or online advertisement formats to introduce and promote brands. On the other hand, guerrilla
marketing campaigns introduce brands to consumers through unconventional methods with the
purpose of provoking curiosity and surprise. Consumer engagement is often reflected in online
actions such as liking, sharing, and posting about a brand. It may also be demonstrated through
offline interactions, which include product purchases and face-to-face discussion with family and
friends about the advert or brand. Social media serves as an effective platform for consumer
engagement. During the past two decades, the ever-evolving and widespread development of
social media has transformed online consumer engagement from a mere option to a prerequisite

3
for branding success. In recent years, some global brands have experimented with innovative
marketing strategies to provoke dramatic online consumer engagements that go well beyond
traditional consumer dialogues with brands. Such efforts have led to the emergence and rise of
guerrilla branded entertainment, which has become the hottest topic in the domain of marketing
and brand management. With the growing prevalence of guerrilla marketing campaigns executed
by various brands, it is critical to understand the long-term impacts of such campaigns on brand
perception and consumer engagement, compared to conventional advertising approaches.

The research question to be addressed is as follows: what are the long-term impacts of guerrilla
marketing campaigns on brand perception and consumer engagement, compared to traditional
advertising methods? To facilitate the discussion of this research question, a theoretical framework
comprised of relevant models of brand perception and consumer engagement is synthesized. By
reviewing and examining prior studies that are directly or indirectly related to the research topic,
a critical assessment of the extent to which the existing body of knowledge adequately informs the
proposed study is provided. In addition, this literature review discusses the significance of
consumer psychology in shaping brand perception development in both guerrilla marketing and
traditional advertising contexts. A well-established theoretical framework of consumer psychology
is employed to provide more depth in understanding how brand perception is cultivated through
different marketing models. Moreover, this literature review outlines the theoretical foundations
that are necessary for the subsequent analysis of different marketing strategies. Finally,
implications for marketers that emerge from the current scholarly discussions are highlighted.

2.1. Conceptual Framework of Brand Perception and Consumer Engagement

This subsection outlines the conceptual framework that serves as the foundation for exploring the
relationships between marketing strategy, brand perception, and consumer engagement. Initially,
key concepts related to brand perception and consumer engagement are defined. The discussion
examines how these concepts relate to one another and influence consumer behavior.
Subsequently, relevant theories that relate to consumer engagement are considered. These include
the Customer Engagement Theory, the Brand Engagement Conceptual Model, and the
Engagement-Related Brand Outcomes Model. This conceptual framework will be used as a
guiding tool to examine how marketing strategy affects brand perception and consumer
engagement over time.

In today’s market environment, consumers have greater access to information and more choices,
leading to an increase in consumer power. This development has compelled brands to rethink how
they engage with consumers (Gómez-Suárez et al., 2017). Hence, brands need a robust
understanding of how consumer dynamics play out over time in order to sculpt the right approach.
As such, this conceptual framework is not only academically relevant but also significantly
connects the conceptual underpinnings to real-world marketing scenarios. The understanding and
analysis of how brands, consumers, and other parties interact over time is important in shaping
marketing strategies. Ultimately, this conceptual framework will be employed to analyze and
evaluate the effects of guerrilla marketing and traditional marketing on brand perception and
consumer engagement in the short and long term.

4
The focus will be on brand perception and consumer engagement as the key outcomes of marketing
strategy. First, brand perception and its sub-elements of brand identity, consumer trust, and
emotional connection are defined (Gabriela Andrei & Adriana, 2014). Thereafter, consumer
engagement is defined and the concept is discussed along with its sub-elements of engagement
activities, interaction, and engagement intensity. Finally, the interaction between these two
concepts and how they influence consumer behavior are examined.

3. Guerrilla Marketing Campaigns

Guerrilla marketing campaigns, also known as ambient or unconventional marketing campaigns,

consist of creative efforts designed to attract attention to a product or brand by embedding
promotional messages in unusual surroundings or circumstances. Guerilla marketing strategies
build on the enthusiasm and imagination of the marketing team rather than a large budget. As such,
they often consist of unique advertising forms that leap outside conventional media outlets (Milak
& Dobrinić, 2017). The aim of guerilla marketing campaigns is to impress and surprise consumers
rather than bluntly promote a product. Successful guerilla marketing efforts are usually
characterized by creativity and spontaneity. The aim is to create memorable experiences that linger
in the minds of consumers. Ideally, guerilla marketing campaigns maximize impact while
minimizing expenses. In the digital age, an important consideration is that guerilla campaigns are
more likely to be shared virally. Because of this, the exponential growth in internet usage and
social media provides many advantages to guerilla marketing campaigns. A popular tactic is flash
mobs where a large group of people converges suddenly and unexpectedly to perform a particular
action coordinated via social media. Other methodologies include provocative street art, sidewalk
chalking art, and various forms of publicity stunts. Because of the unanticipated nature of guerilla
marketing efforts, a wide variety of tactics exist. Like covert marketing, guerilla marketing is often
risky and challenging. Publicity stunts run the risk of being perceived as annoying and in bad taste.
However, a successful guerilla marketing effort can garner substantial media coverage and free
publicity. Even when budgets are limited, guerilla campaigns seek dramatic attention and a visceral
impact on viewers. Because of this, many forms may trade on shock value that can backfire.
Publicity stunts run the risk of having the campaign misconstrued, thus generating negative
publicity instead of the desired attention. On occasion, guerilla marketing efforts have been poorly
received or perceived as attempts to manipulate public perception. Like covert marketing, guerilla
marketing campaigns can run afoul of public backlash. Still, critics of guerilla marketing
sometimes assert that it is manipulative or deceptive.

