Marketing campaigns are more than a ‘Business as Usual’ task. You want your brand to have its own identity, and communicate that to your audience. You also need your brand to be present where your audience is - and that means special occasions, seasonal events, and national celebrations are all things you need to acknowledge.
The Best Fourth of July Marketing Campaigns
This is why being present (and standing out) during the 4th of July is so important. Not sure how to do that? Here are our favorite marketing campaigns from this year’s celebrations.
Krispy Kreme’s “Land of the Sweet, Home of the Crave”
Krispy Kreme knows how to blend brand identity with authenticity when celebrating. For this year, Krispy Kreme rolled out its ‘Stars, Stripes & Sweetness Collection’, which includes three doughnut versions, all decorated in blue, white and red. This limited-time offer was available in participating Krispy Kreme shops and through in-app orders. But that’s not where Krispy Kreme’s Fourth of July marketing campaign stops: for the day of July 4 only, all customers who appeared in stores wearing red, white and blue to participating Krispy Kreme shops got one free Original Glazed doughnut from the collection.
Krispy Kreme's Fourth of July limited offering
Why is this the perfect Fourth of July marketing campaign?
Krispy Kreme created a recipe for a successful marketing campaign by blending brand identity with national pride, incorporating customer participation, and creating a sense of urgency. The brand celebrated this important national day by creating a special version of their beloved product. And that was step one for a good marketing campaign: participating in important events for their audience.
But Krispy Kreme took their campaign to the next level by inviting their customers to take part in the celebration together. Prompting their audience to dress in the US’s celebratory colors and get a free treat in return was a smart way to engage their audience and make them feel part of the campaign instead of spectators on the outside looking in. Krispy Kreme’s copywriters also deserve a kudos for the smart campaign tagline, too!
Macy’s Fourth of July show
A good marketing campaign often has to do more with a brand participating in a celebration and less with connecting its product to it - and that’s exactly what Macy’s does. For this year’s Fourth of July celebrations, the brand went with their 49th Fireworks show, creating a spectacular sight in New York City. Macy’s went above and beyond, firing 80,000 total shells with 11 new effects in 30 different colors. The brand organized a jaw-dropping 25-minute show, with thousands of people gathering to watch.
Macy’s know how to connect to their audience, having created a tradition that offers spectacle without hard-launching products at the same time. Being one of the most recognizable brands in the US gives Macy’s the ability to go big without creating the pressure of yielding immediate connection to sales. For Macy’s, it’s more about brand awareness and status. And this is what other companies can learn from Macy’s: that brand awareness is an important part of the customer journey, and creating customer experiences works.
Baked by Melissa’s Party-Ready Cupcake Packs
Baked By Melissa knows their audience - and catered to their needs by creating the seasonal product they needed, in the way they would best like it presented for a national holiday. For this year’s Fourth of July celebrations, the brand created celebratory cupcakes in packs. For most brands, this is quite the straightforward, but nevertheless successful tactic. But the brand’s successful marketing strategy didn’t stop there, making sure to combine their product offer with email marketing best practices, reminding their customers to order their Fourth of July cupcakes in time for the celebrations.
Cheez-It’s Limited-edition "Summer Stamps" Crackers
In the past few months, Cheez-It has been working on new collaborations and product flavors. So, it was only natural that the brand would create a new, special offering for the Fourth of July. The brand introduced mini flags and stars stamped on each cracker offering a patriotic touch to its customers’ celebrations. The celebratory offer is available at major retailers like Walmart and Target.
