In the world of marketing, competition is fierce and brands need to go the extra mile to stand out.
Some companies have taken an unconventional approach by unleashing ambush marketing strategies.
These sneaky tactics have caught the attention of consumers and left us in awe.
From cleverly mocking rivals to seizing unexpected opportunities, get ready to discover some jaw-dropping ambush marketing examples that will make you see advertising in a whole new light.
ambush marketing examples
Ambush marketing refers to a marketing strategy where a brand or company tries to associate itself with an event or competitor’s promotion without being an official sponsor.
Some examples of ambush marketing include Rona placing a banner below Apple’s iPod nano billboard in Montreal, Newcastle Brown Ale mocking Stella’s use of the word chalice in a billboard campaign, Fiat parking a red Fiat 500 in front of VW’s headquarters for a Google street view image, and Stella placing multiple ads in the closest terminal to the 2011 US Open Tennis Centre.
Other examples include Audi challenging BMW with a billboard in Santa Monica, Oddbins promoting non-Olympic sponsor products during the 2012 Olympics, WePay freezing money in ice for a PayPal conference, and Beats by Dr Dre sending headphones to athletes during the 2012 Olympics.
These examples showcase how brands creatively gain attention and promote themselves in unconventional ways.
Key Points:
- Ambush marketing is a strategy used by brands to associate themselves with events or competitors without official sponsorship.
- Rona placed a banner below Apple’s iPod nano billboard in Montreal as an ambush marketing tactic.
- Newcastle Brown Ale used a billboard campaign to mock Stella’s use of the word chalice.
- Fiat parked a red Fiat 500 in front of VW’s headquarters for a Google street view image.
- Stella placed multiple ads in the closest terminal to the 2011 US Open Tennis Centre as an ambush marketing move.
- Audi challenged BMW with a billboard in Santa Monica as part of their ambush marketing strategy.
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💡 Did You Know?
1. In the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Nike pulled off one of the most famous ambush marketing campaigns by placing huge billboards near the Olympic stadium featuring the Nike “swoosh” logo, despite not being an official sponsor of the event.
2. During the 2010 FIFA World Cup, a group of Dutch women called the “Bavaria Babes” dressed in orange and attended matches to promote the Dutch beer brand Bavaria. Their intention was to ambush the event’s official sponsor, Budweiser, by wearing their competitors’ branded clothing.
3. In 2012, during the UEFA European Championships, Danish footballer Nicklas Bendtner celebrated scoring a goal by lifting his shirt to reveal the waistband of his underwear, which happened to feature the logo of Swedish betting company Paddy Power. This ambush marketing tactic resulted in a hefty fine for Bendtner.
4. Pepsi executed a clever ambush marketing strategy during the 1996 Cricket World Cup held in the Indian subcontinent. Coca-Cola was the official sponsor, but Pepsi distributed free drinks outside the stadiums, capturing the attention of cricket fans and stealing the spotlight from its rival.
5. At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, American snowboarder Sage Kotsenburg won the first-ever gold medal in men’s slopestyle. Kotsenburg mentioned his love for the breakfast cereal, “Red Bull” on live television, effectively ambushing the event’s official sponsor, Kellogg’s, who had invested heavily in promoting their product during the games.
Rona Ambushes Apple Billboard With Clever Paint Campaign
Rona, a home improvement chain, implemented an innovative approach to garner attention by engaging in ambush marketing of Apple’s iPod nano billboard in Montreal, Canada. They skillfully positioned a banner just below the billboard to give the illusion of paint cascading into buckets. This visually captivating campaign effectively showcased Rona’s dedication to recycling leftover paint, smartly aligning with their brand identity as a home improvement store.
By strategically placing their banner beneath Apple’s billboard, Rona effectively capitalized on the high visibility associated with the renowned electronics brand, generating increased interest in their own message. Ambush marketing of this nature not only generates buzz and curiosity but also enables brands to access the existing audience of another well-established brand, potentially expanding their customer base.
- The campaign featured a banner positioned beneath Apple’s iPod nano billboard in Montreal, Canada.
- The banner created the illusion of paint pouring into buckets.
- Rona leveraged the high visibility of Apple’s brand to attract attention to their message.
- This type of ambush marketing allows brands to tap into the audience of a well-known brand.
- Rona’s campaign successfully aligned with their brand image as a home improvement store.
