Happy Croissant Day! Happy Origami Day! International Talk Like a Pirate Day! (Arrrhhh)
It occurred to me when seeing recent posts commemorating National Biscuit Day and National Gin Day that I don’t recall the existence of any of these celebratory dates during my childhood. There were the odd occasions when our school assembly celebrated St George’s Day or St Patrick’s Day with some enthusiastically sung hymns and stories, but other than that I personally draw a pretty broad blank!
Organisations such as the United Nations raising awareness for global issues have utilised the concept of a named ‘date’ for years, for example the International Day of Families was implemented in 1993. In recent years, this concept has migrated to popular culture intrinsically linked with the rise of social media platforms and the content demands that come along with them. We now have dates dedicated to everything from appreciating coffee and talking backwards to World Emoji Day.
Social media channels are content-hungry, so tying in content and campaigns to themed dates has been a content creator’s dream as the industry has exploded. Without a doubt, the hashtag culture, trending topic lists, and the opportunities to publish photos, graphics and videos associated with these themes have amplified the reach and impact of these acknowledgements – especially on the days that hold more significance.
According to daysoftheyear.com there are well over 100 celebratory days in June alone, ranging from Love Island Day (yes, seriously) to the widely acknowledged and supported World Environment Day.
With this many causes for celebration and commemoration available; how can hotels and venues choose and then utilise these days effectively, without risking the perception of inappropriate trendjacking?
Relevance
For a special observance day, week, or month campaign to truly resonate, it is imperative that it is relevant to both the audience and the brand. This means choosing days that align closely with your values and offerings. For example, a pet food company celebrating National Pet Day makes perfect sense, as would a hotel that may be launching a new dog-friendly initiative allowing owners to bring or include their pets in an upcoming stay. Star Wars Day – less so!
Trendjacking for the sake of it can risk brand reputation. Ensure you’re practising what you preach, especially on days that invoke emotional responses, positive or negative.
Planning
How can you make your campaign the most effective? What is your ultimate objective? Whether it be raising awareness, to inspire an action – a survey completion for example, or for commercial gain to drive bookings for a particular package, it’s crucial to dedicate time and thought to plan your activities. Mars Wrigley’s M&M’s are widely considered to ‘own’ Halloween in the US and have stated that they “plan for the season years in advance to ensure we satisfy shoppers’ needs”.
While you may not be looking to turn around millions of dollars from M&M’s, the message remains the same. Taking the time to research the observance, celebration, or commemoration taking part on that day can make a significant difference to your outcome.
Entertaining, Engaging, Educational
Capturing attention is more challenging than ever with the average attention span now said to be just 8 seconds. Whether your chosen medium is social media, online media, podcasts, or radio – the content you’re producing must tick one of these boxes:
Entertaining – is it (actually) funny, beautifully visual, or perhaps surprising? What emotions will it trigger in your target audience? What lands for some, falls flat with others, so understanding your audience is key if you’re heading down this route!
Engaging – Is it a piece of content that your target audience would share with their friends and family, therefore extending the life and the reach of the content, or, will the media be interested in the angle that you’re using? Who remembers the Ice Bucket Challenge? It started as a simple social media campaign for ALS awareness, quickly going viral for all the right reasons.
Educational – are you providing new information? For example, is it a piece of research or a report that has relevant information pertaining to the day, week, or month in question? Pull out the key facts and make them the campaign and message.
When implemented effectively, special ‘dates’ relevant to your brand or activities are an incredible opportunity for hotels and venues to increase bookings, build your community or drive engagement. Time to get planning!
Some of the Custard team’s favourite ‘dates of the year’
Petra: Hug your Boss Day
Lesley: National Crisp Day
Dan: National Chocolate Hob Nob Day
Steph: National Black Cat Day
Louis: World Wildlife Day
Simone: National Smile Month
Maria: National Take your Dog to Work Day
Anna: Squirrel Appreciation Day
Chloe: Pride Month
Maud: National Wine Day
Georgie: World Book Day
Mike: National Sandwich Day
Stef: International Cat Day
