Promotional Gifts & Items: International Whiskey Day: 5 Ways Your Business Can Celebrate It

The month of March offers a myriad of advertising opportunities for businesses. It features various festivities—with The International Women’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day being the most common. But did you know that there’s also a celebration called International Whiskey Day? Yes, it exists!

Is this your first time to hear about the observance? Or have you already known this before? Whether you belong to the former or latter, this article is for you!

We will talk about on how you can use the marketing power of this annual celebration to your advantage. You will realise that it’s not just about enjoying the king of classic cocktails but spreading awareness, too.

Okay, enough of the disclaimer. Let us now begin the discussion with a quick look at the history of the International Whiskey Day (IWD).

How it All Started

The IWD was first announced in 2008 and falls on March 27 every year. It was then officially launched at the Whisky Festival Northern Netherlands in 2009.

The launch is done in honour of the late Michael Jackson—not the pop star but the legendary English whiskey writer. People in the beverage industry know him well because of his writings about the drink and his tips for more informed sipping.

Jackson’s works include a book entitled Malt Whisky Companion, which entails more than 500 malt reviews. At present, his companion guide to malt whisky remains as one of the best resources on the subject and a must-read for whiskey enthusiasts.

Not only that. He has also contributed to a variety of top publications in the UK and US including the Guardian, Observer and Whisky Advocate. He’s likewise one of the top beer writers in the world and hosted the hit BBC series The Beer Hunter.

Bonus Trivia

So what’s more to International Whiskey Day than whiskeys? It’s also a day that Parkinson’s disease is given added attention and awareness!

It was revealed in December 2006 that Jackson had been suffering for at least a decade from Parkinson’s disease. However, it was not the cause of his death in 2007—because he died of a heart attack.

People want to remember his whiskey contributions, so they linked IWD to raising awareness about the disease.

Ready to raise a glass and celebrate the greatest drink in the world this 27^th? If yes, then check out some promotional marketing ideas that we have listed below.

1. Treat Your Staff

The best marketing starts inside your company. Why? Because when your staff feel a sense of belonging, there’s a high chance for more leads, referrals and most importantly—sales opportunities.

Your employees will do the marketing for you without even asking them to do so. They will take pride in working for you to the point that they will share stories to everyone they know. They will begin to consider the work as not work alone but as an integral part of their lives.

This International Whiskey Day, take time to treat your people over a glass (or more) of whiskey. The bonding experience and personal connection built in the toast gives your staff something memorable to remember.

Try and think of it. They will brag to their friends about how their totally cool boss treated them to a night out. See the word-of-mouth advertising there? The good words about you and your company pass on to different people, allowing for a positive impression to spread.

Lesson: Treat them once in a while because it’s good for your company, too!

2. Spread The Word

Besides word of mouth, there are many other ways to market your brand this IWD. Look around your office and you will see this multitude of marketing tools. Don’t know what we’re referring to? Relax there in your office chair because the answer lies in front of you.

Yes, we’re talking about your computer. Maximise this device for it can spread the word about your brand. Use it to sign up for professional networking sites like LinkedIn, which can generally help you to leverage your network.

Make sure that you also have a Facebook page. If you already have one, ensure that you assign a team or person that will post updates on it. Share photos of your corporate night out that happened in celebration of the International Whiskey Day.

Ask your Content team to produce articles or infographics about whiskeys so your company will get a possible search. Just make sure that you have everything uploaded to your website few days before the 27^th of March.

Lesson: Leverage your social media pages and website because they offer cost-effective marketing!

3. Do Charitable Deeds

Since this festivity became associated with spreading awareness about Parkinson’s disease, why not do something relevant to this neurodegenerative disorder. Raise funds to help someone suffering from the illness or donate to a charity.

Charitable and generous deeds like this will provide resources for the needy people whilst putting your brand in a positive light. So make it a point to consider this marketing idea this month of March. Plan in advance to ensure that everything will turn out well.

