Some people think Captain Morgan is a pirate. He’s not. He’s a buccaneer. He’s also the 6-foot-5-inch living embodiment of a global rum brand lauded for sparking legendary adventures.

We were tasked with developing a global campaign that would engage his Facebook fans more deeply, bring on board new ones and sell more bottles of Captain Morgan rum too. Simple. Our starting point was clear: what would excite The Captain’s target market?

His fans across the world love fun, friends and stories of past glories, so we wanted to create an adventure as an incentive that was so legendary they would move heaven and earth to engage with and provide them with stories for years to come.

How about a 3-day trip to Captain Morgan’s private Caribbean island, with a series of Shipwrecked-style challenges, where consumers around the world could compete for a cash bounty? What if we flew in Captain Morgan himself and Hollywood superstar Mena Suvari in to host, and invited all his fans? That’s how we reached The Captain’s Island.Sadly we couldn’t bring everyone, so we had to select the 42 most worthy crew members from 13 countries. This was done via an interactive Facebook application, where fans collected virtual keys to win the trip. Keys could also be collected on-pack through purchase, in bars and other marketing channels.

Facebook application: The entry mechanic to make it to The Captain’s Island event - the culmination of the campaign: 5 challenges themed around Captain Morgan’s character, where fans earned 5 keys. PR and Content:Mena Suvari brought on board as a spokesperson to communicate key messages via social media communities and in short brand movies, helping drive consumers to the Facebook application.Product and POS:Campaign-specific packaging and POS developed with unique codes for consumers to enter into the Facebook app, proving a link to sales.In-bar engagement:Campaign-branded POS and experiential activity where Captain Morgan visited accounts, delivering messages directly to consumers.Online advertising:Facebook/digital ads helping recruit new fans.TV advertising:The campaign name and concept was used in ATL activity in key markets.The Captain’s Island Event:A total brand takeover of a Caribbean island, creating a fully-immersive Captain Morgan experience for the 42 consumers from 13 markets.

The key campaign results were as follows:• 1 multi-discipline idea implemented in 13 markets – 3 more than required;• 118,000 fans engaged with the Facebook application - 17% over KPI;• 582,000 new fans acquired over the campaign period – more than double the KPI;• An increase from 6% to 11% in wall interaction rates;• 727,000+ views of online content created – nearly 3 times the set KPI;• Over 800 pieces of branded coverage – almost double the KPI;• Delivery and implementation of one 3-day branded Caribbean island event for 13 countries and 42 consumers;• 1 in 5 participants in the German test market bought a bottle of Captain Morgan, proving a link between the campaign and sales.