How does a brand pique the interest of a person faced with a mountain of choice when traditional advertising campaigns cannot seem to cut it?
Guerrilla marketing.
The power of word-of-mouth publicity – or, in 2023, the potential of going viral – is one of the most effective ways that a brand can ensure it is being talked about for all the right reasons. By making the most of unconventional and unexpected marketing techniques, brands hope that consumers will engage with the stunt; talk about it, share it and
The publicity stunts themselves are typically either unexpected, intriguing or outrageous. Consumers are often motivated to find out more, simply to satisfy their own curiosity – with the most successful campaigns then being shared with others, creating a domino effect of promotional activity.
Part of the appeal of an effective guerrilla marketing campaign also lies in the fact that consumers do not immediately recognise the form as a piece of advertising, meaning they are more likely to engage with the stunt – and therefore the brand itself.
Here are nine of the most audacious and powerful marketing stunts launched by brands in recent months.
9 – Nando’s creates a liability waiver for its spicy Vusa XX Hot sauce
Coming in at number nine is Nando’s promotion for its ‘hottest ever heat level’ Vusa XX Hot.
At the beginning of this year, the Peri-Peri chain devised a tongue-in-cheek liability waiver to highlight the heat of its new marinade.
Nando’s Vusa XX Hot flavour is said to be spicier than its ‘Extra-Hot’ level on the chain’s self-devised ‘PERi-ometer’.
The marketing stunt for the sauce also contained copy such as “I certify I’m fully aware it’s fiery, fierce and has earned its rightful place at the top of the PERi-ometer”.
“I’ll enjoy the legendary taste, hot sweats and bragging rights – because every mouthful’s a madness.”
8 – Lewis Capaldi gives out his phone number to promote his new single
In eighth position is Lewis Capaldi and his marketing stunt for his new single ‘Pointless’.
The stunt saw the Scottish singer post a photo of his number to his 5.7 million followers on social media.
However, fans soon realised that the number did not belong to the star as an automated message spoke back to callers asking them to buy Capaldi’s new single and “give me your money”.
“In return, I will give you my body and soul,” the message continued.
7 – Stella Artois Unfiltered naked OOH mural
In seventh place is Stella Artois’ special-build out-of-home (OOH) piece in London which celebrated the launch of the brand’s Unfiltered lager on tap.
The artwork – developed by creative agency Mother London and painted by mural creators Graffiti Life – played with the building’s architecture to incidentally conceal the modesty and intimate parts of the characters.
The OOH stunt was in keeping with the Belgian beer brand’s cheeky ‘beer au naturel’ integrated campaign launched last summer, the TV advertisement of which depicted a European town enjoying life and Stella Artois Unfiltered in the nude.
The London mural was located in the vicinity of partnering drinking establishments.
6 – Rihanna’s sly Super Bowl Fenty plug
Holding sixth position is Rihanna and her free advertising stunt for her make-up brand Fenty during her Super Bowl halftime performance.
During the show, the star stopped singing to take a few seconds to apply make-up to her face. Rihanna launched Fenty Beauty in 2017, with the brand now worth a whopping £2.3 billion ($2.8 billion).
Many marketing industry professionals have applauded the star for her entrepreneurial marketing stunt. CSM Sport and Entertainment communications manager Lona Price Jones took to LinkedIn to praise Rihanna’s “capitalisation on the creator audience – whilst marketing through sport.”
5 – Škoda hijacks car-parks across Sweden with audacious guerrilla campaign
Making the top five is Czech car manufacturer Škoda and its latest Swedish campaign.
Devised by Nord DDB’s Stockholm office, the brand ‘hijacked’ its competitors with a uniquely innovative out-of-home campaign. The guerrilla campaign utilised the rear-view camera feature now present in many vehicles to display miniature out-of-home boards placed at the back of parking spaces.
Designed by Swedish miniature artist Christopher Robin Nordström, the ‘Tiny Billboards’ campaign intelligently targeted drivers at a time when they cannot help but have their eyes locked onto their screens.
The activation enabled Škoda to promote its growing range of electric vehicles.
4 – Luxury gym Equinox bans new members from joining on 1 January
In fourth place is luxury gym group Equinox and its New Year campaign that banned people from joining as new members on 1 January.
The brand took to Twitter and TikTok to affirm its damning position on joining gyms in January, branding New Year resolutions as ‘fantasies’.
“January is a language we don’t understand,” Equinox wrote in a statement. “A fantasy, delivered to your door in a pastel coloured box. It talks about change. It wants you to start something when you should be in the middle of it.”
One Twitter user called the marketing stunt “the cringiest flex in New Year’s history”.
It’s not you, it’s January. #ItsNotFitnessItsLife pic.twitter.com/Bg6lBnSUR2
— Equinox (@Equinox) January 1, 2023
3 – Exotic animals go missing in London in latest WeRoad guerrilla campaign
Making pole position in third place is WeRoad and its innovative missing animal stunt.
At the beginning of the year, an alpaca, monkey and reindeer all went astray across the capital … or so says the adventure travel brand.
Confused Londoners, looking to help find the exotic animals, scanned the QR codes on the ‘missing’ posters only to find that the travel scale-up was offering a discount code for its 2023 itineraries.
The unbranded posters were shared far and wide across social media, with users asking if anyone had seen Jeremy the alpaca, Mike the monkey or Rupert the reindeer.
2 – Koala furniture offers Prince Harry a royal discount in response to IKEA ’embarrassment’
Bagging a silver medal is Australian furniture brand Koala and its daring Prince Harry marketing stunt.
The company offered Prince Harry a royal discount after he admitted openly in his autobiography that he “felt embarrassed” by his “IKEA and second-hand furniture”.
The jeering campaign – featured in a full-page ad in The Daily Telegraph – saw the brand reassure Harry that he need not be embarrassed by his home decor anymore.
Offering the Prince the discount code ‘ROYALTREATMENT15’, the brand went on to write: “Dear Harry and Meghan, don’d be embarrassed by your home decor anymore. Live like royalty with a discount code we made just for you.”
1 – M&M’s Super Bowl stunt
In first place, the most daring marketing stunt in recent times, is M&M’s and its ballsy activations leading up to the Super Bowl earlier this month.
In response to negative press from the likes of Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, the chocolate brand temporarily axed its inclusive ‘spokescandies’ replacing them with US comedian Maya Rudolph. The star then announced that she was changing the M&M’s name to Ma&Ya’s and putting clams inside the chocolate treats.
With the world left wholly confused, the sweet giant eventually announced towards the end of the Super Bowl LVII game that the original ‘spokescandies’ were “back for good”, airing a 16-second spot that saw the seven characters hold a press conference about their return.
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