3.1. Definition and Characteristics

Guerrilla marketing emerged as a concept in 1984. It is often seen as an alternative to traditional

marketing, particularly for smaller brands with limited budgets. In the years following its initial
writings, guerrilla marketing tactics transformed and adapted to changing contexts, but they have
consistently remained outside the mainstream of conventional marketing approaches. Guerrilla
marketing is defined as unconventional methods designed to yield maximum results from minimal
resources. Various definitions of guerrilla marketing have been proposed, but a few consistent
characteristics separate it from traditional marketing techniques. Guerrilla marketing primarily
relies on creativity rather than a budget, planning for the element of surprise, and using
unconventional approaches to disseminate a marketing message (Milak & Dobrinić, 2017). In the

5
face of ongoing resource limitations resulting from the global pandemic, brands are increasingly
required to get "guerrilla" in their approach to connecting with consumers.

Guerrilla marketing is a creative and unconventional marketing strategy that aims to capture the
attention of the audience in unexpected and memorable ways. It often involves using low-cost or
unconventional methods to generate buzz, engagement, and brand awareness. Guerrilla marketing
campaigns are designed to create a strong impact and leave a lasting impression on the target
audience. The term "guerrilla" is borrowed from guerrilla warfare, where small, agile tactics are
used to achieve maximum impact. Executing a successful guerrilla marketing campaign requires
careful planning, creativity, and a deep understanding of your target audience.

Here's a step-by-step guide to executing guerrilla marketing:

1. Understand Your Audience: Before creating your campaign, thoroughly understand your
target audience's preferences, behaviors, and interests. This will help you tailor your
guerrilla marketing approach to resonate with them.

2. Set Clear Objectives: Define the goals of your campaign. Are you aiming to increase brand
awareness, promote a new product, drive traffic to your website, or create a viral sensation?
Clear objectives will guide your strategy.

3. Be Creative and Unconventional: The heart of guerrilla marketing is creativity. Brainstorm

innovative and unexpected ways to engage your audience. Consider ways to disrupt their
daily routine or capture their attention in a surprising manner.

4. Utilize Available Resources: Guerrilla marketing doesn't necessarily require a big budget.
It's about using resources creatively. This could involve street art, graffiti, chalk drawings,
flash mobs, or interactive installations.

5. Choose Locations Wisely: Select locations where your target audience frequents. High-
traffic areas, public spaces, popular events, and social media platforms can be excellent
places to execute your campaign.

6. Create Shareable Content: Design your campaign to be shareable on social media and other
online platforms. If people find your campaign interesting, entertaining, or thought-
provoking, they are more likely to share it with their networks.

7. Surprise and Intrigue: Guerrilla marketing often involves surprising and intriguing your
audience. It could be through unexpected installations, hidden messages, or puzzling
visuals that spark curiosity.

8. Leverage Technology: Incorporate technology into your campaign. This could involve QR
codes, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), or interactive apps that engage and
entertain your audience.

6
 9. Generate Buzz: Before launching your campaign, create anticipation by teasing your
audience with cryptic messages or sneak peeks. Generating buzz can lead to increased
interest and participation.

10. Use Humor: Humor can be an effective way to connect with your audience and make your
campaign more memorable. A well-executed humorous campaign can lead to positive
associations with your brand.

11. Measure Results: Set up metrics to track the success of your campaign. Monitor social
media engagement, website traffic, press coverage, and any other relevant metrics to
evaluate the impact of your guerrilla marketing efforts.

12. Stay Legal and Ethical: While guerrilla marketing is about being unconventional, it's
important to stay within legal and ethical boundaries. Ensure that your campaign doesn't
damage public property, invade people's privacy, or violate any laws.

13. Adapt and Evolve: Be prepared to adapt your campaign based on real-time feedback and
insights. Monitor the response and adjust your strategy as needed to maximize the impact.

Guerrilla marketing campaigns can be hit or miss, so not all attempts will be equally successful.
However, the element of surprise and the potential for viral sharing can lead to a significant
increase in brand visibility and awareness when executed well.

