10 Creative July Campaign Ideas to Woo Your Customers

School’s out, the weather is warm, and families all across the United States are vacationing at their favorite spots.

While July is an exciting time to catch up with friends and family, it’s tricky for some brands to connect with customers. They are spread out all across the country, with regular routines and habits thrown out the window. As a result, year-round marketing tactics become ineffective, and you need to get creative.

A great way to innovate in July is to ride the wave of several popular events and recognized holidays to catch your customers' attention. This article shares ten examples to draw inspiration from.

#1. The 4th of July

July starts with a bang as Americans celebrate Independence Day to commemorate the Declaration of Independence on the 4th of July, 1776.

Many brands will tap into the heightened American spirit on this day with flash sales, email campaigns, or red, white, and blue brand takeovers. Of course, you can do the same.

Here is one example of a 4th of July sale from Joe Fresh:

4th of July Marketing Example

#2. Family Reunion Month

July is coined as Family Reunion Month. It’s a time to reconnect with family members who live in different states or countries, share memories, and create new ones.

Consider how you can aid the bringing together of families in your July marketing campaigns. A simple approach would be to put a family spin on your ads to resonate with tight family groups. Alternatively, you could plan a contest that encourages families to submit stories or photos with each other. Everyone resonates with the concept of a family reunion differently - choose the approach that best suits your customers.

#3. Be a Kid Again Day

Our bodies get old, but our minds are forever young. So why not embrace it?

Be a Kid Again Day is a fun event on the 8th of July that gives us a license to be silly, carefree, and embrace the life we once had as a youngster.

One idea is to run a photo or video contest where people submit a nostalgic before and after photo of themselves doing something as an adult they used to do as a kid.

ShortStack’s photo contest template makes this concept easy to create:

ShortStack’s Photo Contest Template

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#4. Ice Cream Month

President Ronald Reagan decided that July would be National Ice Cream Month back in 1984. And why not? The weather's warm, and there is nothing better than an ice-cold scoop of ice cream in a cone.

You can even get more specific with this fun concept, with ice cream themed days scattered throughout the month. For example, the 1st is Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day, the 7th is Strawberry Sundae Day, and the 8th is Freezer Pop Day, to name a few!

#5. Bastille Day

The national day of France - Bastille Day - is celebrated on the 14th of July.

French people all over the world come together to recognize the military, share feasts, have parties, and set off fireworks. If you have a French contingent in your customer base or have French-themed products, make the most of Bastille Day by celebrating with your audience.

Fashion, food, art, and architecture are closely associated with France, so this day could be celebrated by numerous brands in all sorts of industries.

#6. Grilling Month

Who doesn’t like firing up the grill in the summer? It’s fitting, then, that July is National Grilling Month.

Grilling is synonymous with family gatherings, so you could combine these two themes for a July giveaway or promotional campaign. You don’t need to sell grills to get in on the action, you could partner with other brands to amplify your reach and minimize the cost.

Think about engaging with your customers by running a recipe contest, for example, and reward the best dry rub or marinade with a prize.

ShortStack's Recipe Contest Template

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#7. National Workaholics Day

The 5th of July is National Workaholics Day. It's a time to encourage a work-life balance and focus on mental wellbeing. Of course, you can do this with your employees, and you should, but you can also make the most of this day with your customers.

Consider giving away a holiday or a weekend getaway to encourage your customers to remove the desk chain for a moment and enjoy life. Yes, work is important, but anyone is bound to burn out without a break every now and then.

#8. International Joke Day

Does your brand have a quirky personality? Or maybe you just like to have fun with your customers?

International Joke Day on the 1st of July is an excellent opportunity to drop your walls and humanize the brand.

You could run a contest where participants submit jokes, for example. You’ll collect a ton of leads and have a good laugh in the process as you read through all the entries.

#9. World Emoji Day

Emojis have taken over the world, and the 17th of July is a day to recognize it.

We use emojis in day-to-day communication with friends as well as just about all marketing copy. They’re a universal language with growing variations and meaning.

Consider letting emojis take over your social media on the 17th of July. Don’t use text, just those funny little faces and icons that say far more than their miniature size. You’ll be surprised at how much information you can convey.

Penguin Random House got into the spirit of World Emoji Day by translating some of their favorite books into emoji form. What a cool idea!

World Emoji Day Marketing Example

#10. World Jump Day

On the 20th of July, World Jump Day encourages everyone around the world to jump simultaneously in a combined effort to reduce the effects of global warming. On top of the meaningful cause, jumping has numerous health benefits and is, well… fun!

On this day, there are several ways you can engage with your customers. A live “jumping” stream on Facebook or a TikTok jumping challenge are both great examples.

Conclusion

For many, July is a time to relax and reset the batteries before the run into Christmas. But there are still numerous opportunities to connect with customers if you get creative.

The 4th of July is an easy one, which many people will expect. However, you can also run a campaign or two that taps into lesser-known July events. For foodies, have a bit of fun with National Ice Cream or Grilling Month. Or, if you want to get a bit quirky, combine International Joke and World Emoji Day.

Whatever path you choose, leave bland at the door and mirror the excitement this month epitomizes!

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