Here’s the regular look ahead…
…this time at the coming month of November 2014…
…for events, occasions and anniversaries we can use as the basis for marketing campaigns and promotions.
FIRST…a reminder that the end of the year and CHRISTMAS is fast approaching!
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, November in the USA means…THANKSGIVING (this year on November 27).
(In Canada, Thanksgiving Day is a month earlier on October 13).
This year is the 90th anniversary of the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade (in 1924).
“Black Friday” follows, which marks the start of the Christmas season shopping frenzy!
On a more somber note, November 11 is Remembrance Day…which takes on some added significance with this year being the 100th anniversary of the start of World War 1.
Here’s a more comprehensive list of events and occasions…
November 1 – All Saints’ Day
November 2 – All Souls’ Day
November 8 – International Day Of Radiology (anniversary of the discovery of X-rays)
November 8 – Bram Stoker’s birthday (author of “Dracula”)
November 11 – Remembrance Day / Armistice Day (marking the end of World War 1)
November 11 – Veterans Day (USA )
November 13 – World Kindness Day
November 14 – World Diabetes Day
November 15 – Day Of The Imprisoned Writer
November 16 – International Day For Tolerance
November 17 – International Students’ Day
November 18 – Occult Day
November 19 – International Men’s Day (in 60 countries, but not universally)
November 20 – Universal Children’s Day
November 20 – World Philosophy Day (third Thursday in November)
November 21 – World Television Day
November 21 – World Hello Day
November 23 – Birthday of notorious Wild West outlaw William “Billy The Kid” Bonney
November 26 – Charles Schultz’s birthday (cartoonist and creator of “Peanuts”)
November 27 – Thanksgiving (USA)
November 28 – “Black Friday” (USA)
November 30 – International Computer Security Day / St Andrew’s Day
…and Sunday 30 November is the first day of Advent 2014.
Taking a look at events and occasions in individual countries…
In the USA…
November 10 – US Marine Corps Day
November 11 – Veterans Day
November 27 – Thanksgiving
November 28 “Black Friday”
Canada…
November 2 – End Of Daylight Saving Time
November 11 – Remembrance Day
The UK…
November 5 – Guy Fawkes Day / “Bonfire Night”
November 9 – Remembrance Sunday
November 11 – Remembrance Day
November 19 – National Freelancers Day
November 30 – St Andrew’s Day (patron saint of Scotland)
Australia…
In Australia…the “main event” is undoubtedly…
…MELBOURNE CUP DAY…on Tuesday 4 November.
Remember this is the Spring Racing Season so it’s not just about the one race on the big day.
Melbourne Cup Day also marks the unofficial start of the Christmas run-in.
Remembrance Day is on Monday, November 11 (not an official holiday).
Also, on November 14 there is the G20 Summit in Brisbane.
November 3 – Recreation Day (Tasmania)
November 4 – Melbourne Cup Day (Victoria)
November 11 – Remembrance Day
Moving on to some notable anniversaries this month…
November 9 (1989) – “Fall” of the Berlin Wall
November 16 (1914) – US Federal Reserve System begins operations
November 20 (1984) – SETI (“Search For Extraterrestrial Intelligence”) Institute Opens in Mountain View California
Remember also that 100 years ago World War 1 was in its first year…
…70 and 75 years ago World War 2 was in progress…
…and 150 years ago the American Civil war was still raging.
So, if appropriate for your audience, you will find many anniversaries of notable events in those conflicts.
Finally, for this month of November 2014, one “off-beat” and one business-related occasion.
November 16 – “Birth Of The Blues Day” (anniversary of the birth of musician W.C. Handy in 1873…generally considered to be the “Father of The Blues”)
November 19 – Three major figures in 20th-century business management share this day as their birthday…Peter Drucker (1909), Jack Welch (1935) and Ted Turner(1938)
Wishing you every success with your event-driven marketing in November 2014!
UPDATE (11 November 2014):
Here’s an event that I wasn’t previously aware of…
…but I suspect will become more prominent in the years ahead.
In China, November 11 (11/11) is “Singles’ Day” and it has become one of the largest shopping days of the year!
More about this at…
“What is China’s Singles’ Day?”
UPDATE 2 (24 November 2014):
A Christmas tradition I had overlooked is “Stir-Up Sunday” that falls on the first Sunday before Advent (this year, that was yesterday, 23 November). It’s all about preparing the Christmas pudding…
“Traditionally, families gather together in the kitchen of their homes to mix and steam Christmas pudding on a Stir up Sunday. Parents teach their children how to mix ingredients for the pudding. Everyone takes a turn to stir the pudding mix as it is supposed to bring good luck.”