On March 17th, from New York City to Singapore, those in a festive spirit put on their favourite green T-shirt and drink till they pass out to celebrate everything Irish. In Belfast alone, the yearly parade and concert attract thousands of people. Those are lots of potential pairs of eyes that could land on your brand. Want more stats?
13 million pints of Guinness (twice the normal amount) will be sold on St. Patrick’s day worldwide.
Due to the nature of the holiday, it is a no-brainer that alcohol brands will make a marketing push during those days, but that doesn’t mean that other types of products can’t get some of the action as well. In the past brands like Oreo and Dunkin’ Donuts have made marketing campaigns around the date.
Why should you promote your brand during St. Patrick’s day?
This is a no-brainer: people are having fun and see your logo — instant connexion. Much like a marketing campaign, when you launch a special promotion you’re presenting to your potential customers a new way to engage with your brand. Need new banners and/or profile pictures for your social media? Need a new idea for a blog post? Look no further. You could even modify your logo for the special occasion. With a rich mythology such as St. Patrick’s the possibilities are almost endless.
Holidays are also a perfect occasion to create a sense of urgency. E.G. special discount during St. Patrick’s weekend. Sure, not the most creative idea, but it is still effective. Make it very clear that it is for a limited time only.
- It associates your brand with a positive experience
- It allows you to differentiate yourself from competitors
- It’s an easy way to create new content
- It presents opportunities for promotions
- It’s a day when drun — err… relaxed people spend more*
*Is it wrong to take advantage of people’s lower inhibitions? I’m just sayin’.
And how should you do it?
Well, by distributing green garments with your logo on them, of course! Everyone needs a green tee for St. Pat’s and if they’re don’t want to take one, remind them that someone will pinch them if they don’t. You could even hire someone to actually do it— we’re kidding, of course (or maybe not?).
Ok, back to topic. Branded merchandise will:
Last longer than any other campaign
Think about it, ads on TV and radio charge depending on the amount of time they’ll be airing. Adwords and publicity on social media, while it can last as long you want, also charge per impression or click.
Save your money when printed in bulk
The more you order, the lower the price per unit will be. Simple.
Give you an opportunity to present potential customers with something of value
Just an ad and/or a cheesy jingle don’t cut it anymore. If you want the crowd’s attention you’ll have to give them something that’s of use to them.
Promote your business for less
Merchandise it’s cheaper than other types of advertising. Especially if you consider the amount of time it could potentially last after it is handed out.
Get your green T-shirts here!
And it so happens that we’re a T-shirt printing company. What a coincidence! So if you’ve read this article until this point (Yay you!) and were thinking that this might be a good idea, we can make your shamrock-green T-shirt dreams come true.
Do you like this one? Get it here.
And how about this one? Get it here.
This one is pretty cute if we may say so… we’re talking about the T-shirt. Get it here.
There’s always the option of a hoodie. After all, March is still pretty chilly in the northern hemisphere. Get it here.
Get in touch and one of our account managers will advice you on the best possible solution for your case.
Some of the best St. Patrick’s day marketing campaigns ever
And in case you need some inspiration for your St. Patrick’s day inspired event, here are some of the best St. Patrick’s day marketing campaigns we were able to find online.
In order to celebrate St. Patrick’s in 2014, the Irish Tourism Trade made this powerful video about the reasons Irish people have to be proud of. When done well, feelings can be a powerful marketing tool.
Brando, Dublin-based digital advertising agency, created an Irish version of the Facebook “Like” button. Nothing says pride like giving a big thumbs up in your mother tongue.
Legendary whiskey brand, Jameson created this revolutionary “3D” video for social media. The first of its kind, according to them. Even though it is technically not “3D” the effect it’s still pretty cool.
While some marketers use emotions, others decide to stick to humour which is also a good marketing tool. Neil “St. Patrick” Harris is effective thanks to its self-awareness about the fact that Heineken is not an Irish beer.
And this list wouldn’t be complete without Guinness which is, for some people, the beer that equals St. Patrick’s day. There were many to choose from, but we ended up with “Round up your mates for a Guinness” because of its quirky sense of humour and quintessential Britishness.
Final Words
So? Will you give it a try? Will you take advantage of the festivities to promote your brand? Let us know if you will and we’ll give you a hand with the promotional merchandise. Remember that we’re here to make printing easier for you.
Sources:
2017 Belfast St Patrick’s Day Parade
St Patrick’s Day 2016 – Everything you need to know from parades and concerts to history and legacy
St Patrick’s Day: some helpful facts and figures
Text: Harald Meyer-Delius
Research: Harald Meyer-Delius and Luna Giontella
Printsome is an online T-shirt printing agency in the UK based in London that delivers all across the UK, from printing T-shirts in Brighton to York and anywhere in between. So, if you’re after a T-shirt or custom clothing, get in touch for a quote and indulge yourself in some awesome customer service.
