Reasons Why National Liquor Holidays are a Big Waste of Time

Every day is a special day. This isn't just a fortune cookie platitude you'll find on a bumper sticker or Facebook meme. Today was National Poetry Day. Monday was National Coffee Day. Two weeks ago was International Talk Like A Pirate Day. On and on the list goes on. Not to be left out, cocktails and individual spirits have their own special days as well. Which is pretty unnecessary because people are living for happy hour on the daily. But every spirit wants its own time to shine. And now maybe it's time for everyone to go home because we're all drunk. "[T]hese boozy holidays are becoming increasingly less relevant as companies use them to promote brand-centric recipes with no real substance. They often fail to educate consumers and the media on the culture and significance of the actual liquor being celebrated," reads The Daily Beast. The author Kaleigh Kulp even cites one blogger who suggests that consumers actively "scoff" at these days. Mostly, says the article, these days are strategically placed to generate some buzz during that alcohol's down season. There is a saturation, if you will, of these sorts of "holidays," so much so that they have been watered down. I'll stop. But seriously, if you're a liquor brand, you need a new idea. There are so many specialty liquors, branded cocktails, trendy shots, etc that we've reached a point where it's not actually generating the loyalty that one would want from this sort of stunt. Most people have a drink or two that they always order when they go out. As a liquor brand, are you doing something on this special day to get on the consumer's short list of cocktails? If not, the most you can expect is that folks will order a concoction containing that spirit in honor of the day and then immediately revert back to what they really like. Chances are, that's not really worth all the effort and hashtagging, media relations and bar promotions that you're planning. The point of designating a holiday is to inject the day with some cultural significance tied to whatever it is we're celebrating. Continues the Beast: "National Bloody Mary Day is January 1, which is probably the biggest hangover brunch day of the year. Christine Deussen, president of Duessen Global, created National Absinthe Day on March 5 to signify the day in 2007 when her client Lucid Absinthe’s lobbying of the Food and Drug Administration resulted in absinthe legalization after a lengthy ban." Let's be real: Cinco de Mayo (not February 22) is Margarita Day. Super Bowl Sunday is Beer Day. Thanksgiving is Wine Day. Memorial Day is when we usher in summer, so let's say G&T Day. It makes much more sense to take the days that already mean something to people and to show the relevance of your brand to the hoopla surrounding that day. Otherwise, you're just one more cocktail world full of cocktails.

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Reasons Why National Liquor Holidays are a Big Waste of Time

No one needs a special day to drink.

Tonya Garcia

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Tonya Garcia