Holiday Marketing Ideas That Make You Shine Bright this Season
You should strive for inclusive and diverse marketing all year. It’s even more important during holidays when the “traditional” holidays such as Christmas and Thanksgiving are in the spotlight.
These holidays are great for marketing and celebrating, but there are other events and groups that your audience will appreciate.
We’ve collected over 40 examples of inclusive holiday marketing to help you shine this season.
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Marketing ideas and examples for November inclusive holidays
These inclusion-focused marketing strategies for November are a great way to get things started
Native American Heritage Month
The Library of Congress and National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities and National Gallery of Art are all good resources for incorporating Native American Heritage Month in your diversity equity and inclusion efforts this year. The Holocaust Memorial Museum, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Insituation, and the Library of Congress all pay tribute to this November monthly observance.
Native American Heritage Month, which is celebrated every November, celebrates the contributions of first Americans to the United States’ growth. It also remembers and considers the hardships that indigenous Americans have faced.
National Day of Mourning
Historically, Thanksgiving is a historical accurate description. It would also include the devastating impact it had on Native American people. This is why we have the National Day of Mourning every Thanksgiving to remind us of the pain Native American people may still feel today.
These are just a few ideas to help you think of ways that your company can honor Native American Heritage Month and the National Day of Mourning.
- You can amplify Native Americans’ voices by giving your Instagram account over to a Native American from your community for a one-day “takeover”. They can share posts or go live on your stories about Native American Heritage Month.
- You can incorporate the National Day of Mourning and Native American Heritage Month into your Thanksgiving messaging by sharing more conscious content about the holiday’s impact upon Native Americans.
- The free Native American Heritage Month resources are available on the U.S. Small Business Administration site. You will find statistics to share and lists of Native American-Owned Businesses to partner with.
- Use a hashtag on social media to spread awareness. #NAHM is the official hashtag for Native American Heritage Month.
National Adoption Month
There is always much to be said about family during the holidays. This makes it even more important to remember those who are not from a traditional family. This is possible with National Adoption Month which is celebrated each November to raise awareness about children in foster care. These are some of the ways you can incorporate it into holiday marketing campaigns.
- Avoid traditional parental roles in holiday copywriting. This could make audience members without that type of parent feel excluded.
- To be more accommodating to families with different family structures, adjust your content. Instead of promoting an event only as a family day, promote it as a friend and family day or festival day.
- Your business can highlight a great adoption story from your community. Ask your friends, family members, and employees to share their stories to show how they have inspired you during this month.
- Raising awareness about adoption in minority groups. For example, did you know that adoptions done by LGBTQ+ couples only became legal in all 50 states just a few years ago in 2017?
Day of the Dead (November 1st & 2)
Day of the Dead, also known by Dia de los Muertos in Mexico, is a Mexican holiday which honors the spirits of the dead. It is a two-day celebration that begins every year on November 1, and continues into November 2. This fun and colorful holiday is believed to open the gateway between the spirit world and the real world. Many Mexican-Americans feel that they can communicate with loved ones who have died during this time.
Nearly 20% of the U.S. populace is Mexican-American, so your audience will likely include people who celebrate Day of the Dead. These examples and ideas will make your Mexican audience feel included in holiday marketing.
- To spread the word about Day of the Dead’s traditions, share fun facts and host a virtual trivia contest.
- Decorate your office or store with Day of the Dead skulls and flowers. You can use your temporary decor to share on your company’s website or social media.
- Remember those who have died. Do you, or your employees, have ever lost a loved one or friend that you would like to remember? Day of the Dead offers the perfect opportunity for you to do this! To give your audience a more personal view of your business, you could share their story via social media.
Forget-Me-Not Day, November 10)
It is not uncommon for veterans to be burdened by the effects of service-related mental and physical hardships. In fact, counting only wars from 2001 and beyond still amounts to about 1.5 million veterans with service-connected disabilities in America. Forget-Me-Not Day is a day to remember wounded veterans. Here are some ways your marketing can do so.
- If your marketing budgetallows, donate your time, resources or money to a local Veteran’s organization or shelter.
- Your website accessibility is important to your disabled veterans (and civilians) customers. No matter what level of assistance the user may need, take the time to make sure your website is easy to use. This website accessibility checklist will help you get started.
Women Entrepreneurs Day (November 19)
Only four of every tenentrepreneurs are women in the U.S. Women Entrepreneurs Day is an annual event that takes place on November 19. It aims to change this.
This inclusive holiday is needed as America is still far behind other nations in terms of female entrepreneurs. Comparatively, Latin America and the Caribbean have 50% of all entrepreneurs being women. This holiday can have a significant impact on your business.
- Use social media posts or email marketing campaigns to share surprising statistics about female entrepreneurs. These will engage your audience and spread awareness.
