It’s that time to look ahead and consider what’s available to the smart direct response marketer to create…

…a marketing calendar for December 2026.

That is to say, occasions, events and anniversaries that we can use as the building block for marketing campaigns and promotions.

December of course means…

…CHRISTMAS…

…with the NEW YEAR not far behind as a marketing event.

New Year provides a great marketing opportunity for pretty much any business.

Even now in November, it’s not too early to run with the theme…

…”Make 2027 Your Best Year”…

…which can apply to businesses in health, relationships, personal finance and success in general.

In December, New Year’s resolutions will be on people’s mind…

…so this is an excellent time to promote any kind of personal development product…

…as well as business-oriented offerings.

Remember to plan and launch your New Year promotion well in advance and in good time for January 1.

With Christmas, keep in mind…

…any specific customs in your area.

For example, in Sweden the Yule season starts on December 13 with Santa Lucia Day.

For a slightly darker yuletide tradition, consider “Krampusnacht”. Falling on December 5, the night before St. Nicholas’ Day, Krampus is a mythical character, appearing as a sort of a horned, devil-ish monster. Krampus has been used as a means to scare children into behaving ahead of the Christmas holiday, sometimes carrying a bundle of twigs used to swat children. Krampus may also have the power to take away gifts given by St. Nicholas, replacing them with coal.

It’s also the December Solstice on December 21 (at 20.50 UTC…20.50 GMT…check the time in your location).

Other significant events in December… [Read more…]

On this Halloween 2026, I am revisiting a piece first published many years ago.

Since then, the marketing world has been transformed by social media, smartphones, video content and, most recently, artificial intelligence.

And yet something rather frightening has happened…

In many ways, the marketing industry seems to have drifted even further away from the timeless principles championed by the great marketers of the past.

Today, businesses can generate blog posts, emails, social media updates and advertising copy in seconds.

They can use AI tools to create images, analyse data and automate entire marketing campaigns.

Yet despite all this astonishing technology…

…many marketers still fail to measure results.

Many still don’t truly understand their customers.

And many still mistake activity for effectiveness.

Perhaps the most chilling discovery of all is that while modern marketers have embraced artificial intelligence, many have neglected the very human intelligence found in the classic works of people such as Claude Hopkins, Bruce Barton and David Ogilvy.

The result?

Far too many businesses are producing more marketing than ever before while generating fewer meaningful results.

So, before the demons of wasted advertising budgets, declining response rates and generic AI-generated content come knocking at your door…

…let’s hear some warnings from beyond the grave.

Let’s start with one of the early giants of direct response marketing… [Read more…]

We have not yet reached Halloween…

…and my local stores are now in full-on, 100% Christmas mode!

Not just Christmas promotions either…

…this year everyone seems to have jumped the gun on “Black Friday” and started well ahead of the supposed date on the day after Thanksgiving in the USA!

So if you haven’t already started planning and preparing for your end-of-year and other holiday promotions…

…there’s no time to lose!

Below, I am republishing a special guest post that has proven very popular since it was originally published many years ago on the “Total Package” site (sadly no longer active).

It’s from Troy White…

…with some great marketing tips that can be applied for other seasonal events, not just Christmas.

Before that…as a starter and useful addition to the main piece…here’s an extract from a pretty much “evergreen” post by Ryan Deiss and the folks at DigitalMarketer…

…“Why You Need to Start Working on Your Holiday Marketing Strategy NOW”…

4 Steps to Get Your Holiday Marketing Strategy Off the Ground

1. Figure Out What Holiday(s) Your Audience Cares the Most About

Decide what holiday will work best for your company. Are you a pop-up costume store? Do you sell heritage-breed, artisanally-raised turkeys? Pick the holiday that makes the most sense for you and your customers. [Read more…]

Here’s the regular look ahead…

…this time at the coming month of November 2026…

…for events, occasions and anniversaries to use for campaigns and promotions in your marketing calendar for November 2026.

FIRST…a reminder that the end of the year and CHRISTMAS is fast approaching!

This year, the first Sunday in Advent falls on November 29.

For pretty much all marketers, Christmas and the New Year is a time of peak opportunity to make sales…

…BUT there is a lot of competition of course. So, it’s important to be well prepared.

Before that…in the USA it’s…THANKSGIVING (this year on Thursday November 26).

(In Canada, Thanksgiving Day is just over 6 weeks earlier on Monday October 12).

“Black Friday” follows, which marks the start of the Christmas season shopping frenzy!

On a more somber note, November 11 is Remembrance Day (Veterans Day in the USA).

Another occasion to note…

…”Singles Day” in China on November 11…which has become one of the world’s biggest online shopping days of the year.

There are also a number of religious holidays in November across a number of different faiths. For example, Diwali on November 8. Check the details if it’s appropriate for your audience.

Here’s a more comprehensive list of events and occasions… [Read more…]

Here’s a look ahead at the month of October 2026 and some of the events, anniversaries and occasions that smart marketers can use as the basis for an event-driven promotion…

…to create your own marketing calendar for October 2026.

The most prominent occasion, beloved by many marketers, is “Halloween” on October 31. Given what’s already happened in 2026…

…Halloween might well provide some light relief!

The origins of Halloween seem to be a mixture of pagan festivals marking the end of summer…

…combined with the idea that at this time of the year the spirit-world comes close to our world…

…adopted by the Christian religion as the eve of “All Souls Day”.

Whatever, it’s the traditional occasion to acknowledge the afterlife and the supernatural.

So, an opportunity to use themes in your promotions like…

“It’s Scary What You Are Missing!”

“Now a spooktacular, very limited time, opportunity”

“Terrifyingly scary profits coming your way…”

…and so on.

The theme of FEAR (of loss, for example) can also be used…

…but don’t get too frightening about it!

World Space Week 2026 takes place October 4–10, commemorating two historic milestones: the launch of Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957, and the signing of the Outer Space Treaty on October 10, 1967. Established by the United Nations in 1999, this annual event celebrates humanity’s achievements in space science, technology, and exploration while promoting international cooperation and education.

October has many other events and occasions… [Read more…]