As the saying goes – “timing is everything” – or is it?
Many PR professionals regularly leverage calendar moments and key timing triggers for our work. For me, our team does so often. I personally love looking at designated calendar celebrations to not only think about customizing our client efforts, but for my own interests.
Through COVID, we’ve all had to find ways to get us through the day while balancing both work and kids. For me, I’ve made it a habit to check each ‘calendar’ day, week and month to leverage them as an interesting trigger for both learning and fun. The truth is, some work and some do not. However, when I noticed July was National Ice Cream month, it was like a cloud was lifted. With this, July quickly became my favorite calendar-moment ever, beating out national Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day, which has been one of my favorites for years.
Throughout the quarantine, ice cream has been my go-to for everything and everyone – ice cream for extra reading from the kids; mow the lawn and get an extra scoop; clean the litter each day and get a triple scoop on Fridays, etc. Plus, I quickly realized that coconut ice cream from Bellvale Creamery makes a happy wife! (You know the saying…)
Timing triggers and calendar celebrations can help break through the massive clutter for media and influencers.
- Customization: Take the moment in time and tie to a product or service and answer, “why does this matter now?” Answering this question can make a real, timely connection.
- Connection: There are hundreds of triggers, some well-known, other much less. Identify one and make a connection for how and why your pitch matters at that specific time.
- Contact: Consistent communication with key editors is important to building a long-term relationship. But it must be impactful; timely triggers can help make a difference in your relationship building.
Not only did I celebrate National Ice Cream Month with my family, but I thought what better time to celebrate and say thank you to a fantastic team than with ice cream? So, I loaded up the cooler with more than a dozen freezer packs, stopped by Denville Dairy (for those who haven’t had it, it’s tremendous) and hit the road to surprise my team members with ice cream treats for a socially distanced thank you!
So, when thinking about calendar moments and key timing, always remember that timing might possibly be everything, but it can be much more if ice cream is your favorite!
Each year, our teams put together a comprehensive list of significant events for the agency to reference regularly. Lucky for you, we’ve included our list below!
OCTOBER 2020
October 12-15 Milken Institute Global Conference
October 9 Anniversary of Hurricane Sandy (2012)
October 10 National Cake Decorating Day
October 12 Columbus Day
October 16 National Liqueur Day
October 17 National Pasta Day
October 25 National Greasy Food Day
October 26 National Pumpkin Day
October 28 National Chocolate Day
All Month Cayman Restaurant Month
NOVEMBER 2020
November 2 National Deviled Egg Day
November 3 Election Day
November 5-9 Pirates Week (Cayman Islands)
November 8 National Cappuccino Day
November 11 Veteran’s Day
November 20 “No Time To Die” (Bond) Release Date
November 25 DrinksGiving
November 26 Thanksgiving
November 27 Black Friday
November 27-29 Denver Pop Culture Con
DECEMBER 2020
December 5 National Repeal Day
December 8 National Brownie Day
December 13 National Ice Cream Day
December 17 First flight by the Wright Brothers (1903)
December 19 President Clinton is impeached (1998)
December 25 Christmas
December 30 National Bacon Day
December 31 New Year’s Eve
JANUARY 2021
January 1 New Year’s Day
January 1 National Bloody Mary Day
January 1 National Hangover Day
January 2 National Buffet Day
January 2 National Science Fiction Day
January 5 National Whipped Cream Day
January 5 National Bird Day
January 6 National Technology Day
January 6 Nancy Kerrigan is attacked the Figure skating Championship in Detroit (2001)