The hallmark of a good guerrilla marketing strategy is creativity. Brands are increasingly expected
to come up with innovative strategies that communicate their messages in unexpected ways.
Surprise is another central characteristic of guerrilla marketing. The goal is to send a marketing
message in a manner that the target audience does not anticipate, ideally rendering them
speechless. This surprise factor usually goes hand-in-hand with the brand's engagement in guerrilla
marketing, as consumers will wish to discuss their experiences with the brand or share them on
their social media platforms, thus amplifying the effects of the campaign. While guerrilla
marketing campaigns are often considered “low-budget,” this does not mean they are cost-free. A
significant amount of financial resources is usually allocated to hiring creative agencies to come
up with innovative concepts. However, because guerrilla marketing most often operates outside of
traditional media channels, the costs are typically much lower than a standard media buy in, for
example, TV, radio, or print.

At its core, marketing is about creating strong connections between brands and consumers. The
most effective way for a brand to create an enduring connection with its audience is to engage
them in a manner that is completely unexpected, resulting in a memorable experience. This has
always been the central tenet of guerrilla marketing. By its very nature, guerrilla marketing sets
out to engage the consumer through unexpected interactions intended to contribute to a holistic
brand experience. One of the defining characteristics of guerrilla marketing is that it can take on
numerous forms, adapting to different market contexts as well as demographic groups. As brands
and their audiences grow older and change, so too should their approach to marketing. For
example, what may be considered "guerrilla" or "edgy" marketing for older consumers may be

7
viewed as tame by millennials or members of Generation Z, who consume media differently.
Consequently, it is essential for brands to continuously adapt the forms of their guerrilla efforts to
the evolving consumer mindset. Similarly, groups of consumers with differing cultural
backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses may necessitate very different marketing strategies.

Another key consideration with respect to the nature of guerrilla marketing is that it is usually
designed to operate in conjunction with a brand's digital platforms and associated social media
channels. In a contemporary context, a brand's online presence becomes particularly salient in
regards to guerrilla marketing; most campaigns are considered incomplete without accompanying
social media content across multiple platforms. Consequently, in light of these factors, it becomes
necessary to narrow guerrilla marketing down to specific parameters that ultimately define it as a
separate category within the larger marketing discipline. For the purposes of this research, and
specifically in terms of how it is measured, a guerrilla marketing campaign is one that: 1) Utilizes
an unconventional approach to disseminating a marketing message, ideally in a manner that is
totally unexpected on the part of the consumer. 2) Seeks to promote consumer interaction with the
brand. 3) Forms an integral part of the brand's overall social media marketing strategy.

4. Traditional Advertising Methods

Advertising has evolved many times throughout history, from word-of-mouth recommendations
to printed town criers who delivered the latest news about products and services. As societies,
technology, and economies developed, so did advertising, most notably with the rise of mass
communication channels like newspapers, radio, and television. These channels made it possible
for brands to reach large audiences, leading to the dominance of these traditional brand
communications in the 20th century (Economakis, 2009). Today, numerous approaches or
channels can be used for advertising or brand communications, but traditional methods still
undeniably play a significant role—especially for larger brands with more substantial budgets. The
most common approaches that brands typically use as traditional advertising methods are
television commercials; radio advertisements; printed magazines and newspapers; advertising
flyers, brochures, and booklets; and outside billboards and posters (Frison et al., 2014).

Traditional advertising methods rely on particular channels or media, which are usually bought
from media companies and then filled with the brand's advertising to broadcast or display it to the
audience. This makes them a more structured form of brand communications compared to other
more liberated approaches. Like all other marketing aspects, advertising budgets are defined at the
start of the campaign—usually leading to the media choices and the specific expenditures for each
type of channel. Campaigns typically include media purchases of hundreds of thousands and often
millions, which can guarantee the brand visibility for a longer time.

Although traditional advertising still significantly impacts consumer outreach, it has numerous
disadvantages—some internal, but many external. Most importantly, with the rapid evolution of
digital and online advertising, consumers now have more ways to avoid advertisements. For
example, consumers often get fatigued from heading to work while listening to the same radio
stations or viewing the same billboards from outside bus windows. With this ad fatigue came the

8
rise of ad-blocking technologies, which offered a solution to avoid unwanted advertising—
unintentionally posing a notable threat to traditional advertising methods, most notably to those on
online platforms. Even with the ongoing digital transformation, some traditional advertising
methods remain prominent. Still, the effectiveness of advertising on such media concerning
consumer engagement and lasting brand perception is questionable. Because of this, brands need
to consider how to evolve their traditional advertising strategies better in today's rapidly changing
marketing environment. However, prior to the examination of this, it is vital to first understand the
traditional advertising methods themselves, setting the stage for a comparative analysis with
guerrilla marketing methods.