- You could partner with a woman-owned company. You could promote each other in-store and online, offer samples or discounts, or both.
- Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Organization (also known as WEDO) is a hub for Women Entrepreneurs Day. You can find many ways to increase your marketing for the day on its website, including ways to donate, events you can attend, custom hashtags and inspiring stories.
Transgender Day Of Rememberance (November 20).
Transgender Day of Rememberance is an annual event that takes place on November 20. It honors and remembers transgender victims of anti-transgender violence. It was established in 1998in Memory of Rita Hester who was a transgender woman and was stabbed in Allston in Massachusetts in the same year.
This inclusive holiday is crucial to recognize because these acts of violence continue to occur. In fact, 2020 was the most violent year in record for transgender persons. These ideas will help your business become a transgender ally for Transgender Rememberance Day.
- Volunteer or donate to your local LGBTQ+ organization.
- Openly sharing your support on your website, social media and local listings will help spread awareness and acceptance.
- You could ask your employee, friend, family member or community member to allow you to share their story via email or on social media.
- Transgender voices can be amplified by sharing public speeches, posts and other content from transgender people. Even better, you could give your “mic” to a transgender person from your business’s network by allowing them to take over social media.
Examples and marketing ideas for December inclusive holidays
These December marketing tips will help you embrace diversity.
Rosa Parks Day (December 1)
Rosa Parks Day takes place twice a year, one on December 1, and another on February 4. This inclusive holiday is meant to honor Rosa Parks, a civil rights leader and hero.
Rosa Parks’ story is one that every American citizen will never forget. She bravely refused to give up her seat for a white passenger on December 1, 1955, after a long work day. E.D. started the Montgomery Bus Boycott with this action. Nixon, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders of the time. Here are some ways your company can observe Rosa Parks Day.
- Your audience can learn more about Rosa Parks, Civil Rights Movement and share your favorite books. Rosa Parks wrote several books about the Civil Rights movement, including Rosa Parks, My Story and Quiet strength: The Faith, Hope, and Heart of a Woman who Changed a Nation
- You can partner with a Black-owned business to run a campaign that focuses on civil rights and standing up for what you believe.
- You can run a Rosa Parks-themed giveaway. A Rosa Parks museum is located at Troy University in Alabama. Your audience could enter for a chance to win tickets or a trip to the museum.
Human Rights Day (December 10th)
Inclusion is about making sure everyone feels like they belong. This is why Human Rights Day, which falls on December 10, each year, is a great holiday to include in your inclusive marketing.
Human Rights Day was established by the UN in 1948. It aims to declare the rights that all human beings have, regardless of race, color religion, sex or gender.
- To inspire others to take part in human rights events, share your experiences with them. You can help spread awareness by simply attending an event in your local community.
- Make a public playlist with your favourite songs about human rights. You have many inspiring songs that your audience will love to hear, so it is easy to create a playlist on platforms such as Soundcloud, Pandora, Soundcloud, Soundcloud, Soundcloud, Soundcloud, Soundcloud, etc. Your business name should be included in the playlist’s title to ensure that your audience thinks of you as they listen. You could also have the playlist played in your office or store and share a quote of one of your favorite songs on social media.
Hanukkah
Hanukkah , also known as the Festival of Lights , is an eight-day Jewish holiday. According to the Hebrew calendar, Hannukah begins on the 25th of Kislev. Hanukkah traditions include exchanging gifts and lighting a menorah. Here’s how you can get your business involved in Hannukah celebrations:
- The best thing about any holiday is the food! Food! Share a Hanukkah tradition recipe via marketing channels.
- When decorating for Christmas in your store or office, remember to include a menorah and dreidels.
- For post inspiration, use our Hanukkah captions.
- You can take advantage of the eight days of Hanukkah and write a email or blog post that shares eight tips, eight top products, and invites your audience to read them.
Kwanzaa (December 26 – January 1)
Kwanzaa, a seven-day African American holiday, is celebrated every year from December 26 through January 1. The celebration celebrates seven cultural principles: self-determination and collective responsibility, unity, creativity, purpose, faith, and cooperative economics. These ideas will help you incorporate the Kwanzaa values into your inclusive holiday marketing strategy.
- Your audience should focus on one of the seven Kwanzaa Principles and discuss how their business strives for it. You could, for example, incorporate unity or collective accountability into your video advertising strategy by showing your audience behind-the scenes of the teamwork of your employees.
- Make sure you include Kwanzaa when decorating your office or store for Hanukkah and Christmas. Each day of Kwanzaa, for example, requires seven candles to be lit. These candles are called Kinaras and are placed in an arrangement called Kinara. A Kinara could be added to your décor, or you could include traditional Kwanzaa crops like ears of dried corn.
