Marketing Strategies Based on Consumer Behavior (With Real-World Examples)

A fleeting glance, a momentary pause, or even an unconscious reaction while scrolling through a screen can determine whether a brand soars or sinks. 

It’s between these micromoments that the battle for attention rages, and brands that claim these can create enduring engagements.

The best marketing plans are designed for these moments.

The most effective marketing strategies are designed for those moments. Guerrilla marketing, mascot marketing, nostalgia marketing, scent marketing, shelf placement, and brand rivalry tactics all work on the same principle: influence before analysis. They shape perception quickly, often subconsciously, and leave behind familiarity or curiosity that outlasts the moment itself.

If you want marketing strategies that perform in real conditions, not just presentations and pitch decks, this is where they begin. Because when a brand learns to be relevant in less than 60 seconds, it gains more than just attention.

Guerrilla Marketing Strategies That Capture Instant Attention

Guerrilla marketing, as a concept, is when a brand advertises in places you wouldn’t necessarily expect to see an advertisement – i.e. not on TV screens, billboards or sponsored posts. Instead, it uses ordinary locations. it uses streets, cafés, lifts, college campuses, or everyday objects people already interact with. The idea is simple: catch attention by showing up where advertising usually does not.

As one might assume, this type of marketing works better as it seems more like a sudden discovery and less like the same old sales pitch. There’s no big announcement or fanfare, but rather an opportunity to pique someone’s curiosity enough that they stop in their tracks and pause to make sense of it. And that pause? That is where the brands win.

Guerrilla marketing depends more on insight than money. What makes it powerful is not shock value, but memorability. When something disrupts routine without asking for attention, it earns it.

Guerrilla Marketing in Action

A classic case of guerrilla marketing is The Blair Witch Project. Instead of using traditional methods, the marketing team strategically posted fake “missing persons” posters and created false narratives in both real life as well as online. People started questioning what was real, and the buzz spread because it felt like something they discovered on their own.

Mascot Marketing and Its Role in Brand Recognition

Mascot’s marketing is when a brand utilizes a character as the face of their brand, rather than generally relying on logos or images of products. This character may be a cartoon character, an illustrated figure or a realistic human figure but primarily serves to give the brand an identity that people can recognise instantly.

People remember faces better than symbols. A mascot speaks, reacts, repeats itself, and shows up consistently, which builds familiarity without effort. Over time, the character becomes a mental shortcut. You see it and you already know the tone, the promise, and what the brand stands for.

Examples

The fact that the Michelin Man has remained a relevant, enjoyable character for more than 100 years is because he evolved with the brand but always been instantly recognizable. A huge part of the Geico Gecko’s success is that it has served as a conduit for more than just clever advertising; its dependably personable character has built trust with viewers.

Mascots work because they reduce friction. In an economy of attention, being remembered after a few seconds is a tremendous competitive advantage.

Nostalgia Marketing: Using Familiarity to Influence Buying Decisions

Nostalgia marketing uses familar visuals, sounds, language and cultural references from the past to create emotional memories. This isn’t to replicate the past,  but rather evoke a time-worn sentiment.

Memories carry emotion, and emotion shortens decision-making. When something reminds people of a specific time in their life, the response is immediate and personal. The brand benefits from that warmth without needing to explain itself.

Examples

Pepsi’s nostalgic throwback packaging brought back older logos and color palettes that the brand’s oldest buyers felt an emotional connection to. Even Stranger Things used a lot of eighties design, music and brand integrations, allowing viewers to feel immersed in a familiar cultural world. Even fashion and beauty brands regularly bring back old collections because recognition creates comfort.

Nostalgia marketing works quickly because memory travels faster than logic. In a short attention span, familiarity often wins.

Scent Marketing and the Psychology of Sensory Branding

Smell marketing engages people’s sense of smell to influence how they interact with a brand. The approach works well because smell is closely associated with memory and emotion. A familiar or pleasant scent can shape perception within seconds, often before a person is fully aware of their surroundings.

 Scent is what brands use to make their environments feel deliberate and familiar.  When the sensory experience is consistent, people tend to stay longer and associate the environment with comfort or quality.  While it is a relatively small change, it has far-reaching effects on how a brand is remembered.

Examples

Coffee chains ensure the aroma of freshly brewed coffee is noticeable the moment someone enters. Fashion retailers use a signature fragrance so every store feels the same across locations. Airlines and hotels develop custom scents to create a calm, premium atmosphere throughout the journey.

Shelf Placement Strategy and Its Impact on Consumer Behaviour

Shelf placement is a retail marketing strategy that influences buying decisions by controlling where products appear in a store. Most shoppers do not scan every option. They notice what falls naturally in their line of sight and make decisions quickly, often without comparing alternatives.

Products placed at eye level get more attention. Items near checkout counters catch people when their guard is down and trigger impulse purchases.

Over time, these small positioning choices translate into consistent sales advantages.

Examples

Premium, high-margin brands often secure eye-level shelf space in supermarkets to ensure they are more visible. Confectionery, snacks and small items are easily accessible at checkout areas to encourage last-minute impulse purchases. Children’s products are positioned lower so they are easily visible to younger shoppers.

Fake Rivalry Marketing and Competitive Brand Positioning

Fake rivalry marketing is when brands create playful competition in public spaces or through ads to generate attention.This marketing strategy does not depend on actual controversy or confrontation, but on storytelling. The key, in short, is to stay top-of-mind for your target market without relying on traditional promotional tactics. 

This type of marketing works because it turns brand communication into entertainment. People naturally react to competition, pick sides, and share opinions. The rivalry becomes a story people feel involved in, which increases engagement and awareness.

Examples

McDonald’s and Burger King often exchange playful jabs that keep both brands in the spotlight. Luxury brands like BMW and Audi have used billboard battles to generate public discussion without needing to push product features.

Why These Marketing Strategies Influence Consumer Behaviour

Marketing seldom fails because of a lack of effort, but it frequently falters when human nature is misunderstood. People do not move through the world analysing brands. They move on habit, familiarity, instinct, and convenience. The smartest marketing strategies are built around that reality.

Every technique discussed here works because it removes friction from decision-making. Surprise breaks routine. Characters create instant recognition. Familiar memories reduce resistance. Sensory cues guide emotion. Physical placement directs choice. Playful competition keeps brands mentally present. All of these marketing strategies demand attention.

Great marketing does not need long explanations or extended exposure.  If a brand knows what to showcase, where to appear and when to engage it can happen in 60 seconds or less. When insight leads the strategy, a brief moment is enough to leave a lasting mark.