In this episode I'm joined by Sam Conniff, the author of Be More Pirate, creator of Uncertainty Experts and stand-up comedian. I speak to Sam about what marketers can learn from the pirates (which is a genuinely interesting look back in time), how we can deal with uncertain times and find out what his best joke is in his new hobby, stand-up comedy.

To win a copy of Sam's book, you just have to guess the number of books he's sold. Send me a message on LinkedIn with your guess.

What we covered:

Why hot pink is the colour of a punk rebellion
Creating a challenger brand pirate operation inside a large soft drink company
The fear and loneliness of the challenger
Why piracy inspired a book about being an entrepreneur
How today is like the golden age of privacy
The forward thinking nature of Piracy that are relevant today
How piracy is a creative rebellion
Pioneering fair pay, equal relationships, insurance scheme, democratic process
How the pirate flag became the worlds first super brand
How ‘surrender or die’ was a very effective strap line
Protecting the pirate brand guidelines
The power of shared values in victory
What do you do with no money
Why values based results never materialised
How fear drives decision making
Navigating yourself off the map
The pirates that work in the Navy
How the pirate code ensured strong accountability
The role of advertising in a post consumer society
The fantasy of the ‘business plan’ compared to lived values
What are you willing to fight for?
The best modern day pirates
How pirates end up becoming the navy
Turning land-fill firehoses into luxury items
The 5 Pirate Principles also known as the 5 ‘Rrrrr’s’
The upheaval that led to becoming an expert on Uncertainty
What you can learn from gang members in prison
How the pandemic was predictable
The truth in most situations is ‘I don’t know’
There is discovery in doubt
The profound impact of increasing your uncertainty tolerance
Sam shares a surprising new talent

Why every marketer should be more pirate - Sam Conniff

Uncensored CMO