It’s called paraskevidekatriaphobia, the fear of Friday the 13th. The only rational fear the day should inspire is the fear of trying to pronounce the word. Nevertheless, millions of Americans get the willies every year. In fact, the specific day and date costs businesses something in the neighborhood of $900 million annually. We put off traveling, dining out, shopping, gambling, investing, and so on. Since today is Friday, the 13th of August, we thought we’d offer some advice on how to approach this particular event from a marketing and advertising perspective. The first rule is, be aware… be very aware!
Awareness
It’s good to be cognizant of the day and understand its implications. That doesn’t mean you or your company’s brand buy into the superstition. You can make fun of the day, just don’t make fun of the customer. You could make it a “lucky” day for customers, like 13% off certain products, or an all-day $13 discount on purchases of ________ (fill in the blank). A Friday the 13th sale can work or maybe stretch it out by holding a Friday the 13th weekend sale.
Cause and a Clover
Cause marketing is effective. Younger demographics look to brands that take a stand on issues and openly support causes. About 80% of women 35-54, are willing to switch to brand that’s taken up a cause they themselves support. With that in mind, turn Friday the 13th into a lucky day for a deserving nonprofit. Give 13% of your days’ proceeds to a charitable organization, or any variation on that theme. Another option is a little like counter programming. Friday the 13th is supposed to be unlucky, do something that reinforces “good luck.” It’s not real, but it can be charming. We heard of a business that gave out four-leaf clovers one Friday the 13th.
Jason is trademarked
It may be tempting to use images from the Friday the 13th films, but you don’t want to go there. While the rights to the franchise have been in and out of litigation, you don’t want to engage in copyright infringement. That could definitely bring you bad luck. You can do something like having all your employees wear “Jason” nametags, but not everyone will get the reference.
Friday the 13th happens 1-to-3 times every year. It’s an opportunity to get noticed and have some fun. You could start planning for the next one, but that won’t be until Friday, May 13, 2022. We’ll be around if you need some help.