When Tunes Turn Into Ads: Discover the SECRET behind this chart-topping hit! [Thursday: Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing]

From the desk of Miles Everson:   Happy Thursday! I’m excited to present another outstanding guerrilla marketing campaign. For those who may not know, guerrilla marketing is an innovative approach that is straightforward, simple to implement, and cost-effective. I love how this method offers fresh and engaging ideas to captivate target audiences. Keep reading to discover how this fast food brand captivated its customers in Indonesia!

When Tunes Turn Into Ads: Discover the SECRET behind this chart-topping hit! Imagine stumbling upon a catchy new song by your favorite artist, feeling the beat, and singing along even though you don't understand a single word. This was the experience of many Japanese pop (J-pop) fans in Indonesia when the Indonesian-Japanese singer, Ica Zahra, released a new single. Little did these fans know that the song they were listening to was a part of this fast food brand’s guerrilla marketing campaign to promote the relaunch of a crowd favorite menu item. The brand? McDonald’s! In 2020, McDonald’s Indonesia first introduced its “Taste of Japan” special menu to the country. Through a tasteful blending of traditional Japanese flavors with McDonald’s beloved classics, Indonesians were quickly hooked to the special menu offering. Since the “Taste of Japan” menu was only available for a limited time, Indonesians had to wait until 2023 to have another chance at enjoying the tasty offering. Understanding that the special offering was popular among its customers, Mcdonald’s Indonesia decided to announce its relaunch in 2023 in a tasty and memorable way. As part of its initiative, the fast food chain partnered with ad agency Leo Burnett Indonesia. It also collaborated with Indonesian-Japanese singer Ica Zahra. The Untranslated Ad Campaign Known for blending Indonesian and Japanese musical influences, Zahra was considered as the perfect artist to collaborate with for the guerrilla marketing campaign. Specifically, the “Untranslated Ad” campaign was created with Indonesians’ love for Japanese pop culture. Central to this initiative was the creation of a song written in Japanese without providing any context or translation to its listeners. Titled “Nihon No Fureeba,” Zahra’s song was also crafted with the intent of having no obvious ties to Mcdonald’s. Once released, the song immediately gained traction as Zahra’s fans took to social media to share their love for the song. A few days after release, the mystery behind the track was finally unraveled to fans as Mcdonald’s Indonesia and Zahra provided the translation and the song’s true intent. More importantly, the fast food chain took the opportunity and announced the return of its “Taste of Japan” menu. The public reaction to the reveal was explosive and it reignited customer interest and excitement for the “Taste of Japan” offerings. So, was “The Untranslated Ad” campaign effective? Yes! The success of this guerrilla marketing stunt was evident in the impressive sales figures it generated. In just a week, McDonald’s Indonesia surpassed its initial sales projections by 126%. Additionally, overall sales for the fast food chain surged by 111%, the most significant increase in the past 3 years since the release of the campaign. … but wait, there’s more! The impact of this guerrilla campaign wasn’t limited to sales alone as the song also earned the following accolades: Amassed over 3 million views on YouTube within a week Became the number one most searched song on Shazam, a digital music service Inspired hundreds of covers and TikTok dance routines Lastly, the campaign’s brilliance didn’t go unnoticed in the advertising world as it was shortlisted in the 2024 Spikes Asia Awards! This definitely shows that the campaign served as a standout example of creativity and innovation in marketing. — McDonald’s Indonesia’s collaboration with Ica Zahra was more than just a successful campaign; it exemplified the effectiveness of guerrilla marketing in modern advertising. By seamlessly integrating music and culture into its guerrilla marketing campaign, the brand managed to organically connect with its audience, proving that the most effective advertisements are those that don’t feel like ads at all. Curious about how to make your brand stand out? Let this campaign be your blueprint and explore the game-changing potential of guerrilla marketing! Hope you’ve found this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful. EXCITING NEWS AHEAD The world of work has shifted, and there’s no going back. The barriers to entry have never been lower for talented professionals to work independently, and today’s massive external workforce is hardly a pandemic-produced fad. Business owners can only survive in the new work landscape by partnering with this deep talent pool. With decades of experience in both small-business entrepreneurship and executive management at PwC, I truly believe that the future of work is independent. With that, I’m happy to share with you that my book, co-authored with Walter Scott Lamb, is now available for pre-order on Amazon! 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