Using guerilla marketing tactics can be risky. It’s definitely a calculated risk but the end results are always unknown until you take the leap to find out. Here are seven unconventional brand stunts that push boundaries and take risks to make an impact…. So did they thrive or fail?
- Samsung’s Space Selfie
The Samsung Space Selfie was a world first initiative to send a selfie of Cara Delivigne, or any selfie for that matter, into space. Recently the device used to launch the selfie into space crash landed on a farmland home in Michigan, USA. At the launch event, Samsung Europe CMO Benjamin Braun said, “our relentless pioneering spirit continues to show that amazing things happen on Samsung screens – even from the stratosphere.”
Samsung’s strategy to capture the attention of the globe worked, bringing eyes to the screens of one of their Galaxy S10 Plus. The campaign invited people to submit their selfies for a chance to put their face in space. Outrageous, unconventional, and out of this world… sorry, we had to.
- Uber Ice Cream
You know how growing up your parents told you to not take candy from strangers and most definitely don’t get into their cars… Uber beat the system and the key to it all was ice cream (who actually likes candy anyway?). In 2016, Uber was in the thick of their legal battle and public skepticism was strong. That was until Uber decided to deliver ice cream in partnership with celebrity chefs, Matt Moran, Neil Perry and George Calombaris, to raise funds for OzHarvest.
The campaign caught the positive attention of media across Australia despite the controversial situations they found themselves in at the time. Hundreds of Uber customers were left happy that day, trusting Uber significantly more than they had before. It goes to show the cultural and purpose-driven decisions brands make can have a significant impact on the way customers perceive the business.
- SXSWestworld
There’s no questioning that this brand experience was a winner but the scale, budget and attention to detail is one that definitely has our experiential minds drooling. In 2018 HBO built a real-life activation that was a fully immersive experience of Westworld, as convincing as being in the tv shows universe itself.
At SXSW there’s a world of competition, and to have your brand activation stand out is a challenge however SWSWestworld was a definitive gamechanger. To promote Season 2 ahead of the premiere, HBO engaged 60 professional actors, built an entire set of 20 art-directed buildings, and invited fans to immerse themselves in a real Westworld experience. The set was so convincing that some visitors completely forgot they were talking to actors throughout the experience. SXSWestworld was the most popular activation of SXSW 2018.
- Hendrick’s Gin Giant Cucumber
We’re big Hendrick’s fans. They’re a brand that thrives off curiosity and are always coming up with weird and wonderful ways to engage gin enthusiasts… however this cucumber doesn’t quite make the cut… Early in 2019 Hendrick’s set a giant cucumber afloat the Sydney Harbour in transit to an event however it all went a little pear shaped when the inflatable fell from its vehicle, bursting at the seams and disappearing into the water.
Although not a part of the plan, the fail worked in their favour, gaining more media traction than likely originally expected with a viral video of the cucumber sinking.
- Fanta’s Flavours That Thrill Activations
The Coca-Cola Company has always had a thing for festivities. In an effort to increase brand awareness and sales of Fanta, the company invested in Halloween in 2018 with a Fanta-themed escape room. In an effort to adopt the Celtic holiday, Fanta have invested themselves in 2019 by building on their experiences at every customer touchpoint. This year they’re all in.
Fanta have not only released a limited edition jet black Fanta drink, but initiated a ‘bold choice, bold taste’ partnership with Tik Tok where they encourage users to make fun, bold choices for Halloween this year. Hijacking a holiday is a fairly monstrous task, but with Fanta’s universal approach and Coca-Colas relationship with Christmas we believe they’re the right brand for the season.
- Diesel Bootleg Store
Diesel launched their “Go With the Flaw” campaign in New York City in early 2018 as a way to take the matter of counterfeit culture into their own hands. This saw the brand open a very real “DEISEL” pop up in the middle of NYC where they sold one off items that are now sure to become collectable pieces.
Diesel’s efforts to raise brand awareness and engage with the modern consumer were met with success. But how effective is one campaign when it comes to the battle of solving counterfeit culture?
- Dr Pepper’s Coin Hunt
When Dr Pepper launched their scavenger hunt for a collectable coin worth up to $1 million things quickly went south. The historical 347-year-old Granary Burying Ground was shut down after Dr Pepper hinted the coin may be hidden within the grounds. Dr Pepper cancelled the Boston portion of the 23 city hunt shortly after the incident. The devil really is in the details.
It was later revealed that the coin in the Dr Pepper campaign as hidden behind the lip of a stone slab covering the entrance to an almost 200-year-old crypt… probably not the best place to hide such a valuable from thousands of people.