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Promotional Planning IDEAS Calendar
December
1: Basketball Anniversary. Created by James Naismith, a
gym teacher, the first game occurred today, 1891. Any
sports-themed promo can hook into this. Coincidentally,
this was also the day, in 1954, Senator Joe McCarthy was
finally silenced by Congress.
1-7: Tolerance Week. Promoting tolerance among people to
help battle bigotry and concentrate on really important
things. Again, almost any business can use this.
4: Extraordinary Work Team Recognition Day. Worth
re-mentioning. Giving business teams who accomplish
those tough objectives the spotlight they deserve. A
contest format can be used, with logoed gifts and prizes
(a check wouldn’t hurt, either).
5: Bill Pickett: Birthday. A true American original,
Pickett was the rodeo cowboy who invented bulldogging.
Great offbeat tie-in for anything with a “not as
well-known as it should be” theme.
8: NAFTA Anniversary. President Clinton signed the
agreement reducing tariffs and barriers between Canada,
the U.S. and Mexico on this day, 1993. Excellent link to
any firm that does business with those countries.
10: Human Rights Day. Anyone can participate.
12: Poinsettia Day. Honors Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett,
who first introduced the plant to the United States.
14: South Pole Discovery Anniversary. Should make for
creative and attention-getting promotional fodder. It
happened today, 1911, by Roald Amundsen.
14-20: Tell Someone They’re Doing A Good Job Week. Read
the article in this issue about employee recognition and
you’ll begin to understand why it’s crucial.
17: First Powered Flight Anniversary. The brothers
Wright took off today, 1903. Neat hook-up to any
promotion involving flying – airports/airlines, vacation
spots, travel agencies, cruise lines, cities (business
meetings/conventions), even contests with trips as a
prize.
20: Mudd Day. Recognizing Dr. Samuel Mudd, who treated a
disguised John Wilkes Booth and spent four years in jail
because of it. Unusual tie-in for “know your customer”
themed promo.
22: Winter Begins. The solstice hits at 2:04 a.m., EST.
Tire stores, auto-body shops, car-supply retailers,
coffee shops, snow-shovel makers/sellers, can all
participate. Again.
23: Transistor Anniversary. The “little marvel” bowed on
this day, 1947, and communications and electronics
haven’t been the same since … at least until the Pentium
III. Unusual promo for electronics
manufacturers/retailers, repair services, etc.
29: Grigori Rasputin: Death Anniversary. The corrupt
“monk” was assassinated on this date, 1916, but it took
poison, shooting and, finally, drowning. A bit morbid,
maybe, but a great opp for a “hard to kill” promo – say,
a firm rumored to be going under.
31: Leap Second Adjustment Time. Add or subtract a
second from clock time to coordinate astronomical and
atomic time. Cool for any time-related program.
Promotion Planning Dates
December: National Drunk and
Drugged Driving Prevention Month
December: Safe Toys and Gifts Month
December: Universal Human Rights Month
December 1st - 7th: Cookie Cutter Week
December 1st - 7th: Tolerance Week
December 1st: Rosa Parks Day (1955)
December 1st: World AIDS Day
December 3rd: UN International Day of Disabled Persons
December 5th: AFL-CIO founded -1955
December 7th: National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
December 10th - 16th: Human Rights Week
December 10th: Human Rights Day
December 15th - 29th: Halcyon Days
December 15th: Bill of Rights Day
December 16th: Boston Tea Party -1773
December 16th: Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Birthday (1770)
December 17th: Wright Brothers Day
December 20th - 27th: Chanukah
December 21st: Winter Begins
December 22nd: Start of Capricorn astrological sign
December 23rd: Federal Reserve System Established -1913
December 25th -31st: It’s About Time Week
December 25th: Christmas
December 26th - January 1st: Kwanzaa
December 26th: Boxing Day
December 27th: Louis Pasteur's Birthday (1822)
December 31st: New Year's Eve
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