4.1. Types and Strategies

Advertising, in its many different forms, has been an ongoing activity for marketers since the
establishment of products and services as brands. Over time, certain advertising strategies have
emerged that marketers regularly employ to advertise their brands and communicate with their
consumers. Some marketers may break the rules of convention, using as yet unseen strategies that
push the boundaries of successful advertising (Frison et al., 2014). Most advertising strategies fall
under the category of traditional advertising. Marketers create and broadcast traditional
advertisements in fixed-form media, in contrast to guerrilla marketing tactics, where the
advertisement itself is the medium and remains outside fixed-form media. This section elaborates
on traditional advertising types and strategies. Four types of traditional advertising are particularly
relevant to this research: print advertising, broadcast media, outdoor advertisements, and digital
ads. Each type is discussed in detail, along with its unique features, its intended audience, and the
strategies advertisers employ within that type. The implications of each type on reach, engagement,
and conversion are examined (Economakis, 2009). Furthermore, an overview of traditional
advertising strategies employed by marketers is provided, including emotional appeals,
informational campaigns, celebrity endorsements, and more. For each strategy, specific aspects of
the strategy and why they are influential are highlighted. The discussion also includes how these
advertising strategies have been integrated into broader marketing campaigns in the past. Finally,
the lifespan of traditional ads is discussed in relation to the lifespan of guerrilla marketing tactics.
Traditional ads may have a more enduring impact than purely ephemeral, often performance-based
guerrilla marketing ads. Still, acknowledgment is given to the fact that advertising has always had
a more lasting impact than mere consumer adherence to the advertised brand, addressing the
broader issue of consumer adherence to brands beyond advertising. The concern is that while
traditional methods still prevail, there is a shift in paradigm relative to brand management, from
the marketer’s perspective to the consumer’s perspective. Ultimately, the goal of this section is to
frame conventional advertising within the larger discourse of contemporary marketing.

5. Comparison of Guerrilla Marketing and Traditional Advertising

Despite the growing popularity of guerrilla marketing strategies, traditional advertising methods
continue to dominate most brand publicity campaigns, and existing literature primarily focuses on
the latter approach. However, with the relative novelty of guerrilla marketing strategies, there is
scope for further work investigating the longer-term impacts on brand perception and consumer
engagement. In this regard, insights from the theory and practice of traditional advertising are

9
employed to elaborate on the merits and limitations of guerrilla marketing campaigns relative to
their traditional counterparts (Milak & Dobrinić, 2017).

Guerrilla marketing is cheaper than conventional marketing techniques and is suited for
organizations with budget constraints. However, due to its low-cost nature, this approach cannot
guarantee brand visibility. On the other hand, traditional marketing employs high-budget visibility
campaigns to capture audience attention. Nevertheless, expensive marketing strategies do not
always assure audience attention, as seen in the case of certain commercials that went awry. Still,
on balance, traditional marketing campaigns guarantee far superior audience attention compared
to guerrilla marketing campaigns.

Alternatively, guerrilla marketing thrives on creativity, novelty, and shock value, leading to greater
audience interaction and engagement levels compared to traditional marketing strategies. For
example, the 2010 guerrilla campaign in Liverpool Street Station featured dancing passengers and
personnel, rapidly amassing 20 million views and high-profile media coverage at minimal cost.
On the other hand, the 2013 Super Bowl ad garnered 51 million views, but its broadcast cost USD
4 million for a mere 30-second slot. This approach resulted in comparable engagement levels, with
the advertisement outperforming the guerrilla strategy in reach. Nevertheless, it is important to
note that the latter campaign was far less expensive when overall expenditures are considered.

In summary, while traditional advertising may capture consumer attention more effectively,
guerrilla marketing better engages the audience. Having established these premises, the two
strategies are compared in terms of effectiveness, as measured through consumer response rates,
memorability, and emotional resonance with the audience. Furthermore, both marketing
approaches are discussed in relation to their ability to fulfill overall marketing objectives, mainly
focusing on brand awareness and brand loyalty.

5.1. Effectiveness Metrics

This section dives deep into the discussion of effectiveness metrics for both guerrilla marketing
and traditional methods. Each campaign type’s measurable performance indicators will be
discussed, followed by a discussion on the qualitative measures that can express effectiveness and
how these metrics relate to each campaign type. Then, Brand’s consideration of short-term impact
versus long-term perception will be discussed in-depth, as it was found that though a campaign
may have one effect on a brand perception, it may have an opposite impact on consumer
perception. Finally, the necessity of understanding multiple metrics for effectiveness in either
marketing paradigm will be emphasized and the implications of the importance of understanding
effectiveness metrics will be discussed (Frison et al., 2014).

