Independent Retailer Month

This is a great time for “shop local” campaigns, similar to those around Black Friday. If you have a book of small shops in a central location, they could work together to create bundles of goods for the month. Hit channels throughout the month with consistent messaging on radio, TV, display ads, social media and email marketing. For email marketing, suggest that companies share lists to expand reach.

National Picnic Month

Picnics made a comeback during the pandemic when inside dining was unavailable. They are still popular and align with the growth of consumers visiting national parks and getting outside. Your local grocer could run a picnic pack promotion via radio, TV, social media and display ads. Restaurants can also get in on this with a picnic to-go takeout offer on social media or via SMS or email marketing. Geofencing would be effective as well for those near grocery stores, restaurants and parks.

National U.S. Postage Stamp Day and Postal Worker Day (July 1): Many advertisers have products or services that tie in with mail services. If so, this could be a good day for promoting those. They may also want to take the opportunity to show their appreciation to postal workers. Consider radio, digital display, email marketing and social media for branded ads or promotions. 

National Bikini Day (July 5): There’s nothing like spending time at a beach or pool on a hot summer day. Women will be soaking up rays and seeking relief from the July heat, and they’ll be doing so in style. National Bikini Day is a great way for local retailers to run special promotions on swimwear. The data supports the steady growth of the swimwear industry with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.8%. The expected market may grow to $30.5 billion by 2028. Help your advertisers ride this wave with better ad tactics. Suggest social media campaigns, email marketing and SMS marketing to capture the attention of ladies looking to stay stylish all summer long.

National Fried Chicken Day (July 6): Fried chicken is a very popular entrée in the U.S., and the fried chicken sandwich “wars” continue. Wendy’s and Popeyes recently launched new chicken sandwiches, and Chick-fil-A introduced a meatless version. It’s hard to go wrong with promoting such an American staple, and it’s not just for restaurants. Local chefs or cooking schools could also get in on the action. Recommend social media ads, mobile messaging, email marketing and geofencing to get consumers hungry.

National Piña Colada Day (July 10): Piña coladas are a symbol of summer days. They are festive in nature, so bars and restaurants can leverage this celebration to offer a promo. Additionally, ABC stores or other liquor and beverage retailers could hold similar promos. Channels to leverage include radio, social media and SMS marketing. In each ad category, use a special code for tracking.

National French Fry Day (July 14): Another July national day campaign idea that revolves around food is July 14, where the king of side dishes, french fries, gets its due. Almost every restaurant serves french fries, so offering a free order of them with any other purchase could drive traffic to the advertiser’s location. Display ads that use geofencing will focus on the right target. OTT/CTV and video ads are also good options for this promotion.

National Ice Cream Day (July 16): Did you know that ice cream is a $13 billion industry? There’s no shortage of ice cream lovers, and your advertisers will want to take advantage of this devotion on its national day. Restaurants and grocers can benefit with specials or free items. Promote them through a diverse array of channels, including OTT, display ads and email marketing. These ads are all about the imagery, so they align best with visual or video categories.

Whatever content you create can also play on their social media profiles. They can use it for engagement, asking followers, “How do you scoop?” Companies could choose a winner from the submissions to win a delicious treat!

National Lottery Day (July 17): For those in states where the lottery is legal, this is a great day to remind residents to play to win. State lottery boards are one target for this advertising, but so are retailers that sell tickets — especially convenience stores.

The lottery also benefits states in the areas of education and other public works, so that can be part of the message too. “It could be your lucky day” is a theme to consider when chatting with advertisers. As this is legalized gambling, it’s a restricted category with specific rules around digital advertising, so make sure your station can sell these ads. Radio ads are also a must since AM/FM radio is the dominant audio in cars.

National Hire a Veteran Day (July 25): Many of your advertisers may be seeking employees, as labor markets are currently tight. They may not realize that you can offer them a way to recruit. Creating a specific ad on this day could include the company’s commitment to hiring veterans and could talk about their company culture.

Another angle is for any retailer to use this day to donate a portion of proceeds to veterans causes. It’s a great way to share goodwill and for advertisers to connect with consumers with these shared values.

In either case, these are branded ads versus promotional ones and could work well on radio, TV or via targeted digital channels. 

National Lipstick Day (July 29): The global lipstick market will cross $16 billion by 2025. With multiple product types, it continues to expand. Even for those who don’t wear a full face of makeup, almost all use a lipstick or balm. There are two types of advertisers to pitch to for this day.

First are makeup retailers that could offer a free lipstick with purchase to get customers in the door. They could focus on older inventory that they need to move or lose. Second, there are makeup artists that work in spas, salons or other spaces. A free lipstick with a makeup tutorial appointment could be a worthy nudge. To expand the campaign for this advertiser, you could create parameters that the customer only needs to book by July 29 to get the complimentary lipstick. 

You can target specific demographics with social media ads. Email marketing to current customers is another option, and you could use geofencing to focus on specific ZIP codes near the business.

National Chicken Wing Day (July 29): Chicken wings are a favorite for many consumers. It’s a perennial for parties and has become something chefs experiment with, adding new fusion flavors. Talk to restaurants about promotions for 25-cent wings on that day for eat-in or carryout. Look back through previous campaigns to find restaurants that previously did wing specials for major sporting events. They should capitalize on wing day! Grocery stores are another target. Recommend OTT/CTV, social display ads and email marketing.