Newcastle Brown Ale Mocks Stella’s Use Of “Chalice”
In a bold move to challenge its rival, Newcastle Brown Ale launched a billboard campaign mocking Stella’s use of the word “chalice.” Newcastle’s billboard simply read, “Who uses the word chalice? This clever play on words aimed to poke fun at Stella’s pretentious use of language and position Newcastle as a more down-to-earth and relatable beer brand.
By directly targeting and criticizing Stella’s marketing strategy, Newcastle sought to differentiate itself as a more accessible and authentic alternative. This ambush marketing tactic not only garnered attention but also allowed Newcastle to convey its brand messaging in a memorable and engaging way.
Fiat Pulls Ambush Marketing Stunt In Front Of VW’s Headquarters
Fiat, the Italian automobile manufacturer, employed an ingenious ambush marketing tactic in Sweden to take on its rival, Volkswagen (VW). They closely trailed a Google street view car until they reached VW’s headquarters, where they strategically positioned a vibrant red Fiat 500 in front of the building. This unexpected spectacle immediately captured the attention of Google street view users, effectively promoting Fiat to a wide and unsuspecting audience.
What made this stunt even more remarkable was that the image of the Fiat remained on Google street view for an extended period of time. This clever move allowed Fiat to extend the reach of their ambush marketing well beyond the initial incident. By leveraging the immense popularity of Google street view, Fiat successfully showcased their brand and product in a unique and unconventional manner, thereby directly impacting the image of their competitor.
Key points:
- Fiat executed an ambush marketing strategy against VW in Sweden
- They followed a Google street view car until reaching VW’s headquarters
- Positioned a bright red Fiat 500 in front of the building
- Caught the attention of Google street view users, generating widespread promotion for Fiat
- The image remained on Google street view for an extended period of time, amplifying the effect of the stunt
- This approach allowed Fiat to showcase their brand and product in a unique and unconventional way
- The maneuver directly impacted the image and perception of their competitor
Stella Competes With Heineken At US Open Terminal
Despite Heineken being the official beer sponsor of the 2011 US Open, Stella found a way to hijack the event’s advertising opportunities. Stella strategically placed 15 different advertisements in the closest terminal to the Tennis Centre, making it appear as though Stella was a major sponsor of the tournament.
This ambush marketing tactic allowed Stella to create an association with the prestigious sporting event and gain exposure among tennis fans. By positioning themselves in such close proximity to the tournament venue, Stella effectively challenged Heineken’s official sponsorship and managed to steal some of their competitor’s spotlight.
- Stella placed 15 different advertisements in the closest terminal to the Tennis Centre.
- The ambush marketing tactics allowed Stella to create an association with the event.
- Stella challenged Heineken’s official sponsorship and gained exposure among tennis fans.
Audi Challenges BMW With Billboard Showdown
In a highly competitive industry, car manufacturers Audi and BMW engaged in a billboard showdown to outsmart each other. Audi initiated the challenge by erecting a billboard in Santa Monica featuring an Audi A4 and the words “Your move, BMW.” This bold move aimed to provoke a response from BMW and initiate a back-and-forth exchange.
True to Audi’s expectations, BMW responded with a strategically placed billboard showcasing the BMW M3 and the words “Checkmate.” This billboard showdown not only generated excitement among car enthusiasts but also attracted attention from passersby, creating a buzz around the brands and their ongoing rivalry.
Oddbins Pushes The Boundaries Of Olympic Marketing Rules
During the 2012 Olympics, UK wine merchant Oddbins pushed the limits of non-Olympic marketing rules by offering a 30% discount on products from non-Olympic sponsors. They cleverly showcased wines with slogans like “We’re not allowed to tell you which team we’re supporting… so we’ll tell you about this Aussie champion instead.”
By exploiting a loophole in Olympic marketing regulations, Oddbins managed to indirectly associate themselves with the event and benefit from the increased public interest. This ambush marketing strategy allowed Oddbins to differentiate itself from other wine merchants and create a unique brand image during the Olympics.