Huddle up your marketing team to fully prepare for your charitable events. Tell them to research on charities that have a bold aim for curing or alleviating Parkinson’s disease. Once they have found out a social organisation, decide whether you will just donate or host a program as well.

This kind of outdoor corporate initiatives essentially fit the International Whiskey Day. Remember, IWD doesn’t only revolve around enjoying, sharing and celebrating whiskey. It’s also about doing some good for a charity.

Lesson: Giving back to the community doesn’t hurt; it’s actually beneficial for you!

4. Explore Some Beers

This one’s the most obvious way to celebrate the holiday. Explore some beers and make sure you share it with the people close to your hearts: your dear clients. Because without them, your company will not run long nor will get its revenue.

That’s why it’s a good idea to do this fun bonding with them. Yes, you can invite them to a drinking session slash meeting. This way you get to know each other more while at the same time discussing important business matters.

In case you don’t have that much time to meet each one of them, an electronic email works. Send an email blast to all your clients. Unleash the Michael Jackson inside you by sharing with them a list of different kinds of whiskeys—single malt, scotch, Irish, bourbon—and how each tastes.

You can likewise send them an advertising mail. This strategy makes everything more personalised. You can include a handwritten letter that says “Happy International Whiskey Day.” It’s also a great idea to have ad inserts inside your mail. Just make sure that these gifts will offer whiskey lovers much delight.

Lesson: Borrowing Michael Jackson’s whiskey expertise can you get you even closer to your clients!

5. Hold a Themed Contest

When it comes to attracting interest and creating a buzz in the marketplace, contest marketing does an excellent job. Contests act as cheap promotional tools that entice people to join in some sort of a challenge.

They’re great at building fan base, engaging audiences, and empowering people to do the marketing for you. See? You shouldn’t forget about holding an IWD-themed contest because they’re beneficial for your brand in ways you didn’t expect.

Going back to marketing idea #2 spread the word, this has also something to do with your social media pages. Invite your followers to share the fun on Twitter and Facebook. Ask them to post a quotable quote on twitter with a hashtag #InternationalWhiskeyDay at the end.

Then, hold a photo contest on Facebook. Participants will just need to simply take a photo of themselves enjoying or raising a glass, using the hashtag #WhiskyDaySelfie. Of course, you should give a corresponding prize for all the winners.

Lesson: Never think twice about holding contests on social media because it reaps benefits!

Cheers to Success!

Mark your calendar because it’s only a few days before International Whiskey Day. Use the remaining time to plan for a grand promotional campaign or think of marketing ideas that will boost your brand.

But if you seem to lose your creativity because of the stressful day/s at work, we’re here to save you. We hope these five tactics helped you with your planning and gave you an idea. All of the above tips don’t require a big budget, so you will need not to worry about the expenses.

Let us have a recap!

Treat your staff. Bringing your staff or team in a pub for whiskey treats helps establish more meaningful working relationships with them.

Spread the word. Use your business social media accounts and corporate website to your advantage. Share tips and post articles that have something to do with IWD.

Do charitable deeds. Don’t forget to give back. Charities and social organisations will love it when you recognise their needs.

Explore some beers. Take the 27^th of March as a time for getting closer to your clients. Send them beer options that they can explore on the day.

Hold a themed contest. Consider holding a whiskey-inspired contest on social media. This effortlessly sways audiences in joining and sending their entries.

Here at Logo X, we realise the role of promotional marketing in significant events like the International Whiskey Day. That’s why we offer specialised promo items that fit such holidays.

We supply a fine selection of bar and drink products. You can choose from cocktail drink stirrers to bottle openers, wine stoppers, wine cups, hip flasks, ice tongs, and many more. All of these items can have your logo on for better brand recognition.

What’s more? We also have a diverse range of digital solutions. See. Whatever help you need, the Logo X team can gladly provide it for you! We’ve been in the industry for more than 20 years so you’re ensured to get quality products and services.

To learn more about our company and full product line, browse through www.LogoX.co.uk. You may also contact us directly at 0207 101 0722 or 0161 875 2500 and a Logo X associate will gladly assist you with all your specific branding needs.