One of my best and oldest friends has a game that he used to play with his family on long road trips that has since taken on a life of its own. I always thought his parents made it up. A little bit of Googling shows that may not be the case. The rules of the game are simple. The first person in your vehicle to see a cow that day must proclaim “Cow, I win!” That’s it. There can only be one winner for the day. A false positive disqualifies you for the day. Bragging rights are your prize. It means nothing…and everything.

I first learned of this game long ago when I joined his family on a camping trip in their RV. After I graduated from college I spent three weeks on a tour bus with him and his band, helping them out. They had a dry erase board in the van that was dedicated to keeping the “Cow, I win” tally. I even introduced it to my friend that I travel around the country with to attend music festivals. You may scoff at its simplicity, but it never fails to make a long car ride a bit more exciting.

Cow Appreciation Day is listed as July 15 in some places. It appears that Chick-fil-A has taken this day to a whole new meaning. They turned it into a big promotion that is actually a week earlier on July 8. Whether you decide to dress up as a cow to receive a free meal, or just teach a friend the “Cow, I win” game, it’s an opportunity for an email campaign. Customize a Benchmark email template and give your subscribers a laugh when they read a subject line in honor of cows.

Teaching your kids the “Cow, I win” game could save some headaches on the road. Me? I’ll celebrate Cow Appreciation day by appreciating the heck out of the thickest, juiciest steak I can find. Followed with a bowl of ice cream and a nice glass of milk.