Prior to the start of their speech on guerilla marketing, guest speakers Karolyn Stoller and Ryne Crawford handed out free samples of Jimmy John’s sandwiches to students in Lumpkin Hall on Tuesday.

Crawford and Stoller addressed students as a part of the American Marketing Association’s efforts to bring more speakers to campus, who have franchising experience. The presentation followed an AMA membership meeting.

Stoller has been working for Jimmy John’s for the past 11 years, having got started working at the company during college. She relayed her start at the company and how she found herself climbing the ladder to her current position as the director of guerilla marketing.

Her initial job at the company had her working under James North, who is the current president of Jimmy John’s.

Stoller said that it was North who initially brought her into the marketing side of the company and at first she had no interest in it, telling North, “Absolutely not. I don’t know anything about marketing, I’m an animal sciences major!”

However Stoller did find herself working in the marketing department, which has grown exponentially since 2006.

Stoller and Crawford both described the guerilla marketing that they do as being very fast, a type of organic, grassroots marketing campaign, a far different kind of promotion than you might expect to see out of such a large company.

“We’ll go anywhere there’s a group of people and give out free samples.” Stoller said.

The guerilla marketers spend most of their time traveling which can have its benefits and deficits.

Crawford, who is a guerilla marketing leader, described his working life as being similar to the George Clooney film “Up in the Air” minus the first class amenities.

“I haven’t gone grocery shopping in four years.” Crawford said. He elaborated by telling the crowd that he spends most of his time in hotels and on the road and is rarely in one place longer than a weekend.

The guerilla marketing teams tend to focus in areas where there promotion will be the most widespread and effective. They handed out free samples at a Dave Matthews concert in the summer and in college towns during the weekends when big rivalry games will be played, for example the Michigan vs. Notre Dame game.

The team has also implemented a promotion called the “Freaky Fast Flash Team.” The week leading up to the event, fliers and posted throughout the area saying a date, time and location with no mention of Jimmy John’s. On that day and time, a vehicle with Jimmy John’s employees will go to the location and throw out free samples.

After the presentation, Stoller invited students to come to Jimmy John’s corporate headquarters in Champaign to apply for guerilla marketing positions after graduation.

“We’re just looking for rock stars,” Stoller said.

Jimmy John’s does have a tradition of promoting within the company and giving employees a chance to advance and grow, one element of the company that students may look for in a potential employer.

“I liked how she talked about working her way up,” said Brianna Svec, a senior communications major.

Svec said she also admired the way that Jimmy John’s approaches their younger demographic.

Mel Boydston can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].