Whomever coined the phrase “raining on your parade” must have had the 2025 edition of the Viking Fest parade in Poulsbo in mind…
This annual parade is part of Viking Fest weekend here in my city. Poulsbo is proudly Norwegian, and this May weekend celebrates and honors Constitution Day—marking the signing of Norway’s constitution in 1814 and the country’s declaration of independence from Denmark. Think lefse and lutefisk, not hamburgers and hot dogs!
As a candidate for mayor, I entered the parade with a small but mighty band of supporters. We had it all dialed in—banner, signs, and energy. The banner and signs—soon to be transformed into yard signs—were hot off the press and ready to spread the word about my candidacy.
It didn’t take long to learn a hard truth every good marketer knows…
My Weedin4Poulsbo logo looked fantastic. It even had a QR code linking directly to my website. But it didn’t actually say I was running for mayor. Somehow, I’d forgotten the most important part of the message!
As the rain started coming down harder, I noticed my campaign manager (and wife) Barb rummaging through her oversized bag—which also happened to carry diapers and snacks for the grandkids marching with us. She pulled something out.
“Wait… is that lipstick?”
She didn’t answer. She didn’t need to.
She and my daughter Kelli went to work writing “For Mayor” on every sign. Seven minutes later, each one had undergone a red-inked metamorphosis: Weedin4Poulsbo… For Mayor!
Lesson learned: A sharp-looking sign doesn’t mean your audience knows what you do or why it matters.
Marketing—like leadership—is about clarity. You’ve got to make your value obvious. Be nimble enough to adapt, humble enough to learn, and bold enough to improve.
The lipstick held up through the rain (miraculously), but I’ll be adding decals to this round of signs—and fixing the message on new ones moving forward. And as I continue to reimagine my website, this little parade reminder will be top of mind.