What is Ambush Marketing? Can it Backfire?

Ambush marketing, broadly refers to a situation in which a company or product seeks to ride on the publicity value of a major event without having contributed to the financing of the event through sponsorship.

What is Ambush Marketing?

Ambush markting is a shrewd technique in which a brand promotes itself in an event without actually being the sponsor. It is a double-edged sword marketing strategy that boosts awareness of a brand and at the same time can erupt.

Ambush marketing techniques have various forms and it all yields a centre element that follows a brand with an event or property without holding given the right to be a sponsor. “Ambush Marketing is the kind of marketing where the company tries to take benefit of the publicity provided by a major event to make awareness for its product without having to contribute or make any financial involvement to the sponsorship of the event”.

Example Of Ambush Marketing

Suppose you are watching your favourite football team on television, and each time the camera zooms on to the coach of the particular football team, you will be able to notice the crew besides the coach are all wearing the same type of jerseys and necessarily promoting a specific brand, this entire way to cleverly promoting a business is also a part of ambush marketing.

In General ambush marketing is used to challenge the rival brand and get a piece of the pie without making any effort of making it. It is a good way to push your brand but can also lead to brand damage if not used properly.

Types of ambush marketing

1.DIRECT: involves advertisers promoting themselves as being a neighbourhood of or related to an occasion, diluting the exposure of official sponsors and their respective campaigns.

2. INDIRECT: uses of images concerning an occasion in advertising. This is to evoke a mental reference to a brand with none mentions.

Most sorts of indirect ambush marketing involve non-sponsor making use of images, themes, and values almost like what the event and campaigns from the official sponsor are expressing; positively or negatively without addressing specific references to the event itself or its trademarks.

The advertiser markets itself using content that evokes a rational association with the event. As a result, it’ll appeal to those that are conscious of the event. Advertisers may use a well known generic nickname for the event that’s not a trademark, like “the big game”.

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Pros and Cons of Ambush Marketing

Pros:

1. it’s a way cheaper choice to get the brand noticed, for the corporate doing the Ambush Marketing campaign;

2. Ambush Marketing may be a good way to kick start a business. Most start-ups don’t have the financial ability to sponsor large events

From a consumer’s point of view, Ambush Marketing creates more competition that sometimes results in lower prices.

4. Ambush marketing can be a cheap way to disrupt a competitor’s marketing campaign or sponsorship deal.

Cons:

1. The word “Ambush” itself carries a negative meaning with it; which frequently considered shady technique of selling.

2. If Small business uses ambush marketing and obtain backlash from it then they’ll not be ready to handle the negative media and brand impact resulting from such advertising method.

3. there’s tons of concern expressed regarding the extent of activities caught by the definition of unauthorised association and therefore the subjectivity which is required to assess whether such an association has arisen.

The validity of ambush marketing may be a complicated issue. This matter when there are laws protecting the intellectual property (IP) of a certain entity or event. However, as a rule of thumb, ambush marketing might be considered a touch illicit within the instance it directly tris to trick consumers into thinking that the ambush marketer has gained authorization and is officially connected with an entity or event. So, if you are using this type of Marketing be Careful.

Conclusion

Ambush marketing done correctly can produce instant fame and take a heap of value in return, but the unpredictability of catching lightning in a bottle is not suited for everyone or every brand.

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