Let’s take a look at the coming month of February 2016 for the various holidays, events and anniversaries that smart marketers can use as the basis for a promotion or campaign and to create a marketing calendar February 2016.
And although we’re looking just one month ahead at February, it’s never too early to get started on your preparation for months and major events later in the year. This year Easter falls on 25-28 March and I’ve already seen Easter Eggs on sale!
Linked to Easter are “Shrove Tuesday” (known as “Mardi Gras” or “Carnival” in some countries) and “Ash Wednesday”.
Shrove Tuesday is in large part a final celebration before the season of Lent (a 40 day period meant to be devoted to reflection, repentance of misdeeds and making amends, amongst other spiritual activities). So the day could easily be used as the basis for some kind of “celebration” promotion.
That then leads on the season of Lent itself and for any kind of personal development business, this could be used as a time to encourage people to review and recommit to goals and objectives that may have been neglected. By this stage of the year, it’s highly likely that those resolutions from the beginning of the year will have abandoned (or looking a little frayed around the edges!), so this could be a great reason to revisit those goals and get back on track. For 40 days you have a completely legitimate reason to contact people and remind them of why they contacted you in the first place and how you can help them.
Back to February…
…and Valentines Day (February 14) is the standout occasion for the month pretty much everywhere.
Chinese New Year falls on February 8 (and 2016 is the “Year Of The Monkey”).
Remember also “Groundhog Day” (February 2), now part of the popular consciousness thanks to the classic Bill Murray movie.
February also sees the 88th Academy Awards…better known as “The Oscars”. The occasion provides the opportunity for linking with the awards themselves, as well as having your own “Oscars” for your market. This year the awards ceremony is held on February 28.
Looking at general events…
February 2 – Groundhog Day(again!!)
February 2 – World Wetlands Day
February 4 – World Cancer Day
February 5 – World Nutella Day
February 6 – Lame Duck Day
February 7 – Charles Dickens born in 1812
February 8 – Chinese New Year
February 8 – World Opera Day
February 9 – Toothache Day
February 9 – Shrove Tuesday
February 10 – Ash Wednesday
February 10 – Umbrella Day
February 11 – Thomas Edison’s Birthday
February 11 – World Day Of The Sick
February 12 – Darwin Day (anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin in 1809)
February 13 – World Radio Day
February 14 – Valentine’s Day
February 16 – Innovation Day
February 17 – World Human Spirit Day
February 18 – Battery Day
February 21 – International Mother Language Day
February 22 – World Thinking Day
February 26 – Tell A Fairy Tale Day
February 27 – Polar Bear Day
February 28 – Floral Design Day
February 29 – Leap Day (also Bachelor’s Day)
Taking a look at events in particular countries…
In the USA…
February 1 – National Freedom Day
February 2 – Groundhog Day
February 4 – Rosa Parks Day (California, Ohio)
February 5 – National Wear Red Day
February 7 – Superbowl (50)
February 8 – Chinese New Year
February 9 – Shrove Tuesday / Mardi Gras (Alabama, Louisiana)
February 10 – Ash Wednesday
February 12 – Lincoln’s Birthday (Florida)
February 14 – Arizona Statehood Day (Arizona)
February 15 – Presidents’ Day
February 15 – Daisy Gatson Bates Day (Arkansas)
February 15 – Susan B. Anthony’s Birthday (CA, FL, NY, WI)
February 28 – Linus Pauling Day (Oregon)
February 28 – 88th Academy Awards (“The Oscars”)
Canada…
February 8 – Family Day (British Columbia
February 9 – Carnival / Shrove Tuesday
February 10 – Ash Wednesday
February 15 – National Flag Of Canada Day (anniversary of the adoption of the current Maple Leaf design in 1965)
February 15 – Islander Day (Pr.Edward I)
February 15 – Family Day (AB, ON, SK)
February 15 – Nova Scotia Heritage Day (Nova Scotia)
February 15 – Louis Riel Day (Manitoba)
February 26 – Yukon Heritage Day (Yukon)
The UK…
February 9 – Shrove Tuesday (“Pancake Day”)
February 10 – Ash Wednesday
Australia…
February 8 – Royal Hobart Regatta (Tasmania)
February 9 – Shrove Tuesday
February 10 – Ash Wednesday
…and it’s also the end of summer and “Back to School” in Australia.
Some noteworthy anniversaries…
February 2 (1946) – first episode of the radio quiz show “Twenty Questions” was broadcast (a TV version was launched in November 1949)
February 10 (1841) – the province of Canada established when Britain merger the colonies of Upper Canada and Lower Canada
February 14 (1946) – ENIAC, the first general purpose digital computer was unveiled in the USA
Also…on February 6 1935 the classic board game Monopoly went on sale in the USA.
Hope that provides you with some good ideas for a marketing calendar February 2016. Wishing you every success with your event-driven marketing promotions in February 2016!
UPDATE (22 February 2016):
Today is the “Lantern Festival” for this year…
“The Lantern Festival is a Chinese festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunisolar Chinese calendar. It marks the final day of the traditional Chinese New Year celebrations, and usually falls on some day in February or March in the Gregorian calendar.”