January 8 Noah Cyrus turns 21
January 8 The Devil’s Light movie release
January 11 College Football Playoff National Championship
January 12 OJ Simpson murder trial begins (1995)
January 13 Lance Armstrong admits to doping (2013)
January 13-18 Cayman Cookout
January 15 Pitbull Turns 40
January 15 355 movie release
January 15 Mortal Kombat movie release
January 15 Petter Rabbit 2: The Runaway movie release
January 17 50th Anniversary of the Baltimore Colts Winning Super Bowl V
January 17 Lil Jon turns 50
January 18 Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 18 Anniversary of the integration of the PGA Tour (1961)
January 19 Dolly Parton turns 75
January 22 Chaos Walking movie release
January 24 Neil Diamond Turns 80
January 25 Alicia Keys turns 40
January 25 National Plan for Vacation Day
January 25 Anniversary of the first ever Winter Olympic Games (1924)
January 26 Anniversary of the death of Kobe Bryant and daughter Gigi (2020)
January 28 Serena Williams wins Grand Slam while 8 weeks pregnant (2017)
January 29 Rumble movie release
January 30 World Leprosy Day
January 31 Justin Timberlake turns 40
All Month National Blood Donor Month
All Month National Oatmeal Month
All Month National Soup Month
FEBRUARY 2021
February 1 National Dark Chocolate Day
February 1 National Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day
February 1 Anniversary of Janet Jackson’s infamous Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction (2004)
February 2 Groundhog Day
February 2-3 MakeUp in Los Angeles
February 4 World Cancer Day
February 5 National Wear Red Day
February 5 Cinderella movie release
February 7 Super Bowl LV
February 9 National Pizza Day
February 9 Toothache Day
February 10 IBM computer beats a human reigning chess champ for the first time (1996)
February 11 International Day of Women and Girls in Science
February 12 The Eternals movie release
February 12 Monster Problems movie release
February 12 Toy of the Year Awards
February 13-14 Fredericksburg Kids Expo
February 13-16 Toy Fair New York
February 14 Parkland, Florida shooting
February 14 Valentine’s Day
February 15 President’s Day
February 15 Toy Fair Credit Meeting
February 17 Ed Sheeran turns 30
February 17 Michael Jordan’s 58th birthday
February 19 National Lash Day
February 19 Nobody movie release
February 20 National Muffin day
February 20 National Love Your Pet Day
February 20 Anniversary of the death of Dale Earnhardt in crash at Daytona 500 (2001)
February 21 Sophie Turner turns 25
February 22 National Margarita Day
February 22 Anniversary of the Miracle on Ice (1980)
February 24 National Tortilla Chip Day
February 25 National Clam Chowder Day
February 26 Without Remorse
February 27 National Kahlua Day
February 28 Rare Disease Day
February 28 Golden Globe Awards
All Month National/American Heart Month
MARCH 2021
March 1 National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day
March 1-3 ToyFest West
March 2 National Egg McMuffin Day
March 4 Anniversary of the first ever ESPY Awards (1993)
March 5 Multiple Personality Day
March 5 Ghostbusters: Afterlife movie release
March 5 Tom and Jerry movie release
March 5 National Absinthe Day
March 6 National Frozen Food Day
March 6 Tyler, the Creator turns 30
March 8 Anniversary of US Women’s National Soccer equal pay suit (2019)
March 8-11 TMC Annual Meeting
March 9 National Barbie Day
March 9 National Meatball Day
March 9-23 World Baseball Classic
March 10 National Pack Your Lunch Day
March 11 World Kidney Day
March 12 Raya and the Last Dragon movie release
March 14 Screen Actors Guild Awards
March 14 National Potato Chip Day
March 16-17 March Madness First Four
March 16-20 International Pizza Expo
March 17 St. Patrick’s Day
March 19 Tomb Raider movie release
March 19 National Let’s Laugh Day
March 19-21 Toylanta
March 19-21 Playthrough Gaming Convention
March 21 World Down Syndrome Day
March 21 Fragrance Day
March 21 Arbor Day
March 22 World Water Day
March 22 Reese Witherspoon turns 45
