In a time where safety is an urgent concern and fear is in the air, International Talk Like A Pirate Day on September 19th may seem unimportant. But we think your customers (and your staff, and you) could use some pirate energy. Let’s move past the glaring fact that pirates were vicious criminals and focus on the narrative of lovable scoundrels who deep down just “need their mothers very, very badly.” Let’s turn our imaginations to the appealing aspects of a life at sea: thirst for freedom, the taste for adventure, lots of fresh air and quarantine crew of our choosing. The open horizon beckoning us to explore. The stars aligning for our next great adventure. Maybe a clap o’ thunder or two.
Three Fun Ways to Engage Customers & Lift Spirits with Pirate Adjacent Stuff
Now that our imaginations are activated, let’s drop those daydreams back into reality. Why not take this opportunity to divert customer’s global-scale anxieties about the unknown with small but delightful mysteries —creative surprises they can enjoy in the moment. School, whatever that looks like for your community, will be in session, and whatever that means, some level of stress will inevitably be involved. So let’s do what we do best and infuse creativity and fun into the everyday lives of our customers.
- Kits Ahoy! Make a kit out of pirate adjacent merchandise and feature it on your website and social media platforms. Get literal with the Make Your Own Pirate Ship by Creativity for Kids and Safari Ltd’s Pirate-themed TOOB Set:
Or broaden your oceanic horizons and feature anything aquatic, nautical, adventure-related, aviary or metallic (specifically gold; pirates have a thing for it).
- Shell out some Pirate’s Booty. No, not the tasty snack. Whatever promo you have going on, add a bonus to purchases over a certain amount! The bonus? Add some pirate-y slogans to some paper bags and dole out some cheap and cheery minis, pens and fun erasers!
- “X” Marks the Spot. Host a virtual treasure hunt! Geocaching is a fun activity for people of all ages; it is typically a treasure-hunting game with set coordinates outlining where clues are hidden. Try geocaching or simply hide some prize bundles around your neighborhood and post photo clues on your Instagram throughout the day. Make sure customers share when one has been found! The prize for completing could be a coupon.
Some other fun resources your staff can play with:
- Talk the talk! Post on social media in pirate lingo
- Have your staff give themselves pirate names for the day (mine is Cap’n Caring)
- Infuse your staff meeting that week with a tropical beverage of your team’s choice
- Check out the National Day Calendar page for some inspo and discover that, much like quarantine, “long days at sea give pirates unique qualities.” That’s nicely put…
