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•  The Story

I was recently asked to develop a new business pitch for one of Canada's most respected breweries. After knocking back a few in the name of "research" I opted to send them a simple letter entitled "We're Thirsty."

After reading the letter, Sleeman sent the agency an RFP. A stellar achievement I thought, until we found out that 60 other firms had received the exact same one.

Realizing that the agency's credentials were not strong in this product category, I determined we needed to do something audacious if our proposal was even going to be noticed.

We decided to freeze our proposal firmly inside a 400lb block of solid ice and deliver it to their office before anyone arrived. There was no indication of what was inside. Only the cryptic line "Have a Cold One On Us" that could be seen shimmering through the ice. By 7:30 that morning, every Sleeman employee had seen it and was talking about it.

Then precisely at the stroke of noon, a second letter containing the ice pick was delivered.

Back at the agency, feelings of euphoria over what we thought was a very clever pitch, quickly gave rise to quiet panic as a week went by without a word.

But just when I figured I'd better start updating my resume, a Sleeman truck pulled up and dropped 48 cases of beer on the agency's front steps. I knew right then that we had either won the business, or it was one hell of a consolation prize.

Then the driver handed us a letter. It read: "Congratulations. You're In."