How to advertise like a rum-guzzling pirate

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.

The Mutiny Has Begun

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?

The Right Way to Wrap a Boston Whaler

How many times have you seen a tractor-trailer drive past on the interstate carrying a load of new boats or cars (or at least something vaguely shaped like boats or cars) wrapped in protective white plastic?

You probably don't recall. And that is precisely my point!

This truck drove past me in I-275 in Tampa the other day:


Not only do I remember it, I took a picture of it and I'm sharing it with you! Why? Because some genious at the Boston Whaler factory had the good sense to put their brand name on every single one of their boat wraps!

So instead seeing a truckload of imaginary Sea Rays in my mind's eye, there was no doubt that these were Boston Whalers. Better still, the closest Boston Whaler factory is over 100 miles away on the East Coast of Florida. How many motorists do you think were exposed to the Boston Whaler brand on this one trip? Now multiply that nationwide, and you can see the power of one simple idea.

So, I salute you, Boston Whaler wrapper idea guy!

The lesson here is: Never pass up an opportunity for mobile outdoor advertising. How many of you own company vehicles that have no advertising on them? Shame on you!
The one-time and relatively low fixed cost of vehicle wraps and signs can pay dividends for years. Don't let those impressions go to waste!

Until next time,


Jeff Copeland
Tampa Bay Search - Solutions for Small Business

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How to Sell More Used Toilets

Welcome to the first post in my new blog about marketing for small businesses in the Tampa Bay area!

One of the features I plan to offer regularly is "Windshield Wednesdays". In these posts, I'll share a picture of some outdoor advertising (usually shot from the windshield of my car) I've run across in the Tampa Bay area (good, bad, or ugly!), along with some insights or lessons that may apply to you and your small business.

My first post in this series features Layman's.

Layman's has the benefit of some prime real estate fronting US-19 in Clearwater (which carries as many as 100,000 vehicles per day according to wikipedia), and is clearly visible from both sides of US-19. That's over 36 million impressions per year! Layman's location couldn't be more perfect for outdoor advertising.

And this is the image and message that Layman's has chosen to share with it's potential customers over 30 million times per year:

Wow!

Like you, from looking at their sign, I have no idea what Layman's does, what they sell, or what they're trying to communicate to me and the other 30 million or so motorists who pass by each year. And I'm not exactly inclined to call now - are you? What a waste!

(For what it's worth, I actually stopped in to Layman's. They were closed, but from what I could discern, they seem to sell an assorted collection of used and recycled household items, namely toilets.)

For the record, I salute Layman's for trying, and wish them all the best, but I hope we can all learn from their mistake. Clearly, "Layman's Used Toilets: (727) 531-3801" would be a much more effective message to display to passers by if your advertising goal is in fact to sell used toilets, and I'm sure Layman's could do even better than that if they put their minds to it!

The moral of the story is: Put some thought into what you want to communicate to your customers with your outdoor advertising. And design your advertising, website, and marketing materials for potential new customers who don't already know who you are or what you sell.

That, my friends, is one of the many secrets to growing your small business!

Until next time,

Jeff Copeland
Tampa Bay Search - Solutions for Small Business

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