Don’t be the brand that makes the news for insensitive marketing. Use these 5 tips to prevent garish and offensive promotion in the buildup to Veteran’s Day.
1. Consider what your audience is feeling/celebrating/honoring
Many holiday weekends are in honor of previous tragedies. For instance, leading into Veteran’s Day consider that your potential clients might have had family members who served overseas. Do they want to see marketing that is out of touch and over the top, or something subtle that honors the lives in service of our nation?
2. Be apolitical
Politics are a no-go topic for a reason. With certain holidays being more focused on touchy topics, it’s important to be neutral. We are all aware of the politics associated with the military, and so are other companies pushing Veterans Day campaigns. To avoid parting those on your left or right like the Red Sea, drive a general message that recognizes those who have served. Keep it patriotic and bipartisan.
3. Avoid bandwagon marketing if it does not relate to your company mission
The ultimate sign of disconnected marketing is offering a sale or discount purely because of a holiday weekend. For instance, think about how it might look to simultaneously post about honoring veterans alongside large bold text that reads 50% off or don’t miss this sale (if your products/services are completely unrelated to this holiday).
4. Thank the troops
Context-sensitive marketing only works if you remember the context of the holiday you are framing your marketing around. Posting online without honoring the meaning of Veteran’s Day could perhaps even do lasting damage to your brand.
5. Get personal
The best way to be considerate in your marketing is to be personal. If anyone in your company has had friends or family members who served tours, highlight them and their stories. Highlight employees who have also served tours. This adds a pure human dimension to your brand, removing the corporate aspect that many customers are turned off by during sensitive holidays.
If you utilize these tips, then you should be able to proactively participate in holiday marketing in a relevant way for your brand.
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