Here's the ultimate guide to plan your brand's content and get the engagement going this October.
From Non-Violence Day and Dusshera to World Vodka Day, here are some wide ranging additions to your marketing communication mix.
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Breast Cancer Awareness Month
New York based charity Pink Ribbon Inc. promote
Breast Cancer Awareness Month where like-minded,
affiliated international groups participate in fund
raising using the pink ribbon motif.
The point of the month is to help raise awareness
about the deadly effects of the disease and the
importance of detecting it at its early stages by
performing regular check ups. However, this month is
also to share inspiring stories of women who have
overcome it.
Social Media and Content Marketing thus become a
fantastic means for brands to extend their support
towards the cause, and encourage their customers to
follow suit.
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International Day of Older Persons- 1st Oct
A celebration of the men and women in their golden
years, this very special day is celebrated in a number of
countries.
Searches revolve around different ways that this very
special demographic can be commemorated- be it gift
ideas, quotes about their importance, or heart-warming
stories about their impact on families, friends and even
businesses. Additionally, efforts for the elderly, through
personal and public charity, should be encouraged.
Marketers can step in by sharing some emotionally
stirring or humorous content that honours the wisdom
and golden greatness that older folk bring to dinner
tables the world over.
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World Vegetarian Day- 1st Oct
There are a number of very diverse ways in which
World Vegetarian Day on 1st Oct can be used by
content marketers to engage users.
There’s the health aspect- wherein they can promote
the nutritional and health-enhancing possibilities of
vegetarianism and educate users about the benefits of
including vegetarian food in their diets.
There’s the cuisine aspect- wherein they can suggest
delicious recipes, DIY food ideas and best practices.
There’s also the culture aspect involving exciting
celebration ideas, food art, ‘vegetarian’ memes and
jokes, as well as a celebration of cooks worldwide who
are innovatively stirring the food bowl.
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Gandhi Jayanti- 2nd Oct
Gandhi Jayanti marks the birth of Mohandas
Karamchand Gandhi, the Father of Our Nation.
Celebrated across the world as The International Day of
Non-Violence, a principle Gandhi Ji preached and
practiced, this is an extremely important day for every
Indian.
Marketers traditionally commemorate this day by
circulation famous quotes by Gandhiji, along with the
ideologies he believed in. This can however be stretched
to include videos, listicles and plenty of micro-content
that discusses the relevance of Gandhiji’s principles in
today’s day and age.
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South Africa Tour of India- 2nd Oct
By far the most followed and loved sport in India is
and always has been: Cricket. Every major cricketing
event is an opportunity for Marketers to create some
memorable, shareable content around participating
teams and players, as well as the game itself.
The South Africa Tour of India will be starting with
the India vs South Africa T20 match on Oct 2nd 2015 at
Dharamsala. The tour will have the teams battling it out
in T20, ODI and Test matches over the course of 2
months, till 7th December, 2015. Searches around match
timings, live streaming, historical facts and statistics will
all start to shoot up at the end of September.
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Indian Super League- 3rd Oct
The Indian Super League returns on 3rd Oct,
2015 for its 2nd edition. India’s first all-football
league, the 8-team series will begin with a match
at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
Football is the Indian sports fan’s 2nd most loved
sport. The ISL is a particularly rich source of
content for marketers because of its international
appeal- participating players are from a range of
countries and football clubs.
Searches around match schedules, fun facts,
statistics and player histories, as well as celebrity
sightings at matches will cause quite a buzz
starting the end of September.
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World Teachers’ Day- 5th Oct
Conversation generated on this day will be engaging
to a wide range of audiences- basically anyone who’s
ever had a teacher.
There can be funny and/or emotional quote
compilations, interesting research and findings or
even real people’s stories. DIY gift ideas and
affordable celebration ideas will definitely surge since
students will be looking for a way to celebrate their
mentors.
Further, brands can showcase the process they follow
to learn and evolve, whether it’s a stationery brand or
a BPO, and attribute that to the power of teaching.
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International Day of the Girl Child- 11th Oct
Given the need of the hour, discussion around
women’s rights and equality for the girl child is
extremely important. The discussion does take place
in some way or the other on various online forums.
From politicians to activists to students and
professionals, everybody has something to say and
some way to show support.
Also called, The Day of the Girl, this is a great day
to raise awareness against the discrimination faced
by girls across the globe in an effort to raise funds
for the improvement of their status, by giving them
access to basic sanitations, education and loving
families.
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Durga Puja & Dussehra
Durga Puja, 18th to 22nd Oct, is a weekly
celebration of Goddess Kali and her avatars, and
Dussehra, 22nd Oct, of the end of the evil.
Durga Puja is celebrated on a mass scale with puja
pandals (marquees) dotting nearly every nook and
corner of West Bengal. Dussehra is celebrated with
the burning down of effigies
and cultural enactment of the Ram Leela.
Searches around recipes, dates, gift ideas,
fashionable outfits and even travel to West Bengal
start to swell about a week before it begins, with
social media exploding with happiness over this
most joyous occasion.
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Karva Chauth- 30th Oct
In favour of a long life for their husbands,
married women across India have a day of fasting
on Karva Chauth.
