Marketing Strategy By Robert Ferrand
Today, the United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) is warning U.S. Flag ships of eminent danger. However, the average American voter does not know what “U.S. Flag Ship” means or that there is even a “Merchant Marine”. The following proposal is intended to change this situation by creating a “National Merchant Marine Marketing Campaign” that enlightens the American “Media” and thereby, in turn, the American Voters, to the importance of U.S. Flag Ships.
The original prophetic, “The Last Liberty” documentary film, produced in 1987, has been re-written, with additional stunning modern footage, to lay the foundation to put the “United States Merchant Marine” on the American “Media” radar screen by providing an historical context to current events.
“Lessons of the Last Liberty” has the “Media Story” that provides a modern perspective of the historical importance of the United States Merchant Marine from 1776 to Today. Starring President Franklin Roosevelt, President Vladimir Putin, with a cameo appearance from Humphrey Bogart, making the stunning statement: “There is no job bigger than this. Let me tell you something. No matter how many planes, and tanks and guns, you pile up, no matter, how many men you got, It does not mean a thing unless the men get the stuff when they need it that is your job, and my job to see that they get it.”
The United States Merchant Marine represents 650,000 Maritime Industry workers. “Lessons of the Last Liberty” will initially be distributed through a “Loose Lips – Save Ships” Affiliate Marketing Program. Whereby, the various Maritime Museums, Ships, Unions and Maritime History Organizations will be able to generate revenue for their individual organizations, by alerting their membership to this film. This “Tell of Friend” program permits a portion of the sale of the video download to be returned to the organization that “originated” the original lead.
However, this “Loose Lips – Save Ships” program would only network within the Maritime Industry and Navy. What is needed is “National Merchant Marine Marketing Campaign” that will permit the “Merchant Marine Story” to reach beyond the Maritime Industry and Navy to reach Americans “a hundred or a thousand miles from salt water”, who have no idea that the “Merchant Marine” even exists.
“Lessons of the Last Liberty” story employs two sequences from “Action in the North Atlantic” which opens the door to an “out of the box” marketing concept: request Warner Brothers to provide their marketing expertise to reissue - “Action in the North Atlantic”, as a promotional 75th Commemorative Issue on behalf of the United States Merchant Marine.
“Action in the North Atlantic”, was “originally“ produced on behalf of the Merchant Marine during World War II. The Merchant Marine was so important, that Humphrey Bogart agreed to deliver the message, himself. History repeating itself, is a good story.
According to a June 24, 1943 Hollywood Reporter news item, “Action in the North Atlantic”, was used in Merchant Marine schools as a part of their training sessions, because the War Shipping Administration believed that the film contained technical and educational material that would "aid considerably the training program."
Marketing the “Lessons of the Last Liberty” and “Action in the North Atlantic” together provides a symbiotic marketing opportunity for the Merchant Marine. This “National Merchant Marine Marketing Campaign” would permit “Premiers” at each of the Maritime Academies, which, in turn, would permit national and local media to harvest stories at each “Premier” event.
Additionally, the Maritime companies that comprise the American Maritime Partnership and their workers could take the “show” back to their home towns for presentation to local schools, civic groups, scouts, and anyone who will listen. This grassroots effort could focus Congressional Leaders on the importance of the Maritime Industry to justify the increased funding that will be required to rebuild the United State International Ocean-going Fleet of Merchant Ships.
Then, the Maritime Academy cadets, themselves, class after class, can take the “road show” on the road. This “road show” can travel to Conventions, museum ships, and anyone who will listen, spawning additional grassroots efforts to provide the Maritime Industry greater support. Additionally, MARAD then has a “road show” that can “Foster and Promote” the “Merchant Marine Story” for years to come, by “Channeling the Wisdom of our Ancestors”.
www.thelastliberty.com