Definition: Ambush marketing, a term first coined by marketing guru Jerry Welsh
Jerry Welsh
Gerald Wayne "Jerry" Welsh is a Canadian former ice hockey player, and college ice hockey head coach at Ohio State University. He is a 2008 inductee of the Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame as both a player and a builder.
Full Answer
What is ambush marketing and how can you avoid it?
What Is Ambush Marketing? Ambush marketing – also known as coat-tail marketing or predatory ambushing – is the practice of hijacking or coopting another advertiser’s campaign to raise awareness of another company or brand, often in the context of event sponsorships.
What is an ambush campaign?
The majority of ambush campaigns have one aim, which is to associate their company with the fame of a certain event without signing a sponsorship contract. Ambush marketing presents a rather unusual approach to creating a marketing campaign and, at the same time, includes full creative freedom and flexibility.
What is parallel property ambushing in marketing?
But they get a lot of attention for their brand in return. Parallel property ambushing means when a company launches and schedules the date of its event side by side with the date of some bigger event. Parallel scheduling of events gives a lower brand a lot of coverage because of the main brand.
What is the difference between direct ambush marketing and indirect marketing?
The difference between both of these approaches is that indirect is not aggressive like direct ambush marketing, and it also doesn’t want to grab the main spotlight. It just wants to work indirectly, without stealing the show and gain more exposure for its brand.
What is an ambush marketing strategy?
Ambush marketing is a strategy that involves a brand trying to associate its products or services with a big event that already has official companies-sponsors. In most cases, it happens during sports events and aims at raising the brand awareness of a particular company that has no sponsorship rights.
What is direct ambush marketing?
In direct ambush marketing, a brand aggressively uses various activities to associate itself with an event without being its sponsor or partner. There are four types of direct marketing:
Why do businesses use ambush?
The majority of ambush campaigns have one aim, which is to associate their company with the fame of a certain event without signing a sponsorship contract. Ambush marketing presents a rather unusual approach to creating a marketing campaign and, at the same time, includes full creative freedom and flexibility.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of ambush marketing?
So let’s take a closer look at them. The advantages are as follows: cost-effectiveness; improved brand equity; freedom and flexibility; opportunity for startups to jump-start their business;
What is predatory ambushing?
predatory ambushing is a technique that includes one brand attacking another (an official sponsor of an event) which prevents people from identifying the real sponsor; coattail ambushing is a strategy where a brand aims at gaining exposure by becoming a sponsor of a person who participates in the event;
Which car companies use ambush advertising?
BMW and Audi. It may be hard to believe, but even such large car manufacturers like Audi and BMW that have the love and trust of the audience, great profit, and popularity, also use ambush advertising in their marketing efforts. Billboards became the battleground for these big brands.
What does self-ambushing mean?
self-ambushing means that a brand has sponsorship rights but gets involved in activities not mentioned in the contract.
What is Ambush Marketing?
Perhaps you’re wondering what could be the “definition of ambush marketing,” it also goes by the name of hijacking, predatory ambushing or coat-tail marketing.
How many types of ambush marketing are there?
Ambush marketing has two major types, direct and indirect. Each type is then further subdivided into other categories. We’ll discuss them one by one.
What is the difference between indirect and direct ambush marketing?
The difference between both of these approaches is that indirect is not aggressive like direct ambush marketing, and it also doesn’t want to grab the main spotlight. It just wants to work indirectly, without stealing the show and gain more exposure for its brand.
What does it mean when a sponsor breaks a sponsorship agreement?
A sponsor usually signs multiple sponsorship agreements with different companies to perform certain tasks. Self ambushing happens when one company breaks sponsorship agreement by doing things that other companies and parties were supposed to do.
When a company starts associating and attaching itself indirectly with the main parent advertiser campaign, it makes people?
When a company starts associating and attaching itself indirectly with the main parent advertiser campaign, it makes people into believing that they’re a part of it. They receive more exposure by staying in the disguise.
Was Rona's ambush successful?
Rona’s ambush marketing plan was successful and it gathered a lot of attention, and it has become a great example of ambush marketing in recent history.
When a person or company gains more exposure than the legal sponsorship holding person or a company, it is usually performed?
When a person or company gains more exposure than the legal sponsorship holding person or a company, it is usually performed by sponsoring that individual.
What Is Ambush Marketing?
Ambush marketing – also known as coat-tail marketing or predatory ambushing – is the practice of hijacking or coopting another advertiser’s campaign to raise awareness of another company or brand, often in the context of event sponsorships.
What are the drawbacks of ambush marketing?
The main drawback of ambush marketing is that it has the potential to be very expensive.
