4 Respectful Tips for Veterans Day & Remembrance Day Marketing
Veterans Day (in the United States) and Remembrance Day (across the Commonwealth of Nations) are observed on November 11. Here are four marketing tips brands can use in their Veterans Day and Remembrance Day marketing campaigns.
November 11 is observed as the Veterans Day in the US to honor the military veterans, i.e., the men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces. The Commonwealth observes November 11 as the Remembrance Day to signify the end of World War I (November 11, 1918) and to remember all persons of their armed forces who died in the line of duty.
To commemorate the US veterans, brands and SMBs offer discounts to veterans and their families, among other promotional activities. Creating marketing campaigns for Veterans Day and Remembrance Day is a sensitive endeavor and needs to be executed carefully.
In this article, we share four veterans day marketing ideas to help you plan your marketing campaigns for Veterans Day and Remembrance Day.
1. Keep the Brand Out of the Content
When planning Veterans Day marketing campaigns, it is essential to be mindful of the fact that it is not about you. Often, brands, in the pursuit of sticking to brand identity and guidelines, inadvertently create content that comes across as self-promotional and patronizing.
Following these three pointers will ensure that your content appears in a positive light:
- Seemingly benign content could be perceived as insensitive so it’s best to get your content reviewed from a veteran to iron out discrepancies, if any.
- Remain apolitical. Do away with political content that might rile up a controversy.
- Avoid combining the brand and offerings with the actual content. The military and veterans should be the focus of the content, and the visuals need to be aligned with the copy even if it means not following certain brand guidelines.
Example: Harley-Davidson payed homage to veterans. Notice how well they have kept the brand out of the video content:
Harley-Davidson paying tribute to veterans
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2. Be Careful When Representing the Military In Your Content
Stock images and videos are often overused and may sometimes misrepresent the veterans. For instance, images showing military personnel with incorrect/outdated uniforms can cause a severe backlash.
Instead, brands can humanize the experience in the following ways:
- If an organization has employed veterans, marketers can create content around them and feature them in social media or blog posts.
- Share the veteran’s journey. Let veteran employees share their experiences and inspiring stories in a video series.
- When telling stories through visual content, stereotypes can unconsciously creep in due to the lack of knowledge. Make sure that your content doesn’t propagate military stereotypes as they can be inaccurate.
Example: In Budweiser’s 2018 commercial, the brand showed how they support Folds of Honor to provide scholarships to military families. Budweiser raises funds for this cause through the sales of Freedom Reserve Red Lager, which is brewed by veterans.
Budweiser’s 2018 Veterans Day Marketing Campaign
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3. Center Your Marketing Campaigns Around a Cause
Actions speak louder than words. Go beyond the typical thank you message in your Veterans Day marketing campaign. Plan your strategy around a cause that reflects your values.
Here are a few ways to do it:
- Volunteer/work with a non-profit organization to help veterans and their families out with home improvement or other similar activities.
- Donate a percentage of every sale to a charity that works with veterans.
- Establish a veteran’s program at your organization that aims to employ veterans and provides comprehensive training programs to bridge the knowledge/skill gap.
Example: PERFORMIX (a fitness brand) runs a non-profit organization called FitOps that trains and certifies veterans as personal trainers. For the upcoming Veterans Day, FitOps is working with the WWE Superstar, John Cena, to raise donations for veterans, wherein John Cena will match the donations up to $1 million.
PERFORMIX’s Veterans Day Marketing Campaign With John Cena
4. Organize/Sponsor Events for Military Personnel
Brands and SMBs can support various local and national veteran events by offering sponsorships, helping out with the logistics, or by setting up a booth at the event location to provide their products for free.
Alternatively, businesses can organize various events for veterans. For example, organizations can collaborate with mental health professionals and organize a free camp or training sessions for veterans with PTSD.
Example: With the help of Dr. Michael Valdovinos (a cognitive psychologist), National Geographic partnered with XAPPmedia to build the first-ever voice app for veterans. The app helps users develop healthy coping mechanisms to manage stress and other aspects of mental health.
Veterans Day Marketing Campaign by National Geographic partnered with XAPPmedia
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Closing Words
Besides these tips, brands and SMBs can offer massive discounts and giveaways for veterans and their families. Remember, the Veterans Day and Remembrance Day are not about the brand.
Above all, the best suggestion is to be respectful towards the veterans. If you feel something could cross that line of respect, it is best to avoid it.
Which Veterans Day marketing ideas have worked for you in the past? Tell us on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter.
