Guerilla Marketing

Guerrilla marketing is an unconventional system of promotions that relies on time, energy and imagination rather than a big marketing budget. Guerilla marketing involves unusual approaches such as intercept encounters in public places, street giveaways of products, pr stunts, any unconventional marketing intended to get maximum results from minimal resources. More innovative approaches to Guerilla marketing now utilize cutting edge mobile digital technologies to really engage the consumer and create a memorable brand experience.

The main reason guerrilla marketing took off was its incredible effectiveness at breaking through our advertising blinders. Advertising executives are under a lot of pressure to make their campaigns successful. At some point, it occurred to some ad people that they could make ads so irresistible that they would actually be passed around willingly by customers. Guerrilla marketing sometimes takes the form of a viral campaign. The viral campaign happens organically and spontaneously; if it’s pushed too hard by its creators there’s a pretty good chance it’ll never get off the ground. Some of the most successful guerrilla marketing campaigns have taken the form of viral videos or websites.

Here are some excellent examples of guerilla marketing:




Here is also an excellent video with some great examples of guerilla marketing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlBMF1MvAGY

Nike and Kobe Bryant Commerical

The buzzwords viral marketing and viral advertising refer to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness. It can be WOM (word-of-mouth) delivered or enhanced by the network effects of the Internet.

In order to introduce his new brand of Nike shoes, Hyper Dunks, Kobe Bryant, star player for the Los Angeles Lakers, did some very interesting and effective marketing of his product. In 2008, Kobe Bryant filmed a short video of himself wearing his new shoes and he jumped... Yes jumped, over an Aston Martin (James Bond car)!

Here is the link to this YouTube Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hWJkdUMiMw

This is a very effective form of virul marketing. This video was only posted on YouTube, and after millions of hits, it became talk of Nationwide television and radio shows.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FHx_UWe7gc&feature=PlayList&p=1EE0FE7431D6E1F9&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=1

V1 Pro - Golf Training Services

V1 created the V1 Golf Academy and V1 Sports Academy websites for V1 Pro instructors looking to deliver online lessons to students, but without the customization of a Branded Online Academy. Coaches and instructors using V1 Pro to teach golf can direct their students to the V1 Golf Academy to log-in and access their personal locker in order to view their lessons. A Branded Online Academy enables coaches and teaching professionals to market themselves through their own customized version of the V1 SportsAcademy/V1 Golf Academy.
Rather than having students directed to their respective V1 Academy to access their online lessons, an automated email customized with your branding and logo directs your students to your website to log into your Branded online Academy to view their instructional analyses. Your Branded Online Academy is hosted, supported and maintained with the full backing of V1 Tech Support.

Professional coaches and instructors use V1 Pro to deliver internet lesson through their own Branded Online Academy. Branded Online Academies increases the value of your lessons, gives students online access to their lesson history, generates more customer referrals and ultimately drives more revenue. Students receiving online lessons from V1 Pro certified coaches/instructors outside of golf will be directed to the V1 Sports Academy to access their personal locker in order to view their lessons.

This is an excellent service offerred by the V1 Company. It allows golfers (or people just hoping to improve their golf game) to be trained and view their training online, whithout ever having to leave their home. Also, if a golfer is away from his/her regular golf course or coach, it allows them to access all of this information online.

Nike Plus - Bundling a Product with a Service

This great new product has been introduced by the Nike Company. Nike Plus is a running innovation that tracks your distance, the calories you burn, your pace, and time you run. The Nike Plus is a small sensor that fits into the wrist band or into the bottom of any Nike Plus shoe. Nike Plus is also compatible with the iPod, when you purchase the appropriate software.

Nike Plus is a wonderful product for individuals who enjoy an active lifestyle and running, but the most innovative concepts associated with this product, is the service it has been bundled with. Once you complete your running for the day, you just take Nike Plus and plug it into your computer, and it downloads all of you activity and keeps track of it for you. Available at http://www.nikeplus.nike.com/ there are several services offerred by Nike and iTunes. For individuals who are just beginning their training, there is a great link that offers tips to creating a running program, and music that can be purchased on iTunes to assist you through the workout. This website also offers various challenges for all athletic levels, other Nike gear and music, as well as a support link. Here is were individuals can ask questions about the product, contact Nike Plus, and view tutorials of the product.

This is an excellent product, and it is something that I hope to purchase in the near future.

Starbucks Coffee Company

Starbuck was founded in 1971 in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Original name of company was Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spices, later changed to Starbucks Coffee Company. The mission statement for Starbucks is: To inspire and nurture the human spirit— one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time. The guiding principles of Starbucks Coffee Company include;
• Provide a great work environment and treat each other with respect and dignity.
• Embrace diversity as an essential component in the way they do business.
• Apply the highest standards of excellence to the purchasing, roasting and
fresh delivery of their coffee.
• Develop enthusiastically satisfied customers all of the time.
• Contribute positively to their communities and their environment.
• Recognize that profitability is essential to their future success.