March 25-27 Mid-America Trucking Show
March 26 The Boss Baby 2 movie release
March 26-28 Ultra Music Festival
March 26-28 San Diego Comic-Con
March 27 Passover
March 28 Lady Gaga turns 35
March 31 National Crayon Day
All Month National Nutrition Month
APRIL 2021
April 1 April Fool’s Day
April 2 World Autism Awareness Day
April 2 Fast and Furious 9 movie release
April 3 National DIY Day
April 3 World Party Day
April 3-5 March Madness Final Four
April 4 Easter
April 5 Easter Monday
April 6 New Beer’s Eve
April 6 125th anniversary of the first modern Olympics (Athens, 1896)
April 7 World Health Day
April 7 National Beer Day
April 8 105th anniversary of the PGA
April 9 Bob’s Burgers movie release
April 9-18 Coachella
April 11 National Pets Day
April 13 Ramadan
April 14 Tribeca Film Festival
April 15 Jackie Robinson Day (1947)
April 15 Anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing (2013)
April 16 Bios movie release
April 17 World Hemophilia Day
April 17 10 Years since Game of Thrones Premiered on HBO
April 18 56th Annual ACM Awards
April 19 Katherine Switzer becomes first woman to run the Boston Marathon (1967)
April 19-24 ISRI Convention & Exposition 2021
April 21 Administrative Professionals Day
April 22 Earth Day
April 22-May 2 New Orleans Jazz Fest
April 23 A Quiet Place II movie release
April 24 National Business Traveler Day
April 24 Indie Spirit Awards
April 25 DNA Day
April 25 The Oscars
April 26 National Pretzel Day
April 28 World Day for Health and Safety at Work Day
April 28 Jessica Alba turns 40
April 28 Muhammad Ali refuses the draft and is stripped of boxing title (1967)
April 29 Prince William and Kate Middleton’s 10 year anniversary
April 30 Hairstyle Appreciation Day
All Month National Car Care Month
MAY 2021
May 2-8 National Travel and Tourism Week
May 4 World Asthma Day
May 4-5 NYSCC Suppliers’ Day
May 4-5 ACT Expo
May 5 World Hand Hygiene Day
May 5 Cinco de Mayo
May 6 National Nurses Day
May 6 George Clooney turns 60
May 6 International No Diet Day
May 7 Dog movie release
May 7 National Cosmopolitan Day
May 7 National Tourism Day
May 8 World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day
May 9 Mother’s Day
May 9 National Moscato Day
May 12 Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Day
May 12 Eid (End of Ramadan)
May 13 National Fruit Cocktail Day
May 14 Spirit Riding Free movie release
May 16 National Mimosa Day
May 17 146th Anniversary of the first ever Kentucky Derby
May 21 Godzilla vs. Kong movie release
May 23 National Turtle Day
May 24 Bob Dylan Turns 80
May 25 10 years since Fifty Shades of Grey was released
May 25 National Wine Day
May 27-30 International Space Development Conference
May 28 Cruella movie release
May 28 National Road Trip Day
May 28 National Sunscreen Day
May 30 National Creativity Day
May 31 Memorial Day
May31 World No Tobacco Day
May 31 International Flight Attendant Day
All Month National Mental Health Month
JUNE 2021
June 1 World Reef Awareness Day
June 1 National Olive Day
June 2 Lou Gehrig dies of what will later be known as Lou Gehrig’s disease (1941)
June 3 National Cider Day
June 3 5th anniversary of the death of Mohammad Ali
June 4 Micronauts movie release
June 4 Samaritan movie release
June 4 The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It movie release
June 4 National Cognac Day
June 4 National Cheese Day
June 4 National Moonshine Day
June 5 National Trails Day
June 5 Mark Wahlberg turns 50
June 6 National Cancer Survivors Day
June 6 Anniversary of 1941 D-Day
June 7 Fetty Wap turns 30
June 8 World Brain Tumor Day
June 8 World Oceans Day
June 10 Prince Phillip turns 100
June 10-13 CMA Fest
June 11-13 Columbus Arts Festival
June 11-26 North American International Auto Show
June 11 Queen’s birthday
June 12 Boston Pride
June 12 National Automotive Service Professionals Day
June 13 Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen turn 35
June 13 National Rosé Day
June 14 World Blood Donor Day
June 14 Donald Trump turns 75
