The Promotional Idea Showcase - Fall 2004 - Updated Quarterly

Promotional Planning Calendar

 

JANUARY

National Tea Month. What’s so great about tea? Research shows that green tea may prevent cancer, restrict blood cholesterol, control high blood pressure, lower blood sugar, suppress aging, deter food poisoning, prevent and treat skin disease, stop cavities and fight viruses. Still not convinced? Tea generally also has about half the caffeine of coffee and also makes for soothing lotions, shampoos, bath soaks, candles and more.

January 1: New Year’s Dishonor List. Since 1976, Lake Superior State University has been issuing its annual list of words and phrases that should be banned from the English language due to overuse. Compiled from a list of several thousand nominations, the list is a good barometer of sayings that many people are just sick of hearing. Previous additions include: “ramp up,” “bling-bling,” “sea change,” “got game,” “LOL,” “extreme” and “untimely death.” Check out LSSU’s Web site (www.lssu.edu/banished/) to see what’s irking them in 2005.

January 4: Trivia Day. Your thumb is the same length as your nose. The edge of a quarter has 119 grooves. There are no words in the English language that rhyme with purple, silver, month or orange. Find these and other interesting facts online at www.absolutetrivia.com and www.corsinet.com/trivia/.Have trivia contests and give away promotional products as prizes or generate goodwill by giving employees or clients trivia calendars or games.

January 20: Penguin Awareness Day. So maybe most of us have never seen a real live penguin except behind the glass at the zoo. Doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate the animals (or birds, or whatever they are). They can be used in promotions as something that does its best to survive in cold, harsh conditions, or just because, well, they’re kind of funny. A tougher sell, we’re guessing, is Squirrel Appreciation Day on January 21. (If you can find something to appreciate about them, let us know.)

January 25: First Winter Olympics: Anniversary. Held for the first time in 1924 at Chamonix, France, the Winter Olympics is a natural tie-in for sports-related promotions. Also, with 16 nations participating, it can further the idea of international or intercultural relations. Ski shops, lodges, skating rinks, sports bars/restaurants, local teams, schools, instructors and others can use this day for a special promotion.

January 28: Fun At Work Day. Make the workday more enjoyable for employees. Try joke contests (the clean kind, of course), humorous signs or posters, readily available games/toys and other products that lend themselves to smiles and laughter.