Traditionally a gesture of love, this festival is a
great time for marketers to capitalize on the
special bond formed by marriage. There can be a
wide circulation of quotes, images, clothing and
gift ideas for this special day.
However, the most talked about aspect of Karva
Chauth is definitely celebrity celebrations; social
media goes gung-ho over pictures of their
favourite Indian actresses dressed in traditional
Indian clothing, celebrating their love for their
significant others.
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Calendar Events- Sports
The 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup will return on 17th Oct
2015 for its 16th edition to be hosted in Chile.
The WTA championship, a women’s tennis tournament,
will begin in Singapore on 25th Oct. Its Singles event,
was won by Serene Williams last year, and its Doubles
event was won by Sania Mirza and Cara Black.
Searches around players, past matches and broadcast
schedules surge, creating a lot of buzz on social media.
There is also an increase in searches around fashion and
lifestyle which go up during the such events. Users are
interested to know about celebrity sightings at matches,
their fashion and fitness choices, etc.
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Marwar Festival, 26th- 27th Oct: The Blue city of
Jodhpur celebrates the memory of the heroes of
Rajasthan every year in fabulous fashion. The main
attraction for tourists and locals alike is the Folk
Music, and the displays of art and culture, focusing
on the romantic lifestyle of Rajasthani Rulers.
The whole month of October is celebrated around
the world as Pizza Month. Be it a self appointed
mascot, a comic template used for all social media
posts or even some well thought-out articles on
healthier living, this underlying theme could catapult
some smart brands straight into the spotlight.
Calendar Events- Celebrations
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World Habitat Day, to be observed on 5th Oct, 2015,
is a day to reflect on the state of our cities and towns
and the basic human right to adequate shelter.
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, to
be observed on 17th Oct, 2015, is a day to recognize
the struggles of those living in poverty and to help
them in some way.
Both these days are a great opportunity for brands to
flaunt their CSR and gain some goodwill. Charitable
organisations can invite donations to charities around
the world as well as try and recruit younger
volunteers via social media.
Calendar Events- World Days
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Poetry Day on 1st of Oct and Animation Day on 28th
Oct or the Day of User Generated Content as they
should be called, is when content marketers have the
chance to really implant themselves in the memories of
their consumers by being playful and creative. With
contests, quizzes, fill in the blanks or giveaways,
marketers can etch themselves deep into users’ minds.
Techies Day on 3rd Oct is a good time to celebrate the
prized geeks in every family and business alike. Be it
hackathons, a series of “what it’s like to be” illustrations
or even just sharing of employee victories and successes,
brands can carry out some innovative, impactful and
humorous internal and external marketing.
Calendar Events- Fun Days
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Meta at its best, Internet Day on 29th Oct gives
marketers an entire world wide web of content
to create. Marking the anniversary of the first
usage of the Internet to send a message
electronically, way back in 1969, this is a fun day
ever brand can join in on.
Vodka Day on 4th Oct is the ideal day to raise
digital glasses to the world’s favourite alcoholic
drink. It’s a field day for all food and drink
brands as well as any others who want to give
their consumers a reason and a way to celebrate.
Calendar Events- Fun Days
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Major Celebrity Birthdays
• Julie Andrews, 1st Oct- Oscar winning Hollywood actress of Sound of Music, Mary Poppins fame
• Sting, 2nd Oct- Grammy winning English singer, former member of The Police
• Lena Headey, 3rd Oct- English actress portraying Cersei Lannister in cult TV show Game of Thrones
• Dakota Johnson, 4th Oct- Hollywood actress of 50 Shades of Grey fame
• Kate Winslet, 5th Oct- Oscar winning Hollywood actress of Titanic fame , amongst others
• Rekha, 10th Oct- Bollywood ‘s original diva and one of India’s most widely renowned actresses
• Amitabh Bachchan, 11th Oct- Bollywood’s own Big B, one the of the world’s most famous actors
• Hugh Jackman, 12th Oct- Hollywood actor of Wolverine fame
• Hema Malini, 16th Oct- Bollywood actress of Sholay, Seeta aur Geeta fame, amongst others
• Kim Kardashian, 21st Oct- American television and social media personality, actress and model
• Parineeti Chopra, 22nd Oct- Bollywood’s latest It Girl, of Ishaqzaade fame
• Asin, 26th Oct- Bollywood actress of Ghajini fame
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Major Film Releases
Bollywood
• Singh is Bling, 2nd Oct, starring: Akshay Kumar
• Talvar, 2nd Oct, starring: Irrfan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma
• 10 Enradhukulla, 2nd Oct, starring; Vikram, Samantha Ruth Prabhu
• Jazba, 9th Oct, starring: Aishwariya Rai Bachchan
• MS Dhoni, 25th Oct, starring: Sushant Singh Rajput
• Shaandaar, 22nd Oct, starring: Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt
Hollywood:
• He Named Me Malala, 2nd Oct, documentary
• The Martian, 2nd Oct, starring: Matt Damon
• Steve Jobs, 8th Oct, starring: Michael Fastbender
• The Jungle Book, 9th Oct, starring: Scarlett Johannsson, Idris Elba
• Untitled Cold War Spy Thriller, 16th Oct, starring: Tom Hanks