If you know what I’m talking about, I’m sure you’re already smiling. If you don’t know – you’ve got about 30 years of reading to catch up on. But, I’ll try to sum it up and explain why there’s a classic marketing lesson lurking in the waters.
In July 1997, Eiichiro Oda published the first chapter of One Piece. The manga has gone on for over 1000 chapters, adapted into a long-running anime, fifteen feature films, a Netflix series, video games, card games, and built a sense of adventure across generations.
Even with such a legacy behind it, fans have been asking if Oda has a plan at all… or if he’s just buying time while he figures out where everything is going.
And, on March 3, 2026, Oda announced that he was literally sending the ending of this 1000+ chapter story to the bottom of the ocean for the bravest fans to seek out and discover.
In her book Fascinate, Sally Hogshead outlines key “fascinators” that connect what you do to what your audience wants to hear. There are seven – mystique, alarm, lust, prestige, power, vice, and trust – and each one can be used to make your brand fascinating.
Oda uses mystique here, by building up a mystery (for a very long time) and dangling the answer, from a literal fishing line, in front of us all. If you wanted to emulate this, you don’t need to rent a submarine or build a treasure chest.
Mystique can be as simple as some strategic silence when everyone else is talking; you don’t need to build up decades of mythos. Listening with care, observing trends, and making magic behind the curtain all build up mystique. Even taking the time to listen to criticism, and learning from it, can make your brand more interesting. Fascinating.
The reason this clever stunt is worth talking about is that it’s a masterclass in earned media. With just a simple 2-minute video and the promise of adventure, Oda very quickly got everyone’s attention. I can guarantee that you’ll be hearing about this real-life search for the One Piece for weeks to come.
But it wasn’t as simple as making an announcement. This specific instance of commercial storytelling is cashing in on decades of building up a dedicated audience attracted to exactly this type of story. So… how do you do that for your business?
The key to this activation is that Oda took a concept (the fictional treasure hunt from his story) and brought it to life. While your business likely isn’t based on hunting for treasure or diving into the ocean, I’d bet a few berries that you do have some gold waiting to be uncovered.
Take a good look at what it is that you offer. Not just the food on the plate, the speed of your Service Level Agreement (SLA), or the line item on the invoice. Try to find the heart of your offering. Are you providing your customers with comfort? Reliability? Or just a really good time?
Marketers are nerds, and we keep a close eye on what people are talking about, and why it works. The thing is, nobody can see and hear everything.
Just like how Oda fills his character’s crew up with a variety of talented individuals, your business also needs help in order to see and do everything you need to do to succeed in today’s over-saturated markets.
If your team is missing a swordsman, giant robot, or a sky-walking chef, there might be people on the Thousand Sunny who you can call. And if you’re looking for marketers, the merry crew at Giant Shoe Creative is here to help.
Book a call with us and let’s talk about your business (or the latest chapter of One Piece).
Editor’s Note: Removed the joke “What do a pirate and a marketer have in common? Hooks.”
