We kicked off the first weekend of May with the infamous Star Wars day followed by Cinco De Mayo – both highly recognized holidays that restaurants and companies across the nation capitalize on to catch the consumer’s eye. If you’re a PR pro nowadays you know that there is a holiday for pretty much anything and everything imaginable, and if you think of a unique campaign to piggyback off of the designated day, you could land your client some solid coverage.
We may not get these “holidays” off from work, but they have benefits that surpass the extra day we get off to relax and celebrate Labor Day or the Fourth of July. (But don’t get me wrong; we love those holidays, too!) In order to stay relevant, sometimes all a pitch needs is a timely tie to change a reporter’s response from pass to I’m interested!
From National Watermelon Day to National Chicken Wing Day, we’ve learned to love these “unofficial” days here at Fish and we know we aren’t the only ones. Take a look at these additional uncommon holidays that have given brands more than their 15 minutes of fame.
National Donut Day
Here’s one we all know but there’s no way our ancestors were rolling up to their local Dunkin’ to cash in on their free doughnut. This has become a well-known day that we look forward to every June – and it’s definitely stirred up quite the competition over the years amongst doughnut shops on every level. National and local news outlets tend to cover the news and in recent years social media influencers have also been looped into the mix when promoting the holiday.
National Flip Flop Day
Another summertime favorite that generates positive brand recognition annually. Our friends at Tropical Smoothie Cafe created National Flip Flop Day in 2007 and now it’s a well-known tradition tied to giving back. Every year, customers visit participating locations across the nation wearing flip-flops to receive a free smoothie. The company collects donations from customers through a $1 paper flip-flop that is sent to ill children and their families to Camp Sunshine.
National Pancake Day
Never thought I’d be celebrating the mixture of flour, baking powder, salt and sugar but here we are. By offering a free item – pancakes in this case – IHOP has successfully been at the forefront of this big day year after year. Bringing hundreds of thousands of customers through its doors, National Pancake Day has become a staple event that keeps the 60-year-old brand top of mind.
National Hug A Plumber Day
Definitely not as well known as the few mentioned above, but this day is a true testament to the kind of visibility these holidays can give to a brand. The Mr. Rooter Plumbing team secured coverage in Parade, ABC News and more by tying a not-so-exciting story on what plumbers find in their day jobs to a day that’s dedicated to them. Who knew!
Whether you learn about them through Instagram hashtags or trends on Twitter, if you plan ahead and get behind an upcoming day that relates to your brand you could be pleasantly surprised with the outcome. If you’re looking to brainstorm ideas for the remainder of 2018 – Days Of The Year is a great resource to check out!
