Marketing Inspiration

Social Security Shenanigans

Everyone knows you're supposed to guard your social security number like a state secret. After all, those nine digits are the open sesame for criminals who want to run up huge tabs on credit accounts opened in your name. They get new computers, Caribbean holidays and expensive watches; you get to spend years rebuilding your credit.

So it's more than a little shocking to watch this television ad for a service called LifeLock. It shows a large panel truck cruising the streets of Manhattan with the social security number of its CEO Todd Davis emblazoned in a bright red, easy-to-read font. We kid you not—it's right there for all of New York, and anyone with a television, to see. The seeming insanity continues at the LifeLock Web site, where the first words you'll see are: "My name is Todd Davis. My social security number is 457-55-5462."

It turns out Davis isn't out of his mind. Instead, he's actually making the best possible case for his product. "Why publish my social security number?" he asks. "Because I'm absolutely confident LifeLock is protecting my good name and personal information, just like it will yours." He finishes off by announcing a $1 million guarantee.

You can probably anticipate why we consider this Marketing Inspiration: By making himself as vulnerable to identity theft as anyone can possibly be, Davis exhibits a breathtaking confidence in the service he sells. How we can convey that level of faith in our own companies?