Topical days or observances, such as World Environment Day, International Women’s Day, or World AIDS Day, provide brands with an opportunity to connect with their core audience by aligning themselves with relevant social or cultural issues. By participating in these observances, brands can demonstrate their commitment to causes and issues that their target audience cares about, which can help build brand loyalty and increase engagement.

To leverage topical days effectively, brands must first identify which observances are most relevant to their core audience and align with their brand values. They can then develop marketing campaigns or social media content that connects their brand to the observance, using hashtags and other promotional tools to drive engagement and increase visibility.

Prateek Malpani, Head of Brand, Wakefit.co, says, “Brands have to constantly find ways to be as human and authentic as possible while trying to become a part of the audience’s lives. Topical days and events offer compelling avenues to be a part of conversations that spark the interest, passion, and opinions of this very audience. It not only allows brands to piggyback on trending conversations but also helps sharpen its identity, personality, language, tone of voice, making it more relatable to the audience.” It is important, though, to be selective and choose events or days that align with the brand ethos and lend a clear point of view on the topic.

Prerna Tiku, General Manager- Marketing, MTR Foods Pvt. Ltd. understands the value of topical days in establishing brand connection and recognition. “To bridge the gap between traditional and digital spaces in a seamless way, we strategically engage in various online and offline marketing efforts that include influencer marketing, content creation, and participation in marquee events like Comic-Con, Women’s Day, and more,” adds Tiku.

Recently, MTR Foods partnered with popular comedian and Instagram influencer Danish Sait for World Idli Day, along with other digital and on-ground activities. “Our endeavour is to combine technology, local consumer connections, and brand value to connect with consumers in the most meaningful way possible. This includes the use of AI, regional language platforms, micro- and macro-influencers, on-ground activities, and activating other touchpoints. Since the landscape is very wide, we filter the topical events to ensure that we engage and participate in occasions that are relevant to the brand and consumer segments we reach,” says Tiku.

Brands like Wakefit.co, have led conversations on World Sleep Day, an occasion that is at the core of their philosophy. “Our annual property, the Great Indian Sleep Scorecard (GISS), is a survey that examines and showcases findings on how Indians sleep. This survey is currently in its 6th edition, having received over 2.1 lakh responses, and is released every year on World Sleep Day. Besides this, we have also made our brand voice heard on occasions like New Year’s when we created a property called Happy Snooze Year that asked people to stay at home instead, International Yoga Day, International Women’s Day, Earth Day etc. We have also been a part of relevant topical moments and events that trend online, which has helped us connect effectively with our target audience. The engagement on such topical days is typically 2-3x of what we usually garner,” adds Malpani.

Successful examples of brands leveraging topical days include Nike’s “Equality” campaign for International Women’s Day, which highlighted female athletes and their achievements, and Airbnb’s “We Accept” campaign for World Refugee Day, which showcased the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Prashant Parameswaran, Managing Director & CEO, Tata Soulfull is proud to be part of the International Year of Millets (IYOM 2023) and be a part of the global conversation in raising awareness of the nutritional benefits of millets. “We have seen a large uptick in millet awareness amongst the masses, with the strong push from the Government of India as well as State Governments to promote millets across the country. We have witnessed a strong increase in the demand of our products, as consumers understand the importance of adding millets to their diets. With the International Year of Millets, we have an opportunity to spread the word about the health and environmental benefits of millets and to further educate people about the nutritional benefits associated with these grains,” adds Parameswaran.

Through their products, we are helping bring millets to the mainstream by making them affordable and accessible to the masses. In the backdrop of IYOM 2023, they have launched millet-based products at the magic price points of Rs. 10 & Rs. 15 and are leveraging the distribution strength of Tata Consumer Products to ensure that these products reach more than 4 Lakh outlets across the country. “As a brand, we are also actively participating in various Millet Fairs organized by State Governments and Government of India to spread awareness of millets and to sample our products amongst the masses. We continue to heavily invest in media to build awareness of our millet-based products,” opines Parameswaran.

The brand is dedicated to promoting and advocating the importance of millets in a diet, and are committed to making sure that millet products are of the highest quality, so that consumers can enjoy the health benefits associated with these grains.

However, brands must also be careful not to appear opportunistic or insincere when participating in topical days. Consumers are increasingly aware of “woke-washing,” or brands exploiting social or cultural issues for profit without genuinely supporting the cause. To avoid this, brands must ensure that their participation in topical days is authentic and aligned with their overall brand values and messaging.

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