Today is National Burger Day in the UK – but such marketing gimmicks risk leaving customer appetites far from satisfied
Nowadays, there’s a holiday for everything. Today, 24 August, is National Burger Day. It is also Can Opener Day, National Peach Pie Day and International Strange Music Day.
They are what is known as a ‘Hallmark holiday’: the designation of a somewhat random celebration to any given day.
What’s different about the more obscure holidays is that they are often openly presented as marketing stratagems. National Burger Day, for example, even comes paired with a guaranteed 20% off at most burger joints across the country.
And people don’t seem to mind, with the #nationalburgerday hashtag seen all over Twitter, accompanied by a burger-style emoji heart 
. (There’s not just a holiday for everything, there’s an emoji for it too.)
The ROI of a burger
The success of National Burger Day lies in this openness. Bombarding the public with not-so-subtle sales ploys, consumers are drawn in by the promise of a good deal.
While many of us treat gimmicks with disdain, it also seems that an audience is willing to engage with anything that offers a solid ROI. But investing time in a tweet, writing out a hashtag or even visiting a burger bar has to lead to savings for the consumer and a satisfying meal at the end of it.
Self-marketing scheme
Another strong point of otherwise tenuous holidays is their ability to get consumers to do the marketing themselves – or at least to spread the message far and wide, acting as advocates for the product.
Likewise, when it comes to content marketing, the power of such advocacy shouldn’t be underestimated.
In the case of burgers, mouth-watering pictures or enticing discounts will encourage consumers to retweet, like and share these posts to their social media timelines. The visual element of National Burger Day is crucial, and reminds all us marketers that a skilled picture researcher is a key ingredient to marketing success.
Long-term custom vs. short-term excitement
For all the success burger shacks across Britain may experience today, there begs the question: will it last?
Offering 2-for-1 and 20% deals may entice a barrage of customers to buy a greasy slider on what would otherwise be an average Thursday. However, to make this scheme worthwhile, these foodservice operators need to make sure the product they’re offering is good enough to persuade customers to return.
So, go ahead, indulge in a gimmick. Just make sure it reflects your business’ image appropriately and that you’re adequately equipped. If you’re entering the fray of added seasonal traffic and interest, you need to be prepared. It’s no good offering an Angus steak if you’re left scrabbling around the kitchen for offcuts.
While National Burger Day might be a flash in the pan (or on the griddle), the take-home lesson from the day is that enticing customers with quality content is only one step. To ensure yours is a business that will last, the end product needs to be just as impressive.
