The compliance industry (SOC-2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR) is notoriously unsexy. Yet Lewis Carhart, CEO of Comp AI, proved that even the most boring B2B space can become culturally relevant through irreverent marketing.
1. The Strategy
“If we did something completely different to everyone else, like memes or trying to make a cool story around the industry and product, it would make us stand out more.”
2. Key Marketing Wins
The Moon Purchase
Comp AI spent $5,000 buying the moon in Pieter Levels’ game. Results: 250,000 views on X, 2,000 new followers in one week, customer mentions during sales calls.
The Wedding Suit
Indie hacker Dagobert sold logo placements on his wedding suit. Comp AI bought space. Dagobert closed over $100k in sales as their first hire. Coverage from CNN, People Magazine, and Australia’s major morning show.
The Henrick Johansson Account
A parody account of a stereotypical slow European VC obsessed with compliance. Results: 25 million impressions in the first month, 25,000 followers, followed by Vitalik Buterin and Marc Andreessen. They sponsored a NYC coworking space event themed around the character.
3. Attribution and Measurement
Comp AI deployed AI-powered note-taking software during sales calls that automatically flags brand touchpoints—wedding suit, Henrick account mentions, billboard sightings. Data feeds into HubSpot for measurable attribution.
4. The Replicable Playbook
- Identify what’s boring in your space
- Test small, unhinged ideas without seeking permission
- Measure what sticks through sales conversations
- Double down on winners through memes, posts, videos, and offline activations
- Build interconnected campaigns where one viral moment feeds multiple channels
5. Key Takeaway
“The easiest way of figuring out if something is working for you is to literally just do it. See what works, see what doesn’t, and then figure it out as you go.” Companies willing to take creative risks in conservative spaces gain disproportionate competitive advantage.