An indirect way of marketing products, stealth marketing focuses on creating buzz among the audience as a whole without letting people realize that products are actually being marketed to them. It can be done in many ways like creating the buzz in the social media platforms where people jump into tags, comments and discussions regarding the product; product showcases in malls; live audience interactions on promotion events and many more.
Here, consumers go with the flow and by default develop a keen interest in the commodity. Further, the environment, in which stealth marketing is conducted, plays a significant role in seeding curiosity in the minds of people about the particular product.
Due to the nature of promoting and marketing products, it is also known as undercover or guerrilla marketing. Marketers implement this marketing strategy to attract people in large numbers and influence them to develop the interest in the commodity. In this case, sales are not the priority.
Examples of Stealth Marketing
- Showcasing Products\Brands through Movies and Sports
Of all guerrilla marketing tactics, this is perhaps the best way to attract audience towards a specific product. From showing products in relevant movie scenes to creating hype in prime sports events like T20 matches, World Cups, etc. it works wonders for appealing to a larger audience.
- Online Forums
Virtual communications in forums increase consumer attention towards the product. It engulfs people in a positive spirit and makes them naturally interested in the commodity. Such forums hold the power to encourage millions of consumers in having a consensus for a product or service.
- Product Promotions and Showcase in Malls
Whether it is pre or post-launch; displaying products in malls, engaging customers and going live with their feeds help in spreading awareness and increasing interest in the audience. Of late, 3D model showcases have evolved as a trend and marketers are witnessing marvelous response from visitors.
- Tasting Events
From cakes to wines, tasting experiences have a tendency to directly develop a positive image of the product and not just mere interest. When people taste anything, they instantly feel that they have got something few-of-cost and therefore make up mind to pay and purchase the product is available on the spot.
Advantages of Stealth Marketing
- Create Pre-launch Interest in Product
Stealth marketing is a boon for pre-launch product promotion. It facilitates marketers to grab the mindshare of target group and make them crave for the product. As a result, people become impatient for the launch and the moment it happens they jump in crowds to take their share, no matter the price. This further helps the company to receive short-term profits- something that is unusual for usual businesses. However, while carrying out undercover marketing, marketers must be careful enough to plan their strategies so that it will generate continuous buzz in the market.
- Promote Product without Advertising
The advertising sector is so saturated that registering ads is a far away concept; people simply don’t bother to look at ads. Hence, a lateral way to draw attention is by means of stealth. Considering its uniqueness and unconventional presentation, the audience gets swayed and pull others in return; thus forming a consumer chain. Hence, on an average where a first-time advertisement gets noticed by a few people, stealth marketing has the power to captivate thousands if not more.
- Develop Strong Consumer Base
Undercover marketing also gives the marketers an opportunity to understand the consumer group who will be more attracted towards the commodity. It may so happen that brand developers have an audience profile which might not come true in real world. Hence, by showcasing products or creating buzz, the company will know about the potential target audience who are more likely to purchase the product. Moreover, while conducting stealth marketing, marketers can eliminate errors in their strategy and filter the most appropriate target group for their commodity.
- Build Brand Image
Stealth marketing is undoubtedly the first step towards building a strong brand image among the masses. The consumer-brand linkage does not stop at developing interest. It further moves on to brand association then brand recall and finally becoming a loyal customer. All these become possible only when consumers have a first-time good impression of the product or brand. It is made so by putting into practice such a unique method of propaganda.
- Cost-Efficient
While implementing guerrilla marketing strategies, marketers can easily do away with repetitive advertisement exposure. This saves a lot of costs and avoids unnecessary expenditure. Secondly, they need not shoot in studios or posh locations with extraordinary background and all that jazz. Instead, they can make simple videos using ad heroes or icons, whose presence shall be a medium to seed interest among viewers. This further cut down costs to minimum expense.
Finally, although it requires a tactful approach, it saves a lot of time and effort of the marketers. At the same time, it is more hassle-free and convenient. Above all, it ensures optimum utilization of marketing budget as buzz and hypes are sure to bring people closer to the brand.
Types of Stealth Marketing
- For Industry Goods:-
PR campaigns for B2B goods indirectly convince businessmen about the utility of a particular commodity. Testimonials of relatable business contacts and peers strengthen brand and product image within the industry. Press and news releases, which is often a part of PR campaign, also adds credibility to the brand and enhances brand value in the business community.
- For Consumer Goods: –
There are ad heroes who become a medium to create buzz. For example, when a sports icon or film star starts talking about the product, which is indifferent from conventional advertising, it not only draws the attention of the fans but also the mind of the general public. Here, the heroes are paid to express their real-life experience of using a particular product or service. As it is more real in nature, people start believing it and develop a quick interest in trying out the commodity.
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