From celebrating National Ice Cream Day to promoting Plastic-Free July, this guide explores the social media holidays and awareness days that can help hospitality businesses spark their creativity and maximise July's marketing opportunities.
Contents
Social Media Holiday Dates July 2023
How to Plan Social Media Holidays Workshop Agenda & Exercises
Campaign Ideas for July 2023
Social Media Holidays in July 2023
Here is a comprehensive list of social media holidays, events, and celebrations in July 2023:
July Monthly Celebrations
Blueberry Month
Grilling Month
Hot Dog Month
Ice Cream Month
Peach Month
Picnic Month
Plastic Free July
Watermelon Month
July Social Media Holidays & Awareness Days
July 3 - 9th: Alcohol Awareness Week
July 3: National Fried Chicken Day
July 4: Independence Day (USA)
July 5: Workaholics Day
July 6: National Fried Rice Day
July 7: World Chocolate Day
July 9: National Sugar Cookie Day
July 10: National Pina Colada Day
July 11: National Mojito Day
July 13: National French Fry Day
July 14: National Mac and Cheese Day
July 15: National Ice Cream Day
July 16: National Corn Fritter Day
July 17: World Emoji Day
July 18: National Ice Cream Day
July 18: World Listening Day
July 19: National Daiquiri Day
July 20: National Lollipop Day
July 21: National Junk Food Day
July 23: National Hot Dog Day
July 24: National Tequila Day
July 24: International Self-Care Day
July 25: National Wine and Cheese Day
July 26: National Coffee Milkshake Day
July 26: Disability Independence Day
July 27: National Scotch Day
July 28: National Milk Chocolate Day
July 29: National Lasagna Day
July 29: World Heart Day
July 30: National Cheesecake Day
July 30: International Day of Friendship
July 31: National Avocado Day
July 31: Watermelon Day
How to Plan Social Media Holiday Campaigns
Coming up with fresh and innovative ideas for these campaigns can be challenging. That's where a workshop can help.
A workshop can help brainstorm marketing ideas because it allows for a collaborative and structured approach to generating fresh and innovative ideas.
Participants should include marketing professionals, content creators, designers, and social media managers. The workshop can also benefit from the involvement of key stakeholders, such as company executives, who can provide valuable insights into the brand's vision and goals.
Involve diverse individuals, including those from different departments, experiences, and backgrounds, who can bring unique perspectives and skills to the table.
Here's a sample agenda to get you started
Workshop Agenda
Introduction (15 minutes)
Welcome and introductions
Overview of the workshop objectives and agenda
Explanation of how social media holidays can benefit businesses
Social Media Holidays Overview (30 minutes)
Explanation of what social media holidays are and why they matter
Overview of the key dates in July and the most popular social media holidays
Examples of successful social media campaigns from previous years
Examples of competitor campaigns
Brainstorming Session (30 minutes)
Breakout into small groups
Participants brainstorm ideas for social media campaigns for different holidays
Throughout the meeting, each group presents its ideas to the larger group
Participants provide feedback and suggestions to improve the ideas
Brainstorming Excercise
Set a timer for 10 minutes.
Write down as many holiday-related words and phrases as you can think of.
Once the timer goes off, choose your top three words or phrases.
Set another timer for 15 minutes.
Using your three chosen words or phrases, brainstorm as many social media campaign ideas as possible.
Encourage participants to share their ideas with the group.
Take note of the most promising ideas and build on them further.
Campaign Selection (60 minutes)
Select the best ideas from the brainstorming session.
Selection Excercise
Collect all the ideas generated during the brainstorming session and write them down on sticky notes or index cards.
Create a sorting matrix with four quadrants labelled "Great Ideas," "Good Ideas," "Needs Work," and "Not Feasible."
Have each participant grade each idea by placing it in the quadrant that best represents their evaluation.
Once all the ideas have been sorted, have the group discuss and debate the placement of each idea.
Sort the ideas again based on the group's consensus.
Prioritise the ideas in the "Great Ideas" and "Good Ideas" quadrants and develop an action plan to implement those ideas.
This exercise allows for individual evaluation and group collaboration, facilitating the grading and sorting of ideas fairly and transparently.
Next Steps (30 minutes)
Assign roles and responsibilities for executing the campaigns
Develop a timeline and action plan for each campaign
Summary of the key takeaways from the session
Next steps and follow-up actions
Thank you, and wrap-up
Tips for Running a Successful Workshop
Set the tone for a safe, non-judgmental space where participants feel comfortable sharing their ideas.
Encourage collaboration and active participation among all attendees.
Incorporate creative exercises and activities, like brainstorming or mind mapping, to help generate new ideas.
Avoid criticism or evaluation during the brainstorming process to prevent shutting down creativity.
Open-ended questions prompt deeper thinking and encourage participants to explore different perspectives.
Provide opportunities for participants to take breaks and recharge, as creativity can be mentally exhausting.
Create a visually stimulating environment that inspires creativity, like using colourful posters and playing upbeat background music.
Celebrate and acknowledge all ideas, even if they are not ultimately used.
Encourage risk-taking and experimentation, as failure can lead to valuable learning experiences.
Finally, be flexible and open to unexpected ideas or outcomes, as these often lead to the most creative solutions!
Content & Campaign Ideas for July 2023
Here are some marketing campaign suggestions for July's monthly celebrations, social media holidays, and awareness days:
♨️ Independence Day Specials: Host a BBQ cook-off contest with a UGC Best Home BBQ Sauce Recipe contest.
🍦 National Ice Cream Day Promotions: Encourage customers to invent a new ice cream flavour and vote for their favourite new suggestion.
🛍️ Plastic-Free July Initiatives: Get involved in a community clean-up or show off your eco-friendly credentials.
🍉 National Watermelon Day Specials: Introduce a range of cocktails and mocktails, such as watermelon margaritas or watermelon mint mojitos.
🍹 Alcohol Awareness Week: Promote mocktails and no and low-alcohol beverages.
🧠 Workaholics Day Relaxation Packages: Introduce functional foods and beverages that promote relaxation and stress relief for workaholics.
☕ World Listening Day: Introduce a community listening group for seniors to make friends and share stories, schedule this for quiet times of the week to boost business.
😊 World Emoji Day: Celebrate with props, biscuits & cakes, and social media competitions.
💗 Self-Care Day: Offer healthy foods, drinks, and spa treatments that promote self-care.
🥃 Scotch Tasting Experience: Host a scotch-tasting experience for whiskey enthusiasts.
🤝 International Day of Friendship Collaborations: Nominate a friend for Bestie of the Year and offer special deals for BFFs.
🥑 National Avocado Day Specials: Promote favourite Avo-Toast Toppers with complementary drinks such as smoothies.
🌭 Hot Dog Day Specials: Host a hot dog eating competition or offer special deals on platters.
🍷🧀 National Wine and Cheese Day Pairing Events: Host wine and cheese pairing events or offer exclusive wine and cheese platters deals.
Takeaway
With these popular marketing opportunities, hospitality businesses can reach their audience and boost brand awareness, engagement, and sales in July 2023.
Here's to Your Success 🥂