Remember that silly little thing called homework? Our company was assigned some last month as part of our recently adopted book club.
Although some of us groaned “Aarrgghh,” and a few scallywags reached for a bottle of our favorite rum, most of us buckled down and got to work. Before we knew it, Be More Pirate: Or How to Take on the World and Win by Sam Conniff Allende quickly became our new pink bible for branding badassery.
The gist? As a marketing and branding agency, we could learn a thing or two from the Golden Age, swashbuckling pirates like Bartholomew “Black Bart” Roberts and Edward “Blackbeard” Teach. They were in fact masters of branding and marketing.
The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise aside, when you hear the word pirate, do you imagine an eyepatch-wearing, machete holding, toothless ruffian forcing someone to walk the plank? Allende’s book explains how these sea wolves leveraged the power of storytelling to spread this fearless reputation — letting their brand do the grunt work.
This unrelenting pursuit of branding meant that when a black and white skull flag sailed towards an unsuspecting victim, they would quickly offer up their coveted treasure without a second guess.
Allende says we all need to be a little more pirate, especially when it comes to our marketing.
Our favorite bit of pirates’ advice from the book?
- As a brand, you have to create your message — and by all means, get people to notice it.
- Be your brand. Don’t just talk the talk, but walk the walk (just maybe not on a plank). Davy Jones Locker doesn’t sound like a place you want your marketing plans to end up. (We hear it’s a little damp down there.)
- Remain flexible and adaptable. Don’t blindly go after marketing with little direction. Seems pretty right. No, we said right!
Your brand can channel its inner mutineer spirit to become a powerful agent of change, you just need to establish your company’s pirate code.
Don’t worry — we can help.
Mutiny over the expected is exactly what 2020 calls for. Lucky for you, Madison+Main is filled to the brim with rule-breakers that can help establish your company’s new pirate code. Ready to lay siege to some uncharted waters? Contact us today, matey. #BoldBrandsWin.