7. THROUGH SOCIAL NETWORKING AND WORD-OF-MOUTH ADVERTISING, CREATE A LEGENDARY BRAND IDENTITY THAT SPREADS LIKE A BEARD FIRE

As word spread about Blackbeard and his crew, Blackbeard’s reputation became surreal. Blackbeard realized that if he could create an image that defied that of everyday life, he could scare some of his victims into compliance and establish an even more powerful reputation. He let his beard grow out to his chest, braiding the ends with red and black ribbons that would flutter in the wind. Blackbeard also began to wear a blood-red jacket that stretched from his knees to his neck. Over the coat, he wore a leather sash that held eight loaded pistols. The pirate stowed a long sword sheathed in a silver casing in his belt. For a hat, he wore a black 360-degree rimmed hat with long strings braided into it. When other ships approached, he would light these long strings so that from far away, it seemed as though his whole face was a ball of fire.

With news of his devilish persona came stories of cruelty and horror. One lady claimed that when she refused to give Blackbeard her golden ring, he sliced her finger clean to obtain the ring. Another story claims that Blackbeard told hostages that if their ransom were not met, he would personally hang each one of them. Luckily, they complied, and he did not hang anyone. Newspaper reports spread from England to Boston, listing Blackbeard’s numerous crimes and adding details to his unique character.

Blackbeard’s strategies worked, and soon, news of him had spread from Jamaica to England to Boston. He was regularly featured in papers and was wanted worldwide for piracy. From 1716 to 1718, he routinely stopped ships all over the Atlantic. Although his actual plundering and whereabouts are unknown, he is said to have attacked at least 700 vessels. What is known for sure is that he did have homes in both Bath, North Carolina and Ocracoke Island. Here, he had a safe refuge from the law and a retreat from sea life. He had a safe shelter because the locals liked him because of the cheap goods he sold. This earned him a “get out of jail free card,” and he could move about freely.

Take Away

Be yourself. Be creative. Have fun. Repeat.