- Use any of these Kwanzaa hashtag captions.
- You can add a new twist to your product or offer and make it more Kwanzaa-ready by changing the name or color.
Examples and marketing ideas for January inclusive holidays
While some of the more popular holidays are over by January, there are still many holidays that you can use in your inclusive Marketing Strategy this month.
National Braille Literacy Month
January is Braille Literacy month because Louie Braille was born in January, which makes January the birth month for the braille system’s creator. This month-long observance is intended to raise awareness for those with visual impairments. Here are some ways your company can participate in National Braille Literacy Month.
- Check your website for visual accessibility features. Then optimize your site to make it more accessible to visually impaired users.
- To entertain your audience, share fun facts about braille to spread awareness and educate them. For example, did you know that Braille is primarily created by just Six dots? There are also separate codes for math, music, walkways and other purposes!
January 16th is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed on the third Monday in January to mark his birthday, January 15. It is no secret that Dr. King was a key figure in American history, as he led the civil rights movement. This holiday is often known as Civil Rights Day because Dr. King was so influential on civil rights movements in the 1950’s and 1960’s. As we strive for equality in the country, Dr. King’s legacy is still evident today. These ideas will help you celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- To celebrate Dr. King’s work, share a story or quote from his life with your audience.
- Be a leader by following Dr. King’s example of peaceful protest. Are there causes in your industry or community that you are passionate about? To discuss the topic, hold a peaceful event in-person or virtually with members of your community.
National Religious Freedom Day (16 January)
National Religious Freedom Day takes place each January 16. This is because the Statute for Religious Freedom was adopted on January 16, 1786. This statute established the foundation for the core principles that our country stands by today. It guaranteed the freedom to practice any religion. These marketing strategies for Religious Freedom Day will show how your company cares about the holidays.
- You should ensure that you use diverse images for your website, social media, Google Ads campaigns and other marketing materials. You might include photos of women wearing hijabs or men wearing kippahs and yarmulkes. We have more tips for inclusivity in advertising.
- Participate in an online National Religious Freedom Day discussion to share your religion and encourage others to do so. It doesn’t matter if you don’t practice any religion at all. This inclusive marketing concept will acknowledge the fact that every person’s religious journey (or lack thereof), is unique. You’ll also be building your brand community by encouraging open discussion among your audience.
- Share resources about laws and regulations related to religious freedom with your audience.
International Day of Acceptance (January 20, 2019)
International Day of Acceptance is fairly new as it was established back in 2010. It was established to promote social acceptance of people with disabilities. Every January 20, International Day of Acceptance is celebrated. It reminds us all that everyone should be able to be themselves, regardless of their abilities. These inclusive holiday marketing strategies can be used to help your audience feel more comfortable and accepted.
- Create a new product or service that is tailored to the needs and interests of people with disabilities.
- Your customers can benefit from your knowledge and resources on disability acceptance, allyship, and acceptance.
- Use the hashtag #dayofacceptance to spread the word about this inclusive holiday and use the symbol of acceptance (a wheelchair intertwined in a heart) as a creative element.
Chinese New Year
Most people believe that holiday celebrations end on December 31. However, the Chinese New Year keeps them going. It occurs between January 21-February 20, depending on the Chinese Lunar Calendar. Celebrations can continue for up to 16 days after the public holiday ends.
These are some ideas for celebrating Chinese New Year
- You can share the Chinese Zodiac Chart on your website or social media, so your audience can see their Chinese Zodiac. 2023, for example, will be the year the rabbit. It might be a special year to some customers whose birthday coincides with that of the rabbit.
- To publish thought-provoking and engaging posts, use our New Years’s Instagram captions
- You can partner with a Chinese-owned business to offer patrons a special deal during Chinese New Year.
Your holiday marketing should be inclusive for this year
It is vital to acknowledge other perspectives and beliefs, and to speak up for minority groups. There are many ways to demonstrate equity, diversity, and inclusion during the holiday season. These inclusive marketing examples can be used as an inspiration for your holiday promotions.
Here are some holidays and observances that we have covered.
- November
- Native American Heritage Month
- National Adoption Month
- Day of the Dead (November 1st & 2)
- Forget-Me-Not Day, November 10)
- Women Entrepreneurs Day (November 19)
- Transgender Day Of Rememberance (November 20).
- December
- Rosa Parks Day (December 1)
- Human Rights Day (December 10th)
- Hanukkah (changes every year)
- Kwanzaa (December 26 – January 1)
- January
- National Braille Literacy Month
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day (16 January)
- National Religious Freedom Day (16 January)
- International Day of Acceptance (January 20, 2019)
- Chinese New Year (changes every year)
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The post 46 Inclusive Holiday Marketing Ideas to Shine Brilliant This Season was first published on WordStream.