He made sure to hit each newspaper that people in his target area were reading. His first letter was sent to three local news outlets for publication. #5 Think About Maximum Exposureįrom the beginning of his time as the Zodiac, this serial killer went for maximum exposure. But it’s equally important to approach them from an angle that the reader hasn’t experienced before, like I do at this very blog. It’s important to write about things that are time and subject relevant, which might seem like you are constantly trying to keep up with the Joneses on topics. When putting your best content forward, as a marketer you want to think differently from the competition. His desire for exposure and recognition made him stick out from most killers who try to steer clear of police and media. We also know he desired media attention, and wanted to be notoriously feared. His words go all over the page, like he’s getting ready to erupt and lose all control at any moment.īut his codes are quite the opposite, controlled and meticulous, with a possible link to military encryption. We know he writes quickly and haphazardly, with a far right slant to his letters. The Zodiac letters tell about the killer, even without deciphering the code. Don’t believe me? Just ask Reddit.Īnd while making Reddit-worthy content may be an impossible task ( marketers, you know what I mean) that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make relevant content that has a timeless appeal. Sleuths today are still trying to break the case open by decoding the cryptic messages. One that might lead directly to the name or location of a prolific serial killer in the 1970s. Of course, the Zodiac letters have etched their mark in American history as the code that couldn’t be cracked. But content marketers should learn to effervesce their own flair for branding in the work they create. The Zodiac used branding to inspire fear and solidify his legacy as a horrific American serial killer. Always seemingly the same, the symbol-based code has not been cracked. On his letters, over a dozen confirmed, he almost always included the symbol. Some victims recall seeing him wearing this symbol during attacks, and other times he would leave it at the crime scene by marking up an object in his path. The telltale mark of the Zodiac is a circle with a cross going through it. In the case of the Zodiac Letters, the killer used a symbol to inspire recognition and fear in the world around him. In content marketing, if you want to stick out you have to find your style and wield it like a badge. When it comes to content, people want to be informed or entertained. All of that is to say, he was strategic about who he reached out to and why.Īs content marketers, it’s important that we get in the head of our intended targets and create things that are timely and relevant. In addition to cryptic letters detailing his desire to collect slaves for the afterlife, Zodiac also phoned police after a few of his crimes to let investigators know it was him and where to find the bodies of victims. A psychiatrist on the case called the Zodiac “ brooding and isolated”, others thought his calculated tactics were that of a former military man. The Zodiac spread fear and confusion by sending letters and cyphers to the local press, a move he knew would get his riddles in the hands of detectives while also causing grave concern among the general public. And if you want the answers keep going: #1 Know Your AudienceĪt the core of content marketing is knowing your audience and anticipating their needs. But as content marketers we want to know what about the Zodiac’s letters offers such timeless intrigue to people almost 50 years later? 5 Content Marketing Tips from the Zodiac Letters In 2017, a show by the name of The Hunt for the Zodiac Killer aired on History channel bringing attention back to the haunting details of the case with intense focus on the Zodiac letters.Īs human beings, we are mortified by the Zodiac killings. But top professionals in cryptography have made little progress in revealing the truth behind the Zodiac killer. It is believed that the Zodiac’s identity could be hidden amongst the symbols that make up the elusive code. Today, cracking the Zodiac’s code remains a mystery. Supposedly, they detailed crimes and victims to come. Many of these letters were encoded with a cypher that could not be broken. Throughout the ’60s and into the ’70s, the Zodiac sent several letters to the press and detectives. Although, there is some evidence to suggest he probably continued through the early 70s before stopping abruptly. The Zodiac’s reign of terror tormented the people of Northern California with a killing spree that culminated in the late Fall 1969 with the death of the last confirmed Zodiac victim, Paul Stine. The Zodiac was an American serial killer who’s identity remains unknown today.
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