Maisie Lloyd
Maisie is the Digital Content Manager at Intelligency, handling all things creative for the agency. Her experience centres around the production of digital content, pertaining to graphic design, writing copy, and video and audio content.
In my previous blog on guerrilla marketing, I explored how brands use surprise, disruption and creativity to cut through the noise. But in 2026, guerrilla marketing’s not just about being unconventional; it’s about creating unforgettable, shareable, and sometimes controversial campaigns.
Guerrilla marketing is engineered to produce unexpected, high-impact interactions that spark emotional responses and people to share with word-of-mouth.
The Evolution of Guerrilla Marketing
Guerrilla marketing strategies continue to evolve as audiences grow and new campaigns enter the landscape. Increasingly, we see brands hijacking culture, leveraging trending topics, events, or conversations to tap into existing engagement.
In many cases, brands are now embracing experiential storytelling. Rather than passively consuming a campaign, audiences are invited into it and become part of the narrative itself. This creates more memorable moments and, ultimately, stronger engagement.
Another emerging approach is controversy-led virality, built on the idea that attention, whether positive or negative, can fuel visibility.
Two recent campaigns show just how far brands are willing to go…
BuzzBallz & The Pink Lemonsqueezy Ring
BuzzBallz tapped into experiential storytelling by positioning its product as an engagement ring. This immediately introduces a familiar narrative, the proposal, and invites audiences to engage with it.
Viewers are prompted to ask:
Would you take this seriously? Would you say yes?
This kind of campaign draws people in, sparking online debate and discussion. It is a clever way to generate attention and brand awareness without relying solely on the product itself.
The Drama: When Guerrilla Backfires
However, guerrilla marketing does not always land as intended.
The recent film The Drama offers an example of where things can go wrong. For those familiar with the film, its underlying themes create a stark contrast with its marketing.
The campaign’s pop-up chapel activation in Las Vegas presented a tone that felt misaligned with the film’s subject matter. While the intention may have been to create intrigue and surprise, the mismatch led to criticism.
Guerrilla marketing thrives on tension, but when that tension crosses ethical or cultural lines, it can quickly turn into backlash.
The New Rules of Guerrilla Marketing
The rules are constantly changing with guerrilla marketing, but the following most certainly apply:
1. Shareability > Visibility
If it’s not TikTok/LinkedIn worthy, it’s not guerrilla anymore. Social media is an incubator for conversation and debate; if it can’t thrive in this environment, it simply won’t work.
2. Emotion is the currency
BuzzBallz → humour + absurdity
The Drama → shock + discomfort
It’s about achieving some sort of emotional response from the audience. A response is active engagement, which is a super-effective promotion tool.
3. Risk is built in
Guerrilla campaigns are inherently unpredictable. Without careful consideration, they can easily miss the mark.
What marketers can learn
It is no longer enough to simply “be different”. Brands need to be strategically different.
The most effective campaigns are built for:
- participation
- sharing
- conversation
Ultimately, the key question is:
Will this spark the right kind of attention?