When considering the effectiveness of a campaign, it is first important to consider what

performance can be measured. The easiest way to come to terms with this is to look at what can
be considered key performance indicators (KPI). For both guerrilla campaigns and traditional
campaigns, reach, engagement, conversion rate, and return on investment (ROI) are all important
metrics to consider. Reach can be measured through impressions on social media or number of
views, and this will speak directly to how successful the campaign was in drawing attention to the
brand. Engagement usually considers the amount of shares or comments a campaign receives

10
alongside its views, and it is important to take this into account, as some campaigns can be seen
by many but not discussed or considered (Smith, 2012). The conversion rate can be harder to pin
down, but it generally considers how many of the consumers exposed to the campaign then seek
to buy the advertised product. Finally, taking ROI into account considers the necessary perspective
of the firms, as without profit, campaigns are moot. It can be difficult to determine how to
accurately measure the impact of a campaign using only quantitative measurements because
guerrilla style campaigns almost always brand outside of conventions. With traditional methods,
it is possible to attach a monetary value to a number of views or impressions, given the ubiquity
of space-based advertisement, and therefore it is natural to focus on measurable data. However, it
is not impossible to gauge the success of guerrilla marketing, instead success is often measured
through social media shares and public reaction. On handling the qualitative measures that can
express effectiveness, Brand’s consideration of short-term impact versus long-term perception
seems essential to the discussion. Though it is shown that either campaign may result an impact
on brand perception, the type of impact differs.

6. Long-Term Brand Perception Impact

The effectiveness of different marketing strategies in shaping long-term consumer brand

perception is explored. Specifically, it evaluates how guerrilla marketing and traditional
advertising either converge or diverge in molding perceptions over time. The intention behind the
campaign, whether comparative or non-comparative, is controlled for. According to the
elaboration likelihood model, advertising’s impact on brand perception is conditional upon the
degree of consumer involvement and engagement with the ad . In the case of consumer goods,
while brand perception is shaped during campaign exposure, it can also be affected afterwards.
Hence, both short-term and pre-existing brand perceptions are measured alongside ad perception.

Convening audience attention through non-traditional means can enhance impact, however, there
is greater potential for misinterpretation. Given how consumer understanding of a marketing
strategy can influence brand image, perceptive shifts need to be assessed. Building a positive brand
image necessitates consistent brand messaging across platforms and consumer interactions.
Moreover, the marketing strategy and its congruence with consumer perception are equally crucial.
Emotional engagement can engender a strong and lasting brand perception, but with a deficit in
analysis, numerous outside factors could contribute to perceptive enhancement over time.
Nonetheless, fostering consumer trust typically yields a more stable brand perception as loyalty
thickens relations between consumer and campaign. Generally, word-of-mouth recommendations
are more effective whereas coerced advocacy may curtail equity. Affinity towards the brand often
translates to affinity towards its advertising and vice versa.

Advertising highlighting comparative advantages enhances consumer inclination and preference

towards the advertised brand. Conversely, competitive disadvantages can generate hostile
reactions, potentially heightening endorsement suspicion, adverse brand perception, or even
consumer disengagement. Marketing campaigns can pivot brand perception shifts, however,
multiple factors can inhibit comprehension and thus mute the anticipated efficacy. Competitive
disparagement generally elicits heightened engagement framing the brand as accuser, though
interpreted as ethical misconduct, the audience’s interpretation lens can forward divergent results.
Ultimately, the desired outcome of consumer ridicule can remediate brand disparagement effects.

11
Several brands have successfully implemented marketing strategies that positively influence brand
perception, particularly through storytelling or humor which broadly resonate consumer
interpretation.

6.1. Building Brand Image

This section zeroes in on the strategies to build and maintain a strong brand image, which forms
one aspect of broader branding endeavors. Starting with an overview of how a brand can become
meaningful to consumers, it goes on to discuss the importance of active image management in
ensuring a brand’s longevity. While a strong discussion on guerrilla marketing is provided, it
should be noted that comparisons with traditional branding approaches are drawn on occasion.
Having a solid brand image is of great importance for any organization in an increasingly cluttered
competitive space (Serrat, 2010). Whether it’s a public sector organization or a multinational
retailer, consumers need to be able differentiate between similar contenders within a category. A
brand can be thought of as its consumers’ collective and cumulated perception about it, which
derives from the totality of all interactions with any and all brand touchpoints. Touchpoints can
include anything from a logo found on the products to advertising materials, public speeches and
even the organization’s actions. Naturally, it is in the interest of any brand to ensure that the
meaning built in consumers’ minds is coherent and advantageous. According to (MOCANU,
2014), a brand’s meaning is formed mostly by the consumers’ experiences, and as such, it is not
fully controllable by the brand itself – every effort can be made to guide it in a desired direction,
but ultimately the consumers will decide what it is. However, this does not mean that image
management is futile – it in fact is crucial, as without active management a brand’s meaning will
eventually be eroded by external influences and its image lost. Still, it’s very much a balancing
act; if the effort is perceived as forceful or restrictive, it may have the contrary effect to that desired.
Therefore, it is important to understand how a brand image is built and what ensures its lasting
effect. This basic knowledge could help prevent the onset of brand neglect, which is something
that befalls many brands after an initial successful period. Many notable examples of branding
failures exist, where a previously well-respected brand has collapsed, mostly due to apathy in
image management.

