Thinking Outside of the Guerilla Box

As I searched the industry newletters and blogs looking for new and exciting information about Guerilla marketing, I came to the conclusion that I have been rather closed-minded in my pursuits. I have looked to tangible examples of guerilla marketing such as unconventional outdoor, but never stopped to consider the other forms of guerilla marketing. To reiterate what we all probably know, guerilla marketing is using unconventional methods to reach a conventional end...getting client message's to the consumers. Therefore lets consider viral marketing. When word-of-mouth marketing occurs outside of advertisers hands it is consumer generated and no longer catagorized as intentional marketing. However there is another type of viral marketging, and in my opinion it fits snuggly into the guerilla marketing catagory. Viral marketing that is intentionally conducted and paid for by clients is unconvential, minimally expensive, and another way to achieve the ends that I mentioned above.

Besides keeping my blog and being a full-time student, I have a third occupation. I am a buzzagent. Buzzagent is found online and operates as a viral marketing agency. Companies pay buzzagent to spread the word about new products via viral marketing. Buzzagent in turn, has an arsenal of buzzagents who sign up for these campaigns. Once I sign onto a campaign I get a package in the mail that includes free samples and information about the product. I am then given the responsibility of "buzzing" people I interact with on a daily basis. This means that whenever possible I talk about this new product and its many attributes and give these person a sample and ask for some feedback. I am then required to fill out a buzzreport for buzzagent letting them know how people respond. I recieve buzzpoints as a reward for these reports, and with these points I can get cool prices.

Currently I am signed onto a buzzcampaign for Hershey's new candybar, Take5. I find myself in a slightly torn position because I love the candy bar so much and I love talking about how good it is...it had peanut, chocolate covered pretzel, and caramel!! However I am very reluctant to share the candy bars with anyone. This also is demonstrative on how unreliable this service can potentionally be. Some people could act very unethically and make up the buzzreports in order to get the free samples to themselves. In the future I will try not to sign onto campaigns that involve food. Lesson learned.
For more information about this agency visit www.buzzagent.com