Within the United States there are 7,087 company-operaterated stores and 4,081 licensed stores. Starbucks also owns and operates stores in 43 countries.

The newest marketing tool used by Starbucks Coffee Company is called Starbucks Entertainment; a joint venture with iTunes. Starbucks Entertainment is dedicated to helping people discover great music. They hand pick the music played in every Starbucks coffeehouses and create unique compilations people can't find anywhere else. Every Tuesday Starbucks offers a free iTunes download card, with a new artist Starbuck thinks customers will enjoy.

Sport Teams Marketing Using Facebook

Facebook's mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. Millions of people use Facebook everyday to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet.

With the huge increase in individuals who are using facbook for their main form of communication, professional sport organizations have turned to facebook as their way of reaching fans and the community. Below I have a picture of what the Boston Red Sox fan page. On this page, fans are able to review box scores, remain updated on upcoming games, and update fans one BoSox Nation. This is a new marketing strategy that individuals and organizations have turned to. With the poor economy, marketing budgets are not what they used to be, and sport organizations have had to find other ways of marketing their product.

Ralph Lauren TV

What began forty years ago with a collection of ties has grown into an entire world, redefining American style. Ralph Lauren has always stood for providing quality products, creating worlds and inviting people to take part in our dream. We were the innovators of lifestyle advertisements that tell a story and the first to create stores that encourage customers to participate in that lifestyle. Polo Ralph Lauren outfits the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams for the 2008 Beijing Summer Games. By providing an elegant and contemporary style that reflects the sporty sophistication and refined sensibility of the brand, the Opening Ceremony Outfits evoke the heritage and legacy of the 1920s and ‘30s and create a chic and uniquely American look for the team. In addition to designing the Official Opening Ceremony Parade Outfits for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams, Polo Ralph Lauren also creates their Closing Ceremony Parade Outfits, as well as an assortment of village-wear pieces.

Ralph Lauren television is expanding this vision of the company inot something thqt will reach so many others, and explain what the Ralph Lauren company is all about. By using very well known celebrities to market their products, Ralph Lauren is now able to reach a whole new market. Recent interviews that have been posted on Ralph Lauren tv include Lebron James, Lance Armstrong, Sheryl Crow, among just a few of the big name individuals. By using these individuals to market the brand, younger individuals have begun purchasing this product, and more young people know the Ralph Lauren brand and what it stands for.

Ralph Lauren website is http://www.ralphlauren.com/

Ralph Lauren television is http://www.entertainment.ralphlauren.com/

Pespi Innovations

PepsiCo is a world leader in convenient snacks, foods and beverages with revenues of more than $39 billion and over 185,000 employees. At PepsiCo, they believe that being a responsible corporate citizen is not only the right thing to do, but the right thing to do for their business. PepsiCo has taken vigorous steps to encourage kids to lead healthier lives and to provide their parents more tools to make healthier choices.

For years PepsiCo has done everything they can to reach as many different markets with all of their various products. Whether it be yonger children still in school or older individuals who have been drinking Pepsi for years, it still takes a lot of innovating to keep their interest, or get them to drink your product. Below is a link to a PepsiCo commercial for Pepsi Max directly mainly at men as the target market. This commercial adds the humor that men look for in their products.

http://www.youtube.com/profile?v=rorbv0RWrbk&user=Pepsi

Nike for Women

Nike's goal is to carry on a legacy of innovative thinking, whether to develop products that help athletes of every level of ability reach their potential, or to create business opportunities that set Nike apart from the competition and provide value for our shareholders.

It started with a handshake between two visionary men - Bill Bowerman and his University of Oregon runner Phil Knight. They and the people they hired evolved and grew the company that became Nike from a US-based footwear distributor to a global marketer of athletic footwear, apparel and equipment that is unrivaled in the world.

Nike is an innovative company. They take risks. Their commitment to diversity is an integral part of who they are as a company, as well as how they contribute to the world around them. That’s why they have a Diversity and Inclusion team dedicated to ensuring every team at Nike is diverse, inclusive and performing their best.

Their Diversity and Inclusion team focuses on three areas:
1) Engaging Employees, 2) Providing Business Consultation, and 3) Developing Innovative Tools, Models and Designs

One of the most innovative ways Nike has expanded it's market is through their inclusion of women in their product designs. Nike now has a full women's line of Nike gear. This is one thing that has set Nike above its competitors, and has helped it become the number one sport apperal distibutor and designer.

