The Brand Benefits of Celebrating Obscure Holidays

Consistent customer engagement is foundational to driving better business results, but maintaining (and continuing to elevate) that throughout the year can be challenging. Leveraging obscure holidays and observances can provide an effective platform for creating yearlong brand visibility that’s disruptive, creative and fun.   I was reminded of this recently when a host of brands jumped into the April Fool’s Day celebration. Eye-catching stories and funny videos filled my social media feeds and were included in all types of news coverage. I watched as the City of Ely introduced a new electric paddle and as Netflix swooned over John Stamos. Quilted Northern introduced Rustic Weave, its new artisanal toilet paper, and Caribou Coffee teamed up with Uber to give pedi-cab rides through the Minneapolis skyways.   These experiences leave a lasting impression – whether you’re new to the brand or a long-time customer. They’re memorable because they’re relatable and show the human side of your product, service or business. And they’re successful because they follow a few basic (but important) guidelines:

• Know Your Audience. And I mean REALLY know your audience – well beyond their basic demo information. What’s important to them? What are their pet peeves? This is a perfect opportunity to show that you “get” them and deepen the connection.
• Optimize Omnichannel. Make it a holistic brand experience to get the most out of the strategy. Use all of your key channels to successfully engage people and motivate them to broadly share the experience.
• Be Bold AND Strategic. Celebrating obscure holidays is all about being disruptive and requires a willingness to take risks. It takes a big, bold idea and inspired creativity, but it must be tied to the business strategy to achieve results that matter. What do you want to accomplish? How will you measure it? If done well, this can be a powerful way to move the needle.

  So which obscure holiday will you celebrate? With a new one every day, there is unlimited opportunity to find the perfect platform for your brand. And for the best possible results, make sure you are inspired in your ideation, strategic in your planning and bold in your execution.   Wishing you a wonderful Decorating Month and a very happy Kickball Day!