WePay Freezes Money In Ice Block For PayPal Conference
Start-up company WePay created a significant stir in the industry with their ambush marketing tactics. In an attempt to challenge their competitor PayPal, WePay froze money inside a massive block of ice and dramatically delivered it to a PayPal conference. The message accompanying the ice block read, “PayPal freezes accounts, unfreeze your money.“
This attention-grabbing stunt aimed to highlight WePay’s approach to customer service, implying that they offer a more flexible and user-friendly alternative to PayPal’s perceived account freezes. By leveraging this ambush marketing strategy, WePay not only captured attention but also sparked conversations about the reliability and customer-centric approach of different payment platforms.
Beats By Dr. Dre Teams Up With Team GB For Olympic Boost
During the 2012 Olympics, Beats by Dr. Dre took advantage of the event by sending personalized headphones to athletes and creating special editions for Team GB. This collaboration resulted in a significant 42% increase in sales for the popular audio brand.
By associating themselves with the prestigious event and targeting athletes, Beats by Dr. Dre effectively enhanced their brand appeal and reached a broader audience. This ambush marketing approach allowed the brand to align themselves with the spirit of the Olympics and leverage the athletes’ influence to boost their sales.
Ambush marketing has become a popular and effective strategy for brands to outsmart their competitors and gain attention in a crowded market.
- Capitalizing on the popularity of well-known events
- Leveraging the reach of other brands
- Executing creative stunts
These strategies help companies create buzz, generate brand interest, and ultimately increase their market share. These ambush marketing examples showcase the power of unconventional and strategic thinking, giving brands a competitive edge in their respective industries.
FAQ
What is a real life example of ambush marketing?
Another real-life example of ambush marketing is when Puma took advantage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup sponsorship by rival Adidas. Puma launched an advertising campaign targeting the Italian national football team, which was not sponsored by Puma but rather by Adidas. Puma’s campaign featured images of Italian players with the tagline “The Third Most Successful Italian Team in History” cleverly referencing the absence of Italy from the World Cup that year. This tactic allowed Puma to gain exposure and undermine Adidas’ exclusive sponsorship rights during the highly-watched tournament.
What are the 3 types of ambush marketing?
Ambush marketing takes different forms, with three primary types to be noted. Firstly, predatory ambushing involves a brand deliberately attacking its competitor by directly challenging or undermining their advertising efforts. This can be done through aggressive promotions or campaigns that aim to overshadow the competitor’s marketing initiatives. Secondly, coattail ambushing occurs when a company capitalizes on an event or sponsorship associated with a competitor. By leveraging the attention and excitement surrounding the competitor’s event, the ambusher promotes its own brand and attracts consumer attention. Lastly, trademark infringement involves using a competitor’s trademark or intellectual property to create confusion or mislead consumers, often resulting in unauthorized associations with a popular brand. This deceptive tactic allows the ambusher to piggyback on the goodwill and recognition of the competitor’s brand, often causing reputational damage to the targeted company.
What is an example of ambush marketing in India?
One example of ambush marketing in India occurred during the 2011 World Cup. Nike, a popular sportswear brand, released an advertisement featuring Indian cricket players wearing jerseys with a Nike logo, even though the official sponsor for the tournament was Adidas. This strategic move by Nike aimed to associate their brand with the Indian cricket team and the excitement of the World Cup, despite not being an official sponsor.
Another notable example took place during the 2016 Rio Olympics. Although Reebok was not an official sponsor of the event, they launched a campaign called “Give Me Strength” featuring Indian athletes. This marketing tactic allowed Reebok to capitalize on the popularity and patriotic spirit surrounding the Olympics, without actually being an official partner. These instances highlight the creative ways companies in India have employed ambush marketing to gain exposure and leverage major sporting events.
What is an example of ambush marketing in 2023?
One example of ambush marketing in 2023 could be a small beverage company launching a limited edition drink named after a highly anticipated music festival. By incorporating the festival’s name and atmosphere into their product, the company leverages the event’s popularity without directly sponsoring it. They could create a marketing campaign that highlights how their refreshing beverage perfectly complements the festival experience, captivating the attention of festival-goers and generating excitement for their brand.
Another example could be a local restaurant hosting themed events and offering special menus during a major sporting event without officially sponsoring it. By creating an ambiance that captures the spirit of the event and serving dishes inspired by the participating nations, the restaurant attracts fans looking for a place to enjoy the games while enjoying the unique culinary experience. This way, the restaurant capitalizes on the tournament’s hype and aligns its brand with the excitement surrounding the event, effectively reaching a wider audience and boosting its visibility.