Ambush Marketing: Making Money at the Expense of Others

Any affiliate marketer is familiar with the concept of “free” traffic, which you can get without investing. But what about conditionally free advertising in white marketing? Ambush marketing is a legitimate way to promote a product or an entire brand without paying for advertising. It really is a great way to make yourself known without spending a lot of money. All that’s left to do is figure out how it works and how to properly launch an ambush marketing campaign without a lot of preparation. 

Stay tuned! Learn the ins and outs of the ambush approach to promotion right in this article.

The essence of ambush marketing

Ambush marketing is a promotional strategy in which a company tries to associate itself in some way with a major event without being its official sponsor. The goal is to increase brand awareness by taking some of the positive consumer associations generated by the event to its own brand.

In essence, ambush marketing involves promoting a product or service in proximity to a competitor’s event or product launch. This is done by placing advertising in the subject space next to the competitor who is sponsoring the event, and competing with him for the consumer.

These tactics can cause confusion and great excitement among consumers. With the right approach, ambush marketing can be an extremely effective way to take market share away from a competitor.

Types of ambush marketing

Ambush marketing can be divided into two large groups: direct and indirect.

Direct Ambush Marketing

In this case, the company uses a name or logo similar to the name or logo of the official sponsor to create confusion and capitalize on the popularity of the event.

For example, during the London 2012 Olympic Games, a number of companies used images of Olympic rings in their advertising, even though they were not the official sponsors of the sports event.

There are four types of direct ambush marketing:

1. Ambush attack. A strategy in which ads are placed in unexpected places to surprise and delight potential customers.
2. Intellectual property infringement. When a brand use of another brand’s logo and symbols to promote its services. Often causes consumer confusion and also reduces the marketing efforts of the rights holder.
3. Taking advantage of someone else’s success. A strategy in which a brand wants to increase its visibility by sponsoring a participant in an event.
4. Predatory ambush. A tactic in which one brand attacks another, making it difficult for people to identify the real sponsor.

Indirect ambush marketing

Indirect ambush marketing is a situation when a company is associated with an event, but that company uses unofficial means, e.g. it promotes a competitor of the official sponsor. There are also several types in this category:

1. Use of associations. A company tries to create an connection between itself and the event by sponsoring individuals or groups of individuals involved in the event.
   For instance, during the 2010 World Cup, a number of companies sponsored individual players rather than the event itself. In this way, the company misleads the public into thinking it has something to do with the event/team.
2. Invasion. The brand usually seeks to attract widespread attention at the event by targeting stadium audiences and broadcast media. Techniques can include putting up huge signs on the ground with cameras, blimps, skywriting, or simply handing out merchandise to fans.
   For example, at the World Cup 2014, Brazilian soccer player Neymar took off his shirt and at that moment the elastic band from his underpants with the Blue Man logo was visible from under his shorts. Apparently, it was a “gift” to the players of the Brazilian team from the famous brand of bathing clothes in Rio de Janeiro.
3. Accidental advertising. Whether random advertising that reacts to and references current events is ambush marketing remains a matter of debate. Often such ads have a humorous or ironic tone. While it undoubtedly takes advantage of the public interest in the event, it is hardly misleading as to the brand’s involvement in the event.
   The Oreo brand took this type of advertising to an unreachable level at the 2013 Super Bowl. During a power outage at the stadium, Oreo marketers tweeted an image of their product in dim light with the caption “You can still dunk [cookies] in the dark.” The publication went viral even before the lights went on.

Pros and cons of ambush marketing

In theory, this idea sounds promising, but in practice, it has its own nuances, both positive and negative.

Advantages of ambush marketing

• It allows you to use your competitor’s marketing budget.
• Ambush marketing can cause confusion and uncertainty among consumers, and encourage them to try a new product or service.
• This strategy can generate a huge amount of free advertising because people are naturally curious about everything going on around them.

Disadvantages of ambush marketing

• Damage to your reputation if the campaign is perceived as too aggressive or intrusive.
• The potential lawsuit from event organizers for copyright infringement or other legal claims.
• The opposite effect is if the target audience perceives the company’s actions to be unfair or unethical.

Tips for using an ambush marketing strategy

Here are some tips for using an ambush marketing strategy effectively:

• Be creative: Ambush marketing relies on creativity and innovation to stand out from the competition. Think outside the box and come up with unique and attention-grabbing ideas that will capture the attention of your target audience.
• Choose the right event: Not all events are suitable for ambush marketing. Choose events that are relevant to your business and target audience, and that have a high level of media coverage and public interest.
• Stay within legal boundaries: Ambush marketing can be risky, as it may infringe on the rights of official sponsors or result in legal action. Make sure to stay within legal boundaries and avoid any actions that could damage your business’s reputation.
• Be subtle: Ambush marketing is most effective when it is subtle and does not appear to be a blatant attempt to capitalize on an event. Use humor, irony, or other creative techniques to make your message stand out without appearing to be a direct challenge to official sponsors.

   

• Use social media: Social media is a powerful tool for ambush marketing, as it allows businesses to reach a wide audience quickly and easily. Use hashtags, memes, and other social media techniques to generate buzz and increase brand awareness.
• Follow-up: Ambush marketing is only effective if it is followed up with a strong marketing campaign. Make sure to capitalize on the exposure generated by the event and continue to promote your business through other channels.

Final thoughts

Ambush marketing is a clever and effective marketing strategy that allows businesses to capitalize on major events without paying for official sponsorship. By leveraging the popularity and visibility of these events, businesses can gain exposure and increase brand awareness, often at a fraction of the cost of official sponsorship. However, such a tactic can also be risky, as it may result in legal action or damage to the business’s reputation if executed poorly. Therefore, it is important for businesses to carefully consider the potential risks and benefits of ambush marketing before implementing this strategy. With careful planning and execution, ambush marketing can be a powerful tool for businesses looking to stand out in a crowded marketplace and gain a competitive edge.