Bowflex - Consumer Behavior

The Health and Fitness industry has exploded in the past few years. People find anyway they can to get into great shape, and have simple exercises that can be accomplished in a convienient time and place. The Bowflex company promotes its various home gyms through television commercials, internet advertisements, advertisements in Health and Fitness Magazine, and other various promotional locations.

"Bowflex home gyms can help you completely reshape your body. If you want to lose weight, get in great shape and feel great, a Bowflex home gym is for you. These revolutionary gyms deliver the gym-quality results you want in your own home" (http://www.bowflexhomegyms.com/)

Here is where I get a little confused about consumer's logic when purchasing this product. When I see Bowflex commercials and advertisements, I see the thin, muscular, and attractive people demonstrating the machines, and now I realize, that is how they get people to purchase this product. Consumers see individuals such as this and believe that if they were to use this machine like they state, (only 20 minutes a day) you can look like them as well. Is this true though?

Personally I know that it won't matter how much I workout, I will never look like the people in the commercials. I also dislike the fact that their product tries to tell consumers that using the machine is all you need to do to become healthy. I am a very strong believer in working out, but I think the Bowflex company needs to incorporate nutrition into their product as well. If they could bundle their product with other health and fitness regimes, I think they would see a dramatic increase in their sales, as well as an increase in their customer satisfaction.

Attached is a video of a consumer using one of the Bowflex products:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhoBsJIT7Cc

Free Grand Slam Breakfast at Denny's

With the American economy struggling, and cash being so tight for everyone, what could be better than giving away something for free. Denny's Restaurant took this type of advertising one step further.


During the 2009 Super Bowl, Denny's Restaurant purchased ads throughout the game announcing that they would be giving away "Free Grand Slam Breakfast" on February 3, 2009 from 6am until 2pm at all of their locations across the nation. The breakfast includes two eggs, two pancakes, two sausage patties, and two bacon slices, given away in a promotional stunt sure to draw news coverage.

Customers might think that Denny's is spending a fortune on them, but the biggest expense of all will likely be the Super Bowl spot. Thirty-second ads reportedly sold for up to $3 million. Denny's, which has 1,541 restaurants, predicts it will likely have served about 1,400 people per location the day of the promotion, more than five times the normal volume. Nationwide, the company expected about 1.5 million visitors between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m., but it may have seen more than 2 million.


On February 3, 2009 at 5:00am, three of my friends and I all went to the Denny's Restaurant in Pullman, Washington and stood in line for our free breakfast. We were one of the first ones in line, and by the time we were seated at 6:00am the line was all the way outside and around the building.



I believe that playing their ads during the Super Bowl was an excellent marketing tool. Attending an event such as this just reminded customers that the restaurant is a place for good food and good value, and ultimately, people will go back and spend some money. Just incase you missed the commercial during the Super Bowl, here is a link the YouTube Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p96FC_fQrg0

Miller High Life Super Bowl Ad

As all of us saw in class, the Miller High Life Corporations has decided instead of spending $3 million for a 30 second advertisement during Super Bowl XLIII, they have decided to spend their $3 million in a more creative way. They have decided to market their product in one second. That's right, MillerCoors company will be premiering a one second ad during the Super Bowl on Sunday Feb. 1, 2009. This may seem like an unreasonable approach to marketing, but the buzz that the strategy has already received in incredible. I did a little research on Google. All I typed in was "1 second ad" and there were over 98 million hits. It has been incredible to see and hear peoples reactions to this webiste, and personally I think it is a wonderful marketing strategy. For the past few days I have been asking my friends to log on to the website (www.1secondad.com) to take a look and tell me what they thought about the commercials. So far, everyone has love them!

I have seen several 30 second ads over the years during the Super Bowl, and I have to agree that most are pretty funny. But I know that when people see the Miller commericals later today, they are really going to remember them! And I bet they will be talked about for the next few days to come.

Flordia Marlin Manatees

Major League Baseball's Flordia Marlins, have a new strategy for getting the fans excited to come out games. They have the Marlin Mermaids, but no! That's not enough... They want something bigger! The Marlin Manatees is a all-male plus-size dance team (cheerleading squad) that performs during innings at Dolphin Stadium. This is such an interesting and successful marketing strategy, but I believe it is not for everyone. The environment of attending is much more family and relaxed focused then some of the other ball parks in MLB. If you were to have a dance team such as this at a Boston Red Sox game at Fenway Park, I would hate to be the brains behind the operation. You would have some very unhappy BoSox fans!

During the tryouts for this exclusive group, the organizers were hoping to find 7 to 10 men. By the end of the tryouts all 15 men who aditioned were given a spot on the team. And they have been a huge hit, not only in Florida, but around the country.

Here is a video from one of the Marlin Manatees performances. I enjoy listening to how excited the crowd gets thoughout their performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bnL822kNek

I hope you enjoy!