A gorilla is the great ape. A guerrilla is a member of an irregular armed group using hit-and-run tactics. They sound nearly identical, so "gorilla marketing" appears constantly — the intended term is guerrilla marketing, borrowing the unconventional-tactics sense.
The core difference
An animal and a style of warfare, connected by nothing but sound.
- gorilla — the great ape of central Africa.
- guerrilla — an irregular fighter; also used adjectivally for unconventional tactics: guerrilla marketing, guerrilla gardening.
Where guerrilla comes from
Spanish, a diminutive of guerra, war — "little war". It entered English during the Peninsular War, describing Spanish irregulars fighting Napoleon's army. Strictly it named the style of warfare, and the fighter was a guerrillero, but English took the shorter word for both.
The marketing term
Guerrilla marketing means low-budget, unconventional promotion — the analogy is to irregular tactics rather than to apes. The double R is the tell.
Frequently asked questions
Is it gorilla or guerrilla marketing?
Guerrilla marketing, with the double R — from the irregular-warfare sense.
Where does guerrilla come from?
Spanish, a diminutive of guerra meaning war — "little war". It came into English during the Peninsular War.
Do the words share an origin?
No. Gorilla is a nineteenth-century zoological coinage; guerrilla is Spanish. The resemblance is coincidence.