Guerrilla advertising is redefining outdoor marketing, turning ordinary spaces into memorable brand experiences. This article explores how global brands use bold, creative tactics to make a lasting impression offline and why Ghanaian marketers should start paying attention. If you're ready to break away from the traditional and make your campaigns truly memorable, this is a must-read.
Standing out in marketing has never been easy, but it’s even harder when everyone’s competing for just a few seconds of attention. An example is the crosswalk painted like McDonald’s fries with a 3D ketchup packet on the pavement. As people walk across, they stop to take pictures. What started as an ad, now becomes an experience. While traditional outdoor ads still have their place, it is ideas like these — the ones that blend creativity with public space — that really stay with us. This is outdoor advertising reimagined — not just a message, but an experience.
And it got us thinking: Is Ghana ready for this kind of creative disruption?
Let’s explore what guerrilla advertising really is, why it works so well and what local brands can learn from some of the most unforgettable campaigns around the world.
What is Guerrilla Advertising?
Guerrilla advertising refers to creative, unexpected marketing tactics used to promote a product or idea in public spaces. Unlike traditional ads that passively present information, guerrilla ads aim to surprise, delight or even shock audiences, often using the very environment they inhabit. They’re the kind of campaigns that turn heads, spark conversations and don’t always need a big budget to make a big impact.
With a McDonald’s pedestrian crossing turned into a giant pack of fries, the goal is always the same: engagement and memorability.
Why It Works: The Psychology Behind the Magic
Guerrilla advertising thrives on a few psychological triggers:
- Surprise: When ads show up in unexpected places or in clever ways, they grab attention the moment people see them.
- Emotion: Humour, awe, curiosity — emotional responses deepens people’s memory retention.
- Shareability: If it’s clever enough to make someone stop and take a photo, it’s clever enough to go viral.
- Participation: Many guerrilla campaigns involve or rely on public interaction, turning passive viewers into active participants.
In short, they transform ad spaces into stories and people love stories.
Iconic Examples from Around the World
Source: Borgan & Partners
The Frontline Flea Spray Billboard (Thailand): An overhead banner in a shopping mall shows a dog scratching itself. From above, shoppers look like fleas on the dog — pure visual genius.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
The Blair Witch Project (USA): Before social media was a thing, this horror film used “missing persons” posters to create buzz. It felt real and the film exploded.
Source: Campaign Brief
Coca-Cola’s Small World Machines (India & Pakistan): Not traditional OOH, but a powerful public installation where citizens from both countries interacted in real-time. Emotional, interactive and deeply human. It used the power of human connection to break down barriers and spark simple, heartfelt moments between people from countries that didn’t always see eye to eye.
These campaigns didn’t just sell a product. They created moments which in turn created impact.
Ghana’s Landscape: Ready for Disruption
Ghana has a growing and vibrant outdoor advertising scene, especially in major cities like Accra, Kumasi, and Takoradi. Billboards dominate roadsides, LED screens flash in traffic hubs, and wall murals bring colour to communities. But when it comes to guerrilla marketing? The examples are few and far between.
Why?
- Cost perception: Many brands assume guerrilla campaigns are expensive, yet many of the best examples globally had modest budgets and relied on creativity.
- Risk aversion: Unconventional ideas may seem risky in more conservative brand environments.
- Lack of local case studies: Without precedents, it’s harder for marketers to pitch experimental ideas.
However, the potential is massive. With Ghana’s rich cultural diversity, vibrant art scene and growing youth population glued to social media, the ingredients for viral, culturally resonant guerrilla campaigns are all here.
Opportunities for Ghanaian Brands
- Market Day Takeovers: Reimagine open-air markets with creative branding activations — unexpected yet embedded in daily life.
- TroTro Campaigns: Ghana’s popular public transport system is a moving canvas for clever, humorous, or interactive ideas.
- Cultural Festivals: Leverage events like Chale Wote or Homowo with experiential installations that feel native to the culture but surprise the audience.
- University Pop-Ups: Surprise students with fun, smart ads that use campus architecture or behaviour patterns in unexpected ways.
Guerrilla advertising isn’t about throwing out traditional strategy, it’s about complementing it with unforgettable, human experiences.
Final Thoughts: The Future is Experiential
As the outdoor advertising industry in Ghana evolves, brands that dare to think differently will reap the rewards. Guerrilla advertising offers a path to deeper engagement, stronger recall and social amplification. It’s time to move beyond visibility and start creating moments that live both offline and online.
Let’s challenge norms, disrupt expectations and turn ordinary ad spaces into stages for extraordinary experiences.
Ready to go guerrilla? The next big idea might just start with a street corner, a sidewalk or a car park, if we dare to look at it differently.
