I have just spent the weekend away with a group of friends and we realised it has been 25 years since we met and started secondary school together. We’re conditioned to celebrate milestones - whether personal, corporate or historic - but in our world of bridal showers, mini moons, gender reveals and extravagant birthday parties, it feels a bit strange that friendship anniversaries have not become “a thing” – clearly Hallmark’s marketing team has missed an obvious occasion!
When it comes to business, is there an opportunity to use anniversaries for more than just cutting a corporate cake? How do we leverage these in PR and communications campaigns?
Evoke nostalgia
Nostalgia is a powerful, warm feeling, that can reinforce a customer’s positive connection with a brand. This can work well for internal and customer communications as a walk down memory lane evokes powerful feelings belonging. It creates the sense of community and reminds employees and customers of their journey with your brand.
Nostalgia is at the core of McDonald’s recent 50th birthday campaign. To celebrate 50 years in the UK, the fast-food chain launched a retro-inspired menu, used sentimental depictions of kids’ birthday parties from previous decades and even released anniversary menu items such as the Birthday Cake doughnut to encourage customers to share in the festivities.
This tactic also gives you a good opportunity to revisit previous campaigns and recycle content that resonated well with audiences. Sharing throwback content, highlighting milestones and reminiscing about events can populate your pages and maximise existing assets.
Special offers & events
While people outside your organisation may not hugely care about your anniversary, customers and prospective customers will care if they can make a saving. Exclusive discounts, free gifts and limited-time offers create urgency, while special edition products and launches generate excitement, which can be promoted through PR and marketing and drive people to purchase.
Anniversaries can also be used to show gratitude to customers and staff. Whether it’s an in-person event, online competition or corporate hospitality these personalised interactions can strengthen relationships, reward loyalty and build lasting impressions.
Facebook memorably commemorated its 10th anniversary in 2014 by creating short video showcasing photos, milestones and memories personalised for every user. What better way to make your customers engage with your celebration than by making it about them?
PR
Unless you are a landmark organisation, a company anniversary is unlikely to generate editorial coverage alone. However, there are ways to think more laterally and give journalists a reason to write about your brand that aligns with your celebration that aren’t solely based on offers and discounts.
· Tap into existing PR slots
Shrinking editorial teams and tight turnarounds mean it is increasingly important to adapt your message to suit the format your target publications use. Consider whether there are existing columns and editorial slots that could fit a “look back” at the development of a key product in your portfolio – this works well if your product has gained cult status or has changed your industry. Tying activity in with advertorial or sponsored content helps to amplify reach further.
· Piggy-back on other anniversaries
Leverage other events and anniversaries relevant to your industry to make your content more likely to be included editorially. For example, travel brands can highlight anniversaries of historical events in different destinations, celebrate how long certain routes have been in service or link their service to special travel experiences.
· Extend the message to B2B and corporate comms
Anniversaries also open doors to profile opportunities in the business press. The changing industry landscape and future-gazing provide strong topics for CEOs, owners and other business managers to generate media coverage and demonstrate how their organisation has stood the test of time.
Final thoughts
By strategically planning and executing your anniversary campaigns, you can connect with audiences, build brand awareness and increase positive sentiment. As ever, the key to success is making sure your celebrations are authentic, meaningful and align with your brand’s values – don’t try to follow trends and do what’s popular if it doesn’t suit your brand’s style.
To plan your next anniversary celebrations, contact caroline@clsrelations.com
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