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How “Talk Like A Pirate Day” Became A Sensation - Interview With The Founders

Ahoy, me hearty!

Have you noticed how every September 19, people around the world start talking like pirates and web sites start writing like pirates? It’s called “Talk Like a Pirate Day,” and it’s gotten so big that it was even celebrated on the International Space Station.

I wanted to find out where it started and how it spread, so I could learn how ideas take off. That’s why I interviewed the two founders, John “Ol’ Chumbucket” Baur and Mark “Cap’n Slappy” Summers. Here’s what I learned from them.

Random & fun: This was the most disturbing aspect for me. I like to think that everything can be planned. If you listen to my interview, you’ll hear me constantly ask for the techniques the two founders used to grow their movement (that’s what I do). And they keep telling me there was no business plan. It just happened.

Simple publicity: The only formal publicity they did was email humor columnist Dave Barry. They told him how one day on a raquet ball court they started talking like pirates and that their friends thought it was so cool that they too started talking like pirates. They asked Barry to run with it and he did.

What trademark? I think a key reason that Talk Like a Pirate Day spread is that Baur and Summers allowed anyone to run with it, no limits. You can sell tshirts, call yourself “the official” this or that of Talk Like a Pirate Day, or do whatever you want with the concept without asking their permission. That opens people up to creativity and helps the idea spread virally.

You can be uptight: Another reason the “holiday” spread so fast is that anyone can do it. You just have to toss an “Ahoy!” or “me heart!” into your conversation and that’s it.

Why do you think “Talk Like a Pirate Day” spread so widely?


Right click to download the full interview!

September 18, 2008 | Filed Under Interview, podcast 

comments

5 Responses to “How “Talk Like A Pirate Day” Became A Sensation - Interview With The Founders”

  1. PCLicious Video Tutorials on September 18th, 2008

    Its funny I found this post when searching for “Talk Like A Pirate Day”, some guy in town was dressed as a pirate & said it was talk like a pirate day, but I see it starts September 19th LOL.

    This is hilarious but nice to hear how these guys started it!

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  2. Jacqueleeen on September 19th, 2008

    Great video, nice post. Talk Like A Pirate Day has always been an inside joke for those “in the know” but it seems to be getting more and more popular over time. I think I’ve been drawn to it for 2 reasons: 1- the complete and utter ridiculousness of the “holiday”, and 2- the look on people’s faces when they first hear about Talk Like A Pirate Day.

  3. Andrew Warner on September 19th, 2008

    Jacqueleeen: I wonder if being limited to those in the know helped it build the credibility to spread.

  4. Richard on September 25th, 2008

    Arrrrrr

  5. M!hai @ Freshome on November 10th, 2008

    Andrew ..you should investigate more things like this who became popular, and try to reveal the secrets behind their success.

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