This was originally a guest post that I wrote for IttyBiz back in February 2010, but apparently Naomi got crossways with some terrorists or something and my post got taken down, so I'm reclaiming it and reposting it here for your pleasure. Grab a rum & coke and enjoy!
Those of you who know me know that I have a long and mutually rewarding relationship with Captain Morgan (the rum, not the dead pirate).
I have oft consulted the Captain (the rum, not the dead pirate) before making life-changing decisions such as starting business ventures, moving across the country, changing jobs, and having children. My boat is named the
Captain Morgan, and my youngest son’s middle name is Morgan. While I have occasionally strayed and spent some time with Sailor Jerry or Ron Bacardi, I always come crawling back to the Captain (figuratively, of course). I take my rum pretty seriously.
Note: My wife’s family name is Morgan and the Captain (the dead pirate, not the rum) is actually a distant relative. I didn’t really name any of my kids after liquor.
All that being said, I pass three billboards on my way to work every morning that have recently been converted to ads for Cruzan 9 rum. I absolutely
love these signs from an outdoor advertising perspective, and I’m all about sharing best practices – so I figured it was about time I did another
windshield report.
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| The Mutiny Has Begun |
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| Time to Put Away Your Pirate Toys |
What is so great about these signs? Let me count the ways:
1. Cruzan did their homework and knows precisely who their target demographic is for this ad campaign (apparently, it’s me).
They are not-so-subtly going after loyal drinkers of Captain Morgan, particularly those who commute via car, a large percentage of whom are probably in their thirties and have been drinking Captain Morgan for a decade or more. But now they’re all grown up and have more disposable income (and a small business and a blog and a two story house and a wife and two kids and a boat named the freakin’ Captain Morgan), meaning that they may receptive to trying a new spiced rum that is a little more sophisticated.
2. The ads make you think.
They don’t say “Hey there, we have created a new blend of spiced rum, and if you normally drink Captain Morgan, we think you might actually like Cruzan 9 even more. Why don’t you pick up a bottle on your way home from work today?”. Rather, they say things like “Time to put away your pirate toys”, “The Mutiny Has Begun”, and “9 Spices. No Pirates.” If you don’t drink Captain Morgan, you might not even get the innuendo –
exactly.
3. The ads are funny – both in a literal sense and in the way they subtly attack the Captain Morgan brand.
As I’ve said before, if you can make your prospects chuckle, you usually win!
I don’t know about you, but I’m going to do some serious market research on
Cruzan 9 this weekend. I’ll let you know if I decide to change the name of my boat (or my kids).
In the meantime, think about how you can apply some of these concepts to your own advertising. Who,
exactly, is your target demographic? Where can they be found on a daily basis (both online and off)? What products or services do they use?
How can you shake them loose with wit, wisdom, laughter, or innuendo and get them to try yours instead?