7. Long-Term Consumer Engagement Impact

Today’s marketplace is characterized by a proliferation of brands, making the quest for consumer
attention increasingly challenging. In this context, the time span consumers remain engaged with
the brand after initial exposure to a marketing campaign holds significant importance. Long-term
consumer engagement plays a vital role in shaping the brand’s success and reputation. Thus, it is
crucial to determine the marketing strategies that can generate the maximum level of consumer
engagement over an extended period (Blut et al., 2023). Although traditional advertising methods
can attract consumers’ attention, they often fail to create meaningful interactions that last over
time. On the other hand, despite their disparity in execution, guerrilla marketing tactics seem to
generate a higher level of consumer engagement than traditional advertising. The fundamental
reasoning behind this assumption is that consumers are more likely to engage with campaigns they
find interesting or innovative and share them with their peers.

12
Moreover, regardless of the marketing approach, consumer engagement typically starts with a
feedback mechanism initiated by the consumers in response to the brand efforts, which later
evolves into community building through a series of interactions between the brand and the
consumers. Nevertheless, the nuances in how different marketing tactics influence the initial
consumer engagement still remain largely unexplored. Additionally, while engaging campaigns
can help cultivate brand loyalty and encourage repeat purchases or advocacy by establishing long-
term ties with the consumers, the differences in the levels of consumer engagement achieved
through guerrilla marketing and traditional advertising remain poorly understood. In fact, even
though marketing expenditures are often justified on the grounds of increased loyalty and
advocacy, the means through which engaging marketing efforts cultivate such behaviors are
mostly unknown.

At the very basic level, consumer engagement refers to the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral
interaction between consumers and brands. Engagement is often regarded as a hierarchy—
involving attention, interest, involvement, interaction, and engagement—with the latter
representing the deepest level of engagement. Hence, while emotional and cognitive ties with the
brand are often seen as a precondition for deep engagement, other means, such as a change in
consumption-related behaviors, can also reflect strong engagement with the brand. A number of
companies have excelled at forging ongoing consumer engagement with their brands through
innovative marketing approaches. For example, LEGO invited consumers to design their own sets,
with winning designs being produced as official LEGO sets and the designers receiving a cash
prize; consumers have designed more than 130 sets, resulting in over 1,400,000 in revenue from
just 11 sets produced in 2020 alone. Meanwhile, GoPro’s initial marketing strategy relied solely
on footage collected from consumers, who shared their action videos taken with GoPro cameras
online; these videos amassed over 6 million views on the firm’s YouTube channel in 2020 alone.
Although these companies are not representative of the industry at large, they do demonstrate that
effective marketing can lead to lasting consumer relationships.

7.1. Creating Brand Loyalty

It is expected that the audience of a marketing move that goes beyond conventionality will feel
special, resulting in Brand Loyalty, therefore it is imperative to understand the mechanics of
creating loyalty in the first place. The Brand Loyalty concept is widely defined in various ways,
but it can safely be stated that it involves a long-lasting relationship with a brand, pouring financial
resources into it not only when it seems cheap and advantageous, but also during financially
adverse times (I. Moisescu, 2006). What is more important, Brand Loyalty confers security for the
company against competitive encroachment, as building a lasting relationship with a customer is
far more complex than offering them a lower price. Considering these factors, in the pursuit of
understanding the impacts of guerrilla marketing, it must first be examined how and with what
means a brand covets dedication in the hearts of its consumers. As word of election became print,
the need for advertising arose in order to persuade people to choose one product over the other,
and with it, the need for brands as identifiers. Still, branding in its modern form emerged only
during the Industrial Revolution. A string of events, such as the mass production of goods, the
emergence of the middle class, strict quality requirements, development of transportation and
trading opportunities, and the growing importance of consumerism, set the foundation upon which
brands flourished. Basically, a brand is an emotional reaction provoked by a particular name,

13
iconography or symbology. Since a brand is an entity that mediates a complex interaction between
manifold abstract ideas and the consumer’s inner world, various tactics are employed to foster
loyalty towards a brand. In the most basic approach, a brand is a promise of particular experiences.
Therefore, the loyalty towards a Brand could be characterized as the consumer’s commitment to
consistently choose the brand’s products even in the face of situational influences and marketing
appeals urging to switch to another brand. Since the consumer’s trust that the brand will continue
to deliver the promised experiences is the very foundation of loyalty, it seems clear that the key
contributors to Loyalty are: Customer Satisfaction, Trust, Emotional Attachment.

