Captain Sensible makes political capital out of crisp endorsement

When a brand first dips its toe in the murky waters of marketing it usually opts for something low-key or traditional.

Seabrook Crisps, on the other hand, took a different tack when it launched the first marketing activity in its 61-year history.

Displaying either touching naivety or massive cojones, the family-run company eschewed the usual channels and instead teamed up with punk icon turned 80s pop star Captain Sensible to become the official sponsor of his political protest movement, the Blah! Party.

Not only is the move a first for Seabrook, it is also the first time food packaging has been used to support a political cause. Promotional packs of crisps will also carry a foil strip featuring key messages and party details.

Quite how Seabrook and the Captain came to stand shoulder to shoulder on the hustings is something of a mystery, but they seem to be happy with each other.

“The Blah! Party stands for no-nonsense, straight-talking politics, values that Seabrook firmly identifies with,” says the snack manufacturer.

The Blah! Party’s not inconsiderable aim is to attract 300,000 members, become the biggest political party in the UK and the “number one party of protest”.

It says it wants to offer people “a mouthpiece to voice their disapproval of the leading parties’ policies and decisions that just don’t make any sense”.

Seems the Captain wants to see a bit less Happy Talk and bit more action. Not to mention a few more crisps.

And he is keen to endorse his new backers, despite their origins: “Here’s a company with all the right values, even if they are northerners! Just like me, they’re proud to be different – quirky, but sensible. We both stand for all that puts the ‘Great’ in Britain.”