Company News
Memorial Day: Not Just Another Holiday
by DW Green — April 22, 2010
Recently, we worked with a client to develop their 2011 promotional plan. We began with the holiday weeks, as they are obviously much easier to plan than the non-holiday weeks. When we got to the Memorial Day ad, we started off by talking about promoting the usual summer suspects: ground beef, poultry, ribs, melons, sweet corn, soda and the like. 
Then I recalled a Memorial Day cover page ad we created several years ago to commemorate what this holiday is actually about. The ad honored America’s brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of their country.
Will an institutional Memorial Day cover page drive sales and customer counts like a traditional item and price cover page? Maybe, maybe not. The institutional ad will, however, be remembered much longer than the price of ground beef and watermelon. And keep in mind: you still have the remainder of the ad to promote item and price.
Most Americans have had family members or friends serve in the armed forces. Sadly, many have lost a loved one in service of our country. For me, my father served valiantly in WWII, and I lost two good friends in the Vietnam War. With many of our troops currently in harms way in Afghanistan and Iraq, recognizing their service and the United States armed forces is a laudatory decision.
I also feel that, in light of the poor economy, the incivility in politics, the stories of corporate greed, the Toyota fiasco and other negative news, a sincere, heartfelt acknowledgment of the meaning of Memorial Day would be well received and much appreciated by consumers. This type of institutional ad also has a greater probability of attracting non-shopper readership.
Whether or not you choose to run an institutional Memorial Day cover page ad, you should consider a 22×28 poster acknowledging the importance of this holiday.
I wish you and your families an enjoyable and safe Memorial Day holiday, and invite you take a moment of silence on Monday, May 31st to honor the servicemen and women who gave up their lives to protect our freedom.
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