8. Case Studies and Examples

This section presents a series of case studies that illustrate the effectiveness of guerrilla marketing
campaigns in various contexts. With a specific focus on campaigns that have achieved best
business cases within the guerrilla marketing framework, successful campaigns that have notably
changed brand perception, equality, and public engagement are discussed. Each case study outlines
the background, objectives, strategies employed, the outcomes measured against traditional
advertising benchmarks, and results when publicly available research is possible. Most case studies
also include a personal analysis of what made the campaign successful and what tactics creativity
and strategic placement played in the campaign’s success. Whether op-eds were written about the
campaign either in industry magazines or more public outlets and whether the campaign went
“viral” on sites like YouTube are considered, as these are free impressions somewhat removed
from advertising in that they focus solely on the campaign’s uniqueness. Furthermore, campaigns
are included where public involvement or audience interaction was a crucial factor in the success
of the campaign or where previous public involvement in a brand’s strategy became the starting
point for the campaign. Most case studies focus on adapted campaigns already run abroad but are
worthwhile and demonstrate how easily community involvement can amplify a campaign’s
impact. Finally, there is a comparative analysis with traditional advertising methods, showing how
the same campaign, running across similar time frames and locations, can yield so many different
results (Milak & Dobrinić, 2017). Overall, by illustrating real-world examples, this section
grounds theoretical discussions in practical applications and shows how guerrilla marketing in its
simplest forms can redefine a brand's engagement with and perception by consumers.

Campaigns can be so out-of-the-box that they reflect back on a company’s values, showing a
perfect understanding of the brand. The campaign's seed was an already existing situation wherein
a man nicknamed “The Prophet” had set up a makeshift phone booth on a street corner. For years,
he offered free calls and internet access to homeless people in Buenos Aires. His passion was
rooted in a belief in the power of communication to transform lives. The booth attracted attention
both from the media and interested observers, including, ironically, The New York Times. Inspired
by The Prophet's generosity, a group of journalists decided to return the favor by ensuring the
booth’s upkeep. They commissioned a well-known artist to create a global awareness campaign
for the booth that included clever ads featuring a picture of The Prophet with phrases like “I read
the news for free,” and “I’m asking you to talk to me.” The campaign was pro bono with no
monetary exchange; instead, the agreement was that the booth's upkeep would be covered by the
revenue from a free campaign run across eight editions worldwide. The campaign underscored the
publication’s commitment to free journalism while highlighting how easily creativity can shape
meaningful campaigns.

14
8.1. Successful Guerrilla Marketing Campaigns

There are campaigns within the guerrilla marketing realm that are executed so well they leave the
viewer breathless. They evoke admiration for their creativity and ingenuity and make the viewer
want to learn more about the brand being advertised. As such, five successful guerrilla marketing
campaigns are analyzed in depth to illustrate what common themes all five campaigns share and
what essential successful elements can be found within each. The campaigns selected showcase
how some campaigns can be so outside the box that they stand alone as innovative pieces of
advertising in a saturated market. Each campaign analyzed was instrumental in making the brand
being marketed stand out from other competitors and have 30, 40, or even 50 times the impact of
traditional advertising strategies. While some of these brands may be lesser-known to a general
audience, after reading about each campaign, the hope is that the brands and agencies behind the
campaigns become known and appreciated for the boundary-pushing work they’ve created (Milak
& Dobrinić, 2017).

There are many different advertising strategies corporations can adopt, but perhaps the most
innovative and outside-the-box strategies are guerrilla marketing campaigns. At a time when
budgets are opinions, and people are inundated with more advertising than they may want, guerrilla
marketing stands out as a somewhat newer approach to advertising that focuses on storytelling,
emotional resonance, and alternative viewing platforms. Brands utilizing guerrilla marketing as
their primary form of advertisement can see not only a rise in sales but also a rise in brand
perception and consumer engagement. The following five campaigns will showcase this point
while giving brands and corporations outside the box advertising strategies to consider. Specific
metrics showing how successful these campaigns were in transforming a brand’s perception or
increasing consumer engagement will be provided.

9. Conclusion

The research was conducted to compare the long-term impacts of guerrilla marketing and
traditional, non-intrusive advertisements on brand perception and consumer engagement.
Marketing, as a social practice, continuously evolves to capture consumers’ attention, yet
consumers increasingly notice marketing attempts. Hence, it is arguable that marketing strategies
should be adapted to foster long-lasting brand perception and consumer engagement instead of
merely attention-grabbing campaigns other than marketing’s core goal. A series of studies were
designed to gather insights comparing the effectiveness of guerrilla marketing and traditional
marketing in establishing long-term brand perception and consumer engagement (Milak &
Dobrinić, 2017).

The initial explorative study provided a solid foundation for the subsequent quantitative studies,
which demonstrated how marketing style comparative analyses can gather valuable insights on
marketing effectiveness. The main study’s findings confirmed that, despite consumers preferring
classic non-intrusive advertising, guerrilla marketing is significantly more effective in capturing
consumer attention. The pilot study further supported these findings by showcasing that consumers
adjust their advertising style preferences based on the marketing context, emphasizing the still
relatively novel and widely unrecognized nature of marketing style’s approach in comparative
analyses.

