Wonders of the World

We’ve combed the web to find the best of the best urban guerilla marketing campaigns on the ground, in the streets and in the air. The following shows the truly amazing variety of clever approaches that people can and do use. Some of these are clearly extravagent, but some surprisingly impressive ones are cheap and easy. We’ve also included links to the source sites, both to give credit and so you can find even more cool stuff on your own! Leave a comment and vote for your favorite. Rhe links below contain even more cool guerilla marketing images.

High in the Sky: Some of the most provocative pieces of guerilla marketing are put way up in the air for maximum visibility. The above vodka and vacuum cleaner commercials play up visual vertigo and parody issues of scale. The dropped calls cell-phone sign is brilliant despite the simplistic pun, catching both passers-by and people from a distance. The bubble-gum poster, while not particularly outlandish, is a remarkably simple way to add a third dimension to a guerilla marketing campaign - a simple balloon on a base image (clever and cheap). The soccer ball is a great example of looking at opportunities within a particular context, while the jersey, well, it may be in poor taste but it certainly grabs attention too.

Down on the Ground: In a big city you’ve got to stay on your toes and watch where you’re going, so on-the-ground guerilla ads are another great way to grab pedestrian attention with small-but-clever designs. The manhole grill is pretty clever but a bit literal. The condom commercial could be better integrated, but at least it is better than the real thing. The steaming coffee is great optical illusion that also has an unusual element of movement. Though dangerous, the wheelchair makes an interesting statement - possibly a self-fulfilling one if people aren’t careful.

Ads on the Level: another great way to get attention and keep people engaged is to put things where they can touch and interact with them. The twisted lamp post (an ad for Superman Returns) is an in-your-face intervention that invites people to inspect it. A clever Ikea commercial turns a bus stop into a colorful and homey little living room. The Renoylds Wrap garage door is of course a clever play on the strength of the material they’re selling. The car commercial on the bridge is just fantastic - it changes over time, evokes a sense of action and adventure. And of course the Axe running sign plays on universal iconography familiar to us all.

So, what’s the secret to guerilla marketing? There really is none - some succeed by going big and bold, and others work by being subtle and clever. Some cost a great deal and others produce compelling effects with a few everyday materials. Of course, some of the success of each of these goes beyond their physical context - they are popular and interesting enough to have gotten a free second life online as well!