Forty-four years ago, this ad appeared in Variety, the entertainment industry trade bible. Not a single frame of the film had been shot, no crew had been hired, no financing found. Apparently, the sole reason for the ad was to determine if anyone else had claimed the title. No one raised a fuss, and the rest is cinematic lore…or gore if you prefer. The film franchise has grossed around half a billion dollars at the box office, so you could say, Friday the 13th, has been very lucky.
Wilt Chamberlain, Dan Marino, Alex Rodriguez, Allesandro Nesta, and Steve Nash all had stellar sports careers wearing the number 13. Because it teases the weekend, we tend to like Fridays. TGIF. Truth be told, there’s absolutely nothing lucky or unlucky about a particular number, or day, for that matter. But, Friday the 13th can act as a hook for your marketing.
Your Lucky Day
Spin it 180-degrees. Instead of bad luck, make it your customer’s lucky day. A few years ago, MarketWatch reported Friday the 13th is usually a good day on Wall Street. We wouldn’t buy any stock based on that, but we might use it as a theme, especially if our business was financially related.
Video
People’s attention is heightened on special days. Think visually. Don’t put up a routine post. Make a video with ladders and black cats, just make sure you toss in a sale.
Sell the Number
Give customers a good reason to freak out on Friday the 13th. 13% off. 13 of your best products on sale. Make it the “Day of the Discounts!” You can get a little edgy with “slashing prices,” “cutting prices,” and so on, but make sure it fits with your brand. Another number option might be a cause marketing connection. Give 13 cents of every dollar you collect to a charity. You could hold some kind of sweepstakes where people get 13 entries to win.
It wasn’t until the late 1800s that people started thinking Friday the 13th was special and no one is quite sure why. It can set the stage in the marketplace and is a relatively benign bandwagon your brand can jump on. While it’s too late for today’s Friday the 13th, there are two next year, in September and December. Need some help coming up with something? Consider us your good luck charm.