What is the importance of subtle references in ambush marketing?
Subtle references and sly jokes are often integral to the success of ambush marketing campaigns. As we saw in the Audi vs. BMW example above, ambush campaigns often respond directly to one another, which can turn visual humor into a vital competitive edge.
Why are ambush campaigns so memorable?
As a result, ambush marketing campaigns are often a lot more memorable than a typical ad precisely because they’re unusually entertaining or clever.
Is ambush marketing difficult?
Another problem with ambush marketing campaigns is that calculating the ROI of such a campaign can be very difficult, if not actually impossible.
Is ambush marketing a viable marketing strategy?
Ambush marketing isn’t a viable marketing strategy for most businesses. The costs involved can be prohibitively expensive to all but the wealthiest of brands, but the underlying strategies beneath ambush marketing as a concept can be easily applied to your campaigns, from PPC campaigns on the search network to primarily visual campaigns on Facebook.
What it means for PR and social media pros
While the ban hasn’t stopped some companies and brands from mentioning the games and events, we don’t recommend doing so. Several brands pay top dollar for sponsorship and advertising rights, and even though the penalty for ambush marketing is unclear, riding on their coattails could leave companies facing serious backlash and repercussions.
Belle Communication
Belle Communication is an award-winning digital PR and creative strategy firm based in Columbus. With Belles across the U.S., the firm serves the CPG, retail, restaurant, tourism and B2B industries, and has partnered with more than 80 brands including Dearfoams, Shake Shack, Nestlé and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams.
Why Do Businesses Use Ambush?
- The majority of ambush campaigns have one aim, which is to associate their company with the fame of a certain event without signing a sponsorship contract. Ambush marketing presents a rather unusual approach to creating a marketing campaign and, at the same time, includes full creative freedom and flexibility. Brands use various visual forms and wo...
Is Ambush Marketing Legal?
- By using this marketing technique the wrong way, companies can get involved in unlawful actions such as infringing the event owner's trademarks, copyright, and other rights of a particular event. However, if implemented correctly, it can bring several benefits to your business, which some famous brands have proven true. When developing an ambush marketing campaign without an…
Advantages and Disadvantages of Ambush Marketing
- Like any marketing strategy, ambush advertising has advantages and disadvantages. Let's take a closer look at them. The advantagesare as follows: 1. cost-effectiveness; 2. improved brand equity; 3. freedom and flexibility; 4. an opportunity for startups to jump-start their business; 5. a higher competition that brings lower prices for consumers; 6. a creative approach; 7. a direct res…
Types of Ambush Marketing
- The strategy can be divided into two main types: 1. direct marketing; 2. indirect marketing. In direct ambush marketing, a brand's team aggressively uses various activities to associate themselves with an event without being a sponsor or partner. There are four types of direct marketing: 1. predatory ambushingis a technique that includes one brand attacking another (an …
Resources
What Is Ambush Marketing?
Types of Ambush Marketing
- Ambushmarketing has two major types, direct and indirect. Each type is then furthersubdivided into other categories. We’ll discuss them one by one.
Examples of Ambush Marketing
- Audi vs BMW
The rivalry between two luxury vehicle companies also goes by the name of ‘‘war of billboards.’’ It all began when Audi launched its A4 car with the billboard of quoting a phrase ‘‘your move, BMW.’’ BMW launched its 3 series car, and installed its billboard just besides Audi’s poster with … - Rona Collects Apple’s Leftover Paint
The colorful iPod Nano of the Apple Company was very famous among users back in 2010. However, the company started its marketing campaign with a different poster in Montreal, Canada. The poster was comprised of a series of colorful Nano iPod, showing the colors of the r…
Advantages of Ambush Marketing
- Hereare some advantages of ambush marketing, which are as follows; Ambush marketing Increases Brand Awareness. Take the example of Rona, the paint company, it was a small company and very few people knew about it. But when it started attaching itself indirectly with the multinational brand, then its brand awareness was a huge success. Ambush Marketing is a Clev…
Disadvantages of Ambush Marketing
- Ambushmarketing doesn’t go without flaws; here are its disadvantages; Unhealthy Competitive Environment. Some critics say that it creates an environment of unhealthy competition. There should be a room of success for everyone; people and businesses should be in the race of defeating and using one another. ROI of Ambush Marketing is Difficult to Calculate. There are ju…
Conclusion
- Ifthe idea of ambush marketing you have is creative and legal, if you apply itperfectly, it would pay you off well. Then you should take the risk. But if theidea you want to try is illegal, pay off is uncertain. Then it’s better not totry such ideas.