Your business doesn’t have to miss out on the annual pumpkin spice craze. Here are a few refreshingly fun ideas to inspire your marketing!
Ah, the magic of pumpkin spice marketing!
- 2.1 million Instagram posts with the hashtag #PumpkinSpice (as of September 14, 2020).
- 500K more than August 2019.
Pumpkin Spice season provides the opportunity for creative marketing from non-food-related companies. If you dare get out of your comfort zone, you will see it is a magical marketing twist that can make EVERY ordinary product or service seem new and fun. That’s what happened when I suggested it to the CEO of an e-Learning company.
She bought a case of pumpkin spice-scented air fresheners on Amazon and put together a handout that she took to a local networking event [Remember those?]
Why this is a great idea:
– Unexpected: This is a seasonally-flavored offer from a company that creates corporate training courses.
– Sensual & Emotional: Your senses instantly remember the smell and taste. That creates an emotional connection to a familiar time, place, moment, etc.
– Conversation starter: It’s easy to approach ANYONE and chat about pumpkin spice first and then discuss their eLearning products.
– Fun: Their intangible product is seasonally flavored. That’s like saying, “For a limited time, upgrade to a buttered-popcorn #DropBox.”
– SWAG-able: It is a tangible reminder from a company that creates a product you can’t hand out at an event.
– Glimpse into working together: It offers a feel for what it’s like to work with them because it reflects the humor, innovation, and relatability of the company.
P.S. No one else gave away pumpkin spice car fresheners (or anything remotely unique). They were the talk of the event and made quite a few new connections.
Spicing Up Your Plain Vanilla Product or Service
However, there are some clever ways to use this phenomenon that won’t gross anyone out.
These businesses put a humorous twist on it and used it to market products that are not very sexy or interesting on their own.
I’ve seen some creative pumpkin spice ideas but this church took it to a new level!
How Brands Stay Relevant
Using a trend or event in a unique way can make your product stand out. When Game of Thrones (GOT) ended a few months ago, there were loads of GOT-themed products, like Oreos, Crocs, and Mountain Dew.
But I would say the American Red Cross had the most creative idea. It was a gamble that was really successful.
They partnered with HBO for a promotion that was good for everyone! Bleed for the Throne “became the largest blood donation promotional effort by an entertainment company in Red Cross history.” Since the launch of the campaign, the number of new donors has increased by over 40%.
Pro Marketing Tip
A little pumpkin spice can go a long way toward making your product or service a seasonal sensation. Here’s a big brand idea you can apply to your business.
- Choose one product or service to highlight
- Add a little pumpkin spice to your social media marketing
- Use the hashtag #PumpkinSpice in your posts so they are included in searches. As of September 14, 2020, there are 2.1 million Instagram posts using it! That’s up from 1.6 M in August 2019.