Richard Branson Says Costumes Can Be a Boon for BusinessThe billionaire's penchant for playing dress-up has served as an effective marketing tool.
ByGeoff Weiss•
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If Halloween is the one day each year you ditch traditional office garb in favor of more whimsical attire, perhaps it's time to reconsider. Take it fromRichard Branson: costuming can be good for business.
In a hilariousblog entrytoday, the billionaire describes his best dress-up moments over the years -- many of which have served as marketing stunts for burgeoning business ventures.
For the launch of the now-shuttered Virgin Brides -- a wedding-apparel retailer -- Branson shaved his beard and gamely donned a gown. To inaugurate various Virgin flights, he has dressed as both a pilot and a stewardess. "It doesn't take much to drag me into a dress," he writes.
Costumes can also serve as subtle jabs at competitors. When reports alleged that Virgin Atlantic was "plundering business from a rival airline," Branson arrived at a launch event dressed like a pirate -- peg leg and all.
Over the years, Branson has also moonlit as Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, a cowboy and a butterfly -- while running the London Marathon, no less. Check him out in all his various getups righthere.
Related:Richard Branson Announces Unlimited Vacation Policy for Virgin Staffers
