Checklist

Breaking the law

In many cases, guerilla marketing may be illegal and put at risk:

• members of your organization (caught in the act)
• the public (found in possession of illegal materials)
• property owners (say, a shopkeeper or homeowner on whose wall a mural is painted)

Before undertaking your action, consider: what is the law and what is the penalty for breaking it?

In some cases, it may make sense to apply for permission or permits to implement an action, though in some cases official permission may be cost prohibitive, introduce delay, or may not even be possible.

Take precautions when planning an action. Before your action, fully inform your participants of the law and possible consequences for breaking the law. Brief participants on what to do in the event of arrest or conflict with authorities. Perhaps arrange legal representation in advance. Set up a system of communication to verify that your participants are all safe.

Including or not including contact information

Now that interested members of the public have seen your campaign, how can they get in touch? In some cases, it may make sense to include contact information, perhaps a phone number, web address or anonymous email address. In other cases, it may make sense to leave any identifying information off of the materials, particularly if there is a risk of prosecution.

Next steps

The public has seen your message, now what do you want them to do? What next steps should they take? Many organizations focus on making a splash but without planning a way to follow up with new supporters. Providing a website address where people can get more information or a time and place for a follow-up meeting or protest may help channel a viewer’s reaction into meaningful action.

Document it

Public interventions, particularly oppositional ones, may be quickly dismantled or covered up by the authorities. But actions that last only briefly may live on if documented in photos or video. Be sure to document your action, both for your own records and to publicize it. Of course, depending on your situation, be careful to consider legal issues involved in retaining “evidence” of an illegal action.

Publicize it

In some cases, guerilla marketing actions are best kept underground. Part of the thrill and effectiveness is when someone discovers it on their own during the course of an otherwise ordinary day. However, in many cases, it may make sense to publicize your action by notifying members of the media or an extended community of supporters. If accessible, the internet is a particularly cheap and widespread way of publishing photos, stories and video.

The power of guerilla marketing is in its ability to surprise and delight—both those taking the action as well as those perceiving it. It can be a creative, low-cost way of spreading your message, and a fun way to do so.