June 14 Flag Day
June 14 National Bourbon Day
June 17 FIFA Club World Cup
June 17 National Eat Your Vegetables Day
June 17 OJ Simpson’s infamous Ford Bronco chase (1994)
June 18 In the Heights movie release
June 18 Pixar movie release
June 18 International Sushi Day
June 18-19 Almost Heaven BBQ Bash
June 19 National Martini Day
June 20 Father’s Day
June 21 National Smoothie Day
June 26 National Dark n’ Stormy Day
June 26 Supreme Court case rules same sex marriage is legal in all 50 states (2015)
June 28 Elon Musk turns 50
June 30 International Surfing Day
All Month National Caribbean-American Heritage Month
All Month NYC Pride
JULY 2021
July 1 Anniversary of Princess Diana’s 60th Birthday
July 1 Mike Tyson infamously bites off Evander Holyfield’s ear (1997)
July 1-5 Marin County Fair
July 1-7 Clean Beaches Week
July 2 Minions: The Rise of Gru movie release
July 2 Top Gun: Maverick movie release
July 2 Constitution Day (Cayman Islands)
July 3-10 National Cherry Festival
July 4 Independence Day
July 4 115th anniversary of the Nathan’s Hot Dog eating contest
July 6 National Fried Chicken Day
July 9 The Forever Purge movie release
July 10 National Pina Colada Day
July 11 National Mojito Day
July 13 Anniversary of the first FIFA World Cup (1930)
July 14 National Clean Beauty Day
July 14 LochteGate (2016)
July 15 The 10th anniversary of the final Harry Potter film being released
July 16 Space Jam 2: A New Legacy movie release
July 17 World Emoji Day
July 19 National Daquiri Day
July 22 National Hot Dog Day
July 22-25 San Diego Comic-Con
July 23-Aug. 5 Tokyo Olympics
July 23 David Dobrik turns 25
July 24 International Self-Care Day
July 24 National Tequila Day
July 25 National Wine and Cheese Day
July 27 National Scotch Day
July 27 25th anniversary Atlanta Olympic Park bombing
July 27-29 Cosmoprof North America Las Vegas
July 30 Friendship Day
July 30 Jungle Cruise movie release
July 30 National Cheeseburger Day
July 31 Michael Phelps becomes greatest medal winner in Olympic History (2012)
All Month National Ice Cream Month
AUGUST 2021
August 1 Sisters’ Day
August 3 Jesse Owens wins the 100m gold medal in front of Adolf Hitler (1936)
August 4 National Makeup Day
August 4 Meghan Markle turns 40
August 4 Barack Obama turns 60
August 5 Burning Man
August 6 Hotel Transylvania 4 movie release
August 6 The Suicide Squad movie release
August 7 International Beer Day
August 11 National Face Mask Day
August 16 National Rum Day
August 16 Usain Bolt breaks 100m record and becomes the fastest man on Earth (2008)
August 23 National Cheap Flight Day
August 25 Billy Ray Cyrus turns 60
August 25 National Whiskey Day
August 27 The Beatles: Get Back movie release
August 28 National Red Wine Day
SEPTEMBER 2021
September 1 Zendaya turns 25
September 4 Beyoncé turns 40
September 4 National Wildlife Day
September 5 Israeli national team taken hostage by terrorist group at Munich Olympics (1972)
September 5-11 National Trucking Week (CA)
September 6 Labor Day
September 7 Rosh Hashanah
September 7 National Beer Lovers Day
September 8 National Iguana Awareness Day
September 10 World Suicide Prevention Day
September 12 Grandparents Day
September 12-16 TMC Fall Meeting
September 12-18 National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (US)
September 14 National Coloring Day
September 15 Yom Kippur
September 16 Amy Poehler turns 50
September 17 National Country Music Day
September 19-25 The Presidents Cup
September 20 National Punch Day
September 20, Billie Jean King wins the Battle of the Sexes (1973)
September 21 The Bad Guys movie release
September 21-26 Ryder Cup
September 24 Native American Day
September 26 Serena Williams turns 40
September 28 National Drink Beer Day
September 29 World Heart Day
All Month California Wine month
Consider these “holidays” or “calendar triggers” to inspire creative thinking for your clients in any industry. You just might find an opportunity to leverage National Chocolate Day (Oct. 28th) this year.
