Planning A Marketing Campaign For Veterans Day

Planning A Marketing Campaign For Veterans Day

With Veterans Day just around the corner (November 11, 2021), many brands are busy strategizing to make the day memorable from a marketing perspective. Veterans Day provides brands with an opportunity to connect with the 19-million strong veteran community, which is close to 10% of USA’s adult population. Before we proceed, it’s important to understand the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day. Veterans Day vs Memorial Day vs Armed Forces Day Veterans Day is a federal holiday that celebrates the contribution of U.S. military veterans. It is observed on November 11 every year. Several states observe Women Veterans Day on June 12 in honor of the contribution made by women to the United States Armed Forces. The observance also recognizes the unique challenges they faced during service.

Memorial Day is a public holiday that honors soldiers who died while serving the nation. It is observed on the last Monday of May every year.

Observed on the third Saturday every May, Armed Forces Day honors individuals currently serving in the military.

Challenges faced during patriotic-themed marketing campaigns Marketers often run into challenges while creating Veterans Day campaigns. This can be attributed to the knowledge gap existing between marketers and the military community. As a

result, most Veterans Day marketing campaigns appear self-serving and fail to represent the military community.

The challenges mainly stem from marketers assuming that all military veterans were combat veterans. This leads to marketing campaigns that alienate majority of the military community.

It’s important to realize that the veteran community comprises many diverse professionals, from pastors to nurses to cooks. These members are often ignored but they remain an important part of your target audience.

Marketing suggestions to impress the veteran community 1. Launch military discounts or offers for active duty personnel and veterans Exclusive discounts for the veteran community can help retain their loyalty. Many companies go the extra mile and offer free products for them on Veterans Day. Sit with your team and come up with exclusive deals for veterans – make them feel special on this memorable day.

2. Make veterans the focus of your branding Remember that a Veterans Day marketing campaign is not about your brand. It’s about their service. We agree that companies have to stick to brand guidelines while planning the campaign.

But it’s important to not sound patronizing or self-promotional. Pay homage to them and let your branding effort play second fiddle.

3. Go beyond the “Thank You” messages Many brands will be posting “Thank You” messages for them. Can you go a bit further and plan your campaign around a strategy that can benefit veterans? You could:   

Have employees volunteer at a local non-profit that benefits veterans and their families Contribute a percentage of every product/service sale to a non-profit that works for veterans Launch a veteran’s program that either employs veterans or provide training to bridge skill gaps

4. Support/Sponsor/Organize events for military personnel Search and zero in on national and local veteran events. Offer sponsorships or set up a booth at the events and offer your products at good discounts.

5. Opt for On-base advertising Veterans trust on-base advertising. They feel a sense of connection with companies that advertise on-base. They are likely to recommend these products to family and friends.

We hope this article helps you prepare for Veterans Day. Contact us if you need more advice on how to celebrate their service. You could also explore our range of promotional products and give them away as marketing giveaways. We have a range of products designed to impress veterans. Let us know if you need any help and we will gladly be of assistance!

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