August “National Day” Campaign Ideas for Local Advertisers

National Dog Month

Did you know that U.S. consumers spent over $136 billion on pets in 2022? Additionally, more than 65 million households in the U.S. are home to at least one dog.

These furry friends are part of the family and provide opportunities for various advertisers to leverage. There are traditional options like local vets that could offer discounts for new clients. Local pet supply stores could create specific promotions as well. Dog spas and daycares may want to develop specials or branded ads about their services with pictures of their very happy customers.

Beyond these advertisers, pitch ideas to:

• Photographers: Urge them to promote photo shoots with dogs.
• Restaurants: Many offer dog-friendly treats or allow them to dine outside. It’s a good time for them to remind customers of this.
• Travel brands that include dog-friendly adventures: August is an excellent month to get this messaging in front of dog moms and dads.

Most of these ad ideas are visual in nature, which works great for over-the-top (OTT), social media and email. You can also recommend radio ads and SMS campaigns to expand the messaging.

National Golf Month

According to the National Golf Foundation, there are 119 million golfers in the U.S., which translates to one-third of the U.S. population over age 5 who have played golf! This growth was a 12% year-over-year increase. That’s a broad audience that includes all demographics.

Month-long campaigns to celebrate the world of golf would be great for retailers, public courses and pros that offer lessons. Advertisers can capture new golfers with promos for first-time purchases. They can also target existing customers with attractive promotions.

Since golf is a visual activity, OTT/CTV ads are a great option, as are video display ads. Advertisers can use email and mobile messaging to disperse offers to those in their databases. They can complement these digital ad campaigns with radio and TV spots.

Family Fun Month

Appealing to families can mean different things. The traditional family model isn’t the only one that exists, so go to your advertisers with messages about what it means to be a family and the opportunities to have fun. With more consumers feeling confident about activities and events, there is pent-up demand for these offerings.

Which advertisers make sense for family fun?

• Restaurants
• Activity-related venues (e.g., trampoline parks, escape rooms, amusement parks, arcades, skating rinks, etc.)
• Movie theaters
• Parks and recreation

Family bundles, days dedicated to family fun and other promotions can work with this theme. For any activity or outdoor-related advertisers, encourage them to use video because they are selling the experience. Other options include TV, radio, display ads using geofencing to target locals, and targeting existing customers through email or SMS.

National Wellness Month

The themes of National Wellness Month include self-care, managing stress and promoting healthy lifestyles. The wellness industry in the U.S. continues to grow, with 50% of consumers reporting it’s a priority for them. The spending on wellness products is around $450 billion annually and growing by 5%.

This category includes several different products and services, all great targets for a wellness campaign, including:

• Fitness: Gyms, yoga studios, personal trainers and at-home equipment
• Nutrition: Diet programs, subscription meals, juice cleanses and vitamins/supplements
• Appearance: Dermatologists, salon services and beauty products
• Mindfulness: Therapy, meditation studios and alternative medicines like acupuncture

Some suggestions for tactics and ad ideas for these local businesses include:

• Video and/or OTT/CTV ads that highlight customer testimonials and before-and-after examples
• Social media ads that target consumers with interests in these categories and include a special promotion for new customers
• TV ads that promote bundles and other promotions

The key to these ads will be visuals, as consumers want to see the results before they commit. Keep messaging simple and focused on the benefits of self-care and healthy lifestyles.

National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day (August 4):

Chocolate chip cookies are one of the most popular types and have a place on menus across the restaurant industry. Do a quick review of these menus, and then create a list based on who has them. Pitch them the idea of a free cookie with purchase. Everyone loves free, and it’s an opportunity for them to generate other revenue.

Channels for this include mobile messaging and email for direct promotion to existing customers. Expand it through a social media campaign with appealing pictures of those cookies!

National Book Lovers Day (August 9):

This day is one that avid readers will want to commemorate. It’s also a way for advertisers to create a conversation on social media by simply asking what everyone’s reading. In addition to this, bookstores, libraries and nonprofits can create a message around the power of reading. Being overly promotional won’t be as compelling as talking about how important books are to our lives.

It could also be a chance for other brands to partner with literacy programs to donate. Your advertisers could advise customers that on August 9, they’ll give a portion of their profits to a local charity.

Besides social media, you can suggest SMS, email and radio spots — all executed ahead of the national day.

National Bowling Day (August 12):

Bowling is a fun activity that crosses demographics. It’s both family-friendly and a great place for dates. Thus, your audience is wide open. Creating a campaign around this isn’t exclusive to bowling alleys in your metro area.

It may be an opportunity to bundle and cross-promote with family fun campaigns. Additionally, bowling alleys could partner with other advertisers like restaurants for a special package that includes dinner and bowling.

Some great clips of bowling would work well on OTT or other video ad channels. They can also promote to their current lists with SMS and email marketing.

National Nonprofit Day (August 17):

This is a day to give back to the community. Almost every advertiser you work with, regardless of industry, has a connection to a nonprofit. Many small businesses make this a cornerstone of their values. It’s time to shine a light on this for your advertisers. It speaks volumes about the brand and offers a chance for them to give back a portion of sales for that day.

You’ll want to get ahead of this, starting promotions at least a week before, so consumers can make plans to shop or dine at those places. Social media should be a primary channel, along with radio and TV. They can also send out notifications to current customers via email and text.

National Radio Day (August 20):

We’re throwing this one in there as an option to celebrate radio with your advertisers. You might want to offer special pricing for airtime play on this day. You could also propose that they include a message about the importance of radio, its evolution, and its role in the community.

Additionally, take this opportunity to honor the history of radio with segments on popular shows and social media.

National Senior Citizens Day (August 21):

This day marks an opportunity to market directly to those over 55, and Facebook ads and radio are a great combo to get their attention. Retail and restaurants can offer special discounts for this demographic to capture new customers.