Week 3 – MBA6101 – Guerrilla Marketing

Guerrilla Marketing, chapter 3...I absolutely, positively agree with this a 1000%. All 16 of these principles are established, tried and true, Leo Burnett principles and I believe them to be in priority order, the top 3 being:

1. You must have commitment to your marketing program.
2. Think of that program as an investment.
3. See to it that your program is consistent.

Leo Burnett has a legacy of transforming and building brands. Since the book already mentioned Philip Morris USA's Marlboro product, here are some brands that embody the commitment, investment and consistency in their marketing plans:

1. When Leo Burnett, the man, founded his agency in 1935, in the middle of the

Depression, his first and only client was Minnesota Valley Canning Company. They are

still around today. You may not know them because Leo rebranded it Green Giant and

created the Jolly Green Giant for instant brand recognition because it is still (consistently) the face of the brand with a few touch-ups/enhancements over the years:

2. Kellogg’s has a slew of breakfast cereals and the mascots that are the face of the

brand(s), Frosted Flakes’ Tony the Tiger, Rice Krispies Snap!, Crackle, Pop, Froot Loops

Toucan Sam , Corn Flakes’ Cornelius “Corny” Rooster. All which breed familiarity and amazement because Kellogg's committed to using them on their advertising and packaging, consistently.

3. Altoids, founded in 1780, went from a product touted as a way to relieve intestinal

discomfort to being repositioned in 1995 as the “Curiously Strong Mint” and that’s why

they come in a metal tin.

Commit. Invest. Apply consistently (though a refreshed logo nods to the original).

Today, take note of Dunkin’ Donuts’ rebranding that likely spanned yeeeeeears and they had the

vision to evolve it just like their retail products that now went beyond donuts to full breakfast fare

that were healthier and margins that were nothing to sneeze at. 

Initially, the company had just their name, then a donut in their logo and fast-forward to 2019, it’s just Dunkin'. They even have a tagline, America runs on Dunkin’ and introduced some iconography that allows for a short-hand to their marketing that almost appears to be hieroglyphs. Instantly recognizable if the words were removed from the construct.

Some others: Burger King, Starbucks, Aunt Jemima, Apple, Netflix