GUERRILLA MARKETING Some of these strategies are referred to Ae as “guerrilla” (pronounced gorilla, but having to Oren eeet do with rebel fighters, not apes!) or “stealth” Ca rts zs marketing campaigns, These terms underline the sneakiness of the approach. For example, Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications once hired 60 actors and provided them with their newest camera cellphones. Then Sony got them to hang out at popular tourist attractions like the Empire State Building in New York and Seattle's Space Needle. But the actors weren't being paid to see the sights. Cast as fake tourists, their job was to ask unsuspecting passersby to take their pictures. Another 60 actors were hired to hang out in trendy bars, engage strangers in conversation, or play with their phones in a part of the bar where they would attract attention, The point was to get people talking about the new cellphone without letting them know that the “owners” of the product were simply being paid to promote it. This approach received mixed reviews. Some consumer activists thought the practice was dishonest and shouldn't be allowed. They argued that the actors should have had to wear Sony Ericsson Tshirts or told people they worked for the company. But the marketing firm that dreamed up the idea defended it, saying the actors weren't trying to sell the product, just demonstrate it. What do you think? Would it bother you if you found out only by accident that the person you were talking to about a new bike or computer game was being paid to tell you it was great? Co cae to