15
Finally, acknowledging the changing marketing landscape and the effort to bring innovative,
experiential marketing closer to academia, it was uncovered that consumers prefer marketing styles
involving unconventional, imaginative, and experiential elements. Nonetheless, this research
field’s conceptual and methodological frameworks are still in their infancy, requiring more
empirical research to fully comprehend the nuances of marketing effectiveness. The implication
of these findings urges marketers to consider the adopted marketing style when shaping campaign
strategy, advocating for an approach incorporating elements of both marketing styles. As
consumers increasingly prefer imaginative, unconventional, and experiential marketing, the
challenge lies in creating hybrid campaigns that entice consumers to conceptualize them as
different marketing styles rather than amalgamations of both. Future studies should aim to address
this marketing dilemma and contribute to the developmental discourse outlining the audience’s
role in marketing conceptualization.

9.1. Key Findings and Implications for Marketers

This subsection summarizes the core findings of this study and their implications for marketers.
As demonstrated through two experimental studies, guerrilla marketing provides branded
consumer experiences with comparative advantages in influencing brand perception and consumer
engagement over the long-term perspective (Milak & Dobrinić, 2017). Branded consumer
experiences created with competitive guerrilla tactics enhance emotional connections between
consumers and brands, which, in turn, positively translates into brand perceptions and consumer
engagement. Moreover, these findings hold true across product involvement levels and both
hedonic and utilitarian product categories. On the other hand, traditional advertising methods strive
to build consumer engagement through increased brand visibility and awareness, yet fail to provide
deeper emotional connections and consumer experiences necessary for long-term engagement.
Thus, the findings imply that for marketers, it is crucial to wisely implement aggressive guerrilla
tactics that creatively integrate branding elements with unusual marketing actions and surprise
consumers in their daily environments. This approach resonates more deeply with consumers,
cultivates emotional connections, enhances brand perception, and ultimately fosters pervasive
consumer engagement with the brand. Meanwhile, simpler consumer actions involving traditional
brand-related communications, such as mere advertising exposure or consumer interactions with
branded possessions, neglect the importance of consumer experiences and emotions in shaping
brand perception and engagement. These findings suggest that beyond carefully considering
execution planning in guerrilla campaigns, marketers should also adopt a more consumer-centric
view, focusing on creating enriched experiential and emotional contexts in which consumers
engage with the brand, rather than on the actions themselves.

Regarding practical guidelines for marketers in integrating both approaches to maximize their
outcomes, traditional methods should be employed beforehand to raise immediate brand visibility
and awareness, and then bolster the effectiveness of guerrilla tactics in building consumer
engagement perceptions. Consequently, traditional brand advertisements through mass media
could heighten awareness of the upcoming guerrilla campaign, establishing a prior knowledge
framework for consumers and creating a wider reach of brand visibility in the experimental phase.
In this manner, consumers are first made conscious of the brand that later unexpectedly pops up in
non-traditional marketing spaces and encourages engagement. Furthermore, given that mass media
mostly relate to one-way advertised exposure, the consideration of employing interactive and

16
consumer-initiated media would bring about greater co-creation engagement opportunities prior
to guerrilla tactics. For instance, even before initiating competitive guerrilla campaigns, marketers
could establish invite-only online platforms or private consumer-events where some selected
consumers are personally introduced to the brand experience co-creation and encouraged to spread
the word through social media, thus raising curiosity among passive observers. Such an integration
of traditional advertising methods would help consider a more straightforward advertising function
of summoning consumer actions which would otherwise occur naturally as a consequence of
experiential guerrilla tactics.

References:

1. Milak, A. & Dobrinić, D. (2017). CUSTOMER PERCEPTION OF GUERILLA

MARKETING. [PDF]
2. Gómez-Suárez, M., Pilar Martínez-Ruiz, M., & Martínez-Caraballo, N. (2017). Consumer-
Brand Relationships under the Marketing 3.0 Paradigm: A Literature Review.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3. Gabriela Andrei, A. & Adriana, Z. (2014). Branding insights: an interdisciplinary journey
from perception to action. [PDF]
4. Economakis, N. (2009). Examining the effects of traditional advertising on online search
behavior. [PDF]
5. Frison, S., Dekimpe, M., Croux, C., & De Maeyer, P. (2014). Billboard and cinema
advertising: missed opportunity or spoiled arms?. [PDF]
6. Smith, S. (2012). Perceptions from Academia on the Use of Current Marketing Metric.
[PDF]
7. Serrat, O. (2010). New-Age Branding and the Public Sector. [PDF]
8. MOCANU, R. (2014). Brand Image as a Function of Self-Image and Self-Brand
Connection. [PDF]
9. Blut, M., Kulikovskaja, V., Hubert, M., Brock, C., & Grewal, D. (2023). Effectiveness of
engagement initiatives across engagement platforms: A meta-analysis. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
10. I. Moisescu, O. (2006). A Conceptual Analysis of Brand Loyalty As Core Dimension of
Brand Equity. [PDF]

17