Marketing Like a Castaway

Here’s a hint as to the identity of today’s master in marketing: When I asked what his pie-in-the-sky marketing dream was, he sighed like Ahab hunting the white whale.

“I would love to get cast members from The Bear” — Hulu’s Chicago-set show ” — “to record announcements or do videos for us, highlighting what a Chicago icon we are.”

“We’ve had quite a few cameos in it, and it’s made us look really good.”

Any guesses?

Meet the Master

Eric Munn, Director of marketing, Chicago Transit Authority

Job: Juggling the marketing of the second-largest public transit system in the U.S. with a government agency-sized budget. (That’s a lot smaller than it sounds.)

Claim to fame: Introducing these sweet limited-edition throwback CTA passes

Fun fact: Juggling isn’t just a day in the life of a scrappy marketer. Eric can also juggle apples … and take a bite of them at the same time

Lesson 1: Digital is important — but it’s not everything.

Munn is by no means a Luddite, but he cautions against focusing so much “on the current and latest trend [that you] forget about the reliability and success of some old-school marketing that’s as simple as mailers or billboards.”

Yep, even if your audience is mostly Gen Zers and young millennials.

I was surprised that the CTA’s target audience skews that young, but “those are the people still learning their transportation habits.” It makes sense — he’s marketing to older teens who are using public transit on their own for the first time and 20-somethings who moved to Wrigleyville after college graduation.

So I was doubly surprised at how keen Munn is on old-school advertising. Mailers? Billboards? In this economy?

Photo courtesy Chicago Transit Authority.

But one of the CTA’s most successful campaigns is a new resident mailer, reminding them that the CTA is just $2.50 to ride. “I think it’s a great way for a Chicago icon like the CTA to welcome you to the city.”

It may seem like an old-fashioned marketing tactic, but Munn says he hears from people who kept that postcard because it was the first mail they received as a newly minted Chicagoan.

Old doesn’t have to mean passé. Mailers, billboards, sponsorships, partnerships — these are all “really great ways to still get your brand and message into places, and might be a lot more affordable.”

Photo courtesy Chicago Transit Authority.

Lesson 2: Go local (or at least regional).

Last year, the CTA implemented its first influencer campaign, beginning with three Chicagoland influencers. Munn outlines two big advantages to this strategy: Affordability and a higher probability of success.

Munn was pretty specific about what he wanted. “Our campaign was focused on using the CTA because it saves you money, which means more money in your pocket to go do all of the things that Chicago has to offer.”

So he sought out influencers who make content like “five things to do in Chicago this weekend” or “Chicago’s hidden gems.” Because there aren’t as many creators doing this type of content as, say, a top travel influencer, these niche accounts often have extremely engaged, valuable followers. And compared to top travel influencer prices, local influencers are more affordable, even on a smaller marketing budget.

(And FWIW, all evidence indicates that Munn’s onto something: HubSpot’s latest State of Marketing report identified niche-influencer marketing as a rising trend in 2025.)

Lesson 3: Relationship-building stretches in every direction.

Munn says that some days he feels like Tom Hanks’ character in Castaway, who “had to get really innovative with very few resources.” When you’re working for a government agency, “resources are very tight. You’re doing a lot of hard work.” And sometimes you want to knock out your own teeth with an ice skate.

So when he talks about building relationships, he’s casting (pun intended) a wide net. Riders, social media users, even marketers at other public transport agencies (“a really cool group, because they’re not my competitors, right? We’re all rooting for each other.”).

“I have introduced myself to many — I call them transit advocate accounts — people who are just regularly posting about the CTA or just about public transportation in general,” Munn says.

He takes the time now to get to know them “so that when I have a campaign, I can reach out to them and say, ‘Hey, we’re thinking about doing this, and I wanted to get your thoughts.’” (I used to work in the same office as Munn, and can vouch that this isn’t a cynical marketing play; he’s as genuine as they get. I’m unsurprised to hear that he’s found success with this tactic.)

If you’re facing leaner budgets, lower head count, or other belt-tightening measures, think about the meaningful relationships you can build outside of the usual stakeholders. Like Hanks’ Castaway character, use what you have around you to build your own success.

Lingering Questions

This Week’s Question

What is a blind spot in the marketing world that, if addressed, would make people’s lives better? —Jeff Wirth, Co-founder of the Interactive PlayLab

This Week’s Answer

A major blind spot in the marketing world is forgetting that most people aren’t as aware of your brand as you are.

Many brands use messaging that already assumes people know who you are or what you offer. Make sure you’re clear about what your product or service is going to do to help people. Witty and eye-catching is fun, but the conversion is in solving people’s problems.