Guerilla Marketing Trends for 2011

No longer associated with revolution, guerilla marketing is a legitimate part of the small business landscape. However, as with all forms of marketing, this effective method of getting your brand into the public eye is constantly changing. The following four trends are gathering momentum at this very moment and sure to become a huge part of the branding and marketing landscape in the coming year.

1. Guerilla goes digital. As customers become desensitized even to the most innovative guerilla techniques, smart brands up the ante. With technologies become more sophisticated, this opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Companies are already reaching out to customers via blogs, Youtube, and social networking. Who could have predicted the immense growth of Twitter and Facebook before 2010? One key to guerilla marketing for business success in 2011 will be identifying the next big thing and getting in on the ground floor.
2. Guerilla gives back. Company-run charity programs are not a new idea, but the way they are presented has changed immensely and is likely to do so in 2010. Companies now give special thought to giving back as a part of their brand. Rather than choosing a popular charity, many now purposefully choose on that is congruent with their image, such as a men’s suit store donating career clothing to people looking to re-enter the workforce. Moreover, companies are increasingly tooting their own horn in this area, making sure the public associates the charitable act with both the company and the logo design. Because this strategy has been so effective among guerilla marketers, it is one trend we will likely see more of in the year to come.
3. Guerilla gets honest. While many companies use marketing to put their best foot (and their logo design) forward, others are taking quite the opposite approach. Domino’s Pizza recently released a marketing campaign in which they basically admitted that their pizza tastes like cardboard. The punch line? That they have heard the customer outcry and modified their recipe to be more flavorful. While few companies feel they have much to benefit from publicly declaring their weaknesses on a national level, this campaign has been so successful, inspiring customers to give the business a second chance, that self deprecating marketing is likely to become this year’s hot and completely unforeseen trend.
4. Guerilla goes outside. This can mean going outside the box, which after all is the definition of this form of marketing. However, it can also mean going into the actual outdoors. With so many hours spent on the computer, modern consumers love an occasional breath of fresh air. Whether you decide to step outside the box and the building by taking part in local festivals or by having a mural based on your logo design painted on the side of an abandoned warehouse, having your business associated with the great outdoors can add a whole new aspect to your brand, especially if you are trying to market your business as the greener, more natural option.

As you can see, guerilla marketing is a dynamic field that is constantly changing. These trends are poised to become red hot in the next year, but there is still time for you to make your mark. Guerilla marketing presents an invaluable opportunity to get your brand and your logo design in the public eye, one that few business owners can afford to pass up.