Unforgettable Marketing Campaigns that Drive Results

In this episode, Joshua Ramsey shares the inside story of a wildly successful and unforgettable pest control marketing campaign that fused creativity, strategic messaging, and data-backed KPIs. He breaks down how aligning emotional impact with analytical planning can lead to breakthrough results. Joshua also discusses the difference between creative and data-driven CMOs, the role of attribution, and the overlooked power of proper H tags and programmatic advertising in modern marketing.

Unforgettable Campaign: The Fake Rat Strategy
Joshua developed a 12-touchpoint campaign for a pest control company that included sending fake rats and roaches in branded boxes. The emotional shock, humor, and strong message (“It’s more than a logo; it’s a shield of protection”) triggered immediate calls — resulting in six closed sales, including a military base contract (the company’s biggest in 43 years).
Aligning Spend with Lifetime Value
The campaign was budgeted so that just one closed sale would pay for the entire cost — minimizing risk and maximizing ROI. This approach emphasizes strategic spend, value modeling, and engineering the campaign backward from desired outcomes.
Message + Placement = Results
Joshua reinforces that marketing fails when the message isn’t clearly placed where the audience will connect with it. It’s not just what you say or how — it’s what the audience perceives.
Creative vs. Analytical CMOs
He explains the two types of CMOs:

Both are needed, but businesses must identify what fits their growth stage and goals.
Measuring Campaign Success
He shares examples like a jewelry store using Google My Business clicks to track direction requests — a hidden KPI that drove in-store visits. Even without perfect attribution, consistent tracking helps guide better decisions.
Attribution & “High Tide” Effect
Joshua points out that full attribution is often impossible — brand exposure compounds over time. But asking customers how they heard about you and combining it with digital data gives a clearer picture.
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