Guerrilla Marketing

by Bill Gallagher Ph.D.

One of the most powerful marketing slogans these days is, of course, Nike's "Just Do It." During the recent presidential campaign, I heard Senator Bob Dole encourage drug users: "Just don't do it." He said it was his anti-drug message to America's youth.

Hmmm, as much as I respect the ex-senior-Senate Majority Leader from Kansas as an accomplished politician, I've got to admit this suggestion is a bit lame. As a marketing specialist, here's why.

Nike has obviously spent a lot of money and effort on developing and promoting its positive, albeit double entendre, message of endless possibilities with the purchase of a pair of sneakers! What makes its message, targeted at the youthful sports minded, hip market, is its imaginative, titillating subconscious communication.

Guerrillas will remember that it is axiomatic to successful marketing to understand that no one ever makes a conscious buying decision. All purchase decisions are made by the subconscious mind. Winning marketing requires that your favorable purchase-message get through the layers of the mind to the subconscious. The easiest way to do this is to have a non-offensive, positive message repeated enough times to get through. This is how Michael Jackson, in his hay day, sold Pepsi by the millions when, in fact, he probably hated the stuff. He just danced and sang over and over again things about the "Pepsi Generation," whatever that was. It was fun, exciting, youthful, and it made a major dent in Coke sales who, at the same time, were shouting as loud as the could, "Coke Is It." Is this "it" the same "it" as in "Just Do It?"

The really cool thing about the word "it" is that it can mean anything and everything the hearer wishes. If "it" didn't exist as a word in English, I think we marketers would have invented it long ago. It's a great marketing word for all ad copy and slogans.

The 20 year old slogan of the US Army is wonderful for the same great reasons discussed above. It is positive, hopeful, non-specific, imaginative and exciting (especially to late teens). "Be All That You Can Be In The Army."

Now Nike ought to be glad that Bob Dole lost. His anti-drug campaign: "Just Don't Do It." was destined for failure. Besides being an uninspired swipe of Nike's motto, its message is negative. This is a big no-no in the ad business. Worse, he aimed this message at the same crowd that wholeheartedly supported Nike's message with billions of shoe purchases, worldwide. And not just shoes, they are buying posters, tee-shirts, sweat shirts, and a host of other related paraphernalia with its logo and positive message emblazoned everywhere. That made for a tough fight for the Dole slogan and the lack of marketing savvy no doubt contributed to his poor showing on election day.

Bad idea, Mr. Dole. Next time you need a slogan call in a Guerrilla.