Memorial Day Social Media Do’s and Don’ts

Every year on the last Monday of May, the United States celebrates the national holiday Memorial Day. On this day, Americans honor the memory of those who died in all wars, armed conflicts, and all deceased citizens of the United States of America. Memorial Day social media posts are all about thanks to the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Also, Memorial Day weekend means an unofficial start of summer. It gets warm, and schools and universities are closed for the summer holidays. So many people take part in parades, go to the beach, or have picnics with family and friends.

As a brand, you probably want to increase social media engagement and expand your audience through different channels. And holidays are an excellent way to achieve this – from simple greetings to using them as a full-fledged part of a marketing campaign. In addition, 82% of consumers eagerly purchase from brands that reflect their values, so it is time to act. 

Read on to discover why Memorial Day is significant, grab some holiday social media post inspiration, and make a list of dos and don’ts for your business.

Why is Memorial Day Important?

The history of Memorial Day began in 1865, after the end of the American Civil War, when a group of formerly enslaved people held a ceremony in memory of the fallen in battle. It became an official federal holiday in 1971 and was known as Decoration Day since Americans decorated the graves of the dead with flowers, wreaths, and flags.

According to History.com, for the first time, Memorial Day was officially celebrated in the small town of Waterloo (New York) on May 5, 1866. This day was an official non-working day, so the introduction of the holiday did not affect everyday life. However, the holiday has become very popular over time and is even a family one. It is a day of visiting cemeteries and memorials, hosting parades, and taking weekend trips.

For more than 50 years, Americans have been honoring those who died in the Civil War on this holiday. However, only after the United States entered World War I the idea of the holiday was expanded, and now it is dedicated to fallen in all wars.

Memorial Day in the USA is not just a holiday. It is a special day. This day permeates the history of America through the centuries, maintaining its relevance. It does not matter who is in power, what foreign policy course the country has chosen, and whether this holiday will be supported at the state level. Its essence lives in human hearts and unites all U.S. citizens. Memorial Day is not dedicated to any particular war but focuses on each lost soldier’s life, and therefore its significance is always high for Americans. It is time for sincere tears and luminous sorrow.

Memorial Day Social Media Post Inspiration

We have started this post with a few words about the history of Memorial Day and what this day truly stands for. It is essential to consider its importance before crafting Memorial Day promotions and campaigns. Below we have listed a few examples of Memorial Day social media posts. Being respectful towards your audience on this day and creating the content with mindfulness, you will get more likes, shares, and loves. 

1. GoPro

GoPro’s cameras are ideal for everyday life and for capturing military training and documentary videos. In 2019 the brand’s post included a quote from Veteran and Product Marketing Manager at GoPro, Jeremy Hendricks, who served in the U.S. Army for nine years. The post encouraged the audience to remember, be thankful, and honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

2. Reese’s

Memorial Day always falls on a Monday, creating a three-day break known as Memorial Day weekend. Moreover, it is the unofficial start of summer, so it is a popular holiday enjoyed with outdoor events and family picnics. 

For example, Reese’s shared a recipe for the peanut butter cup cupcakes to top off Memorial Day in a family circle. 

3. Forever21

The American Flag, also known as “Stars and Stripes,” is synonymous with Memorial Day. Patriotic clothing is trendy during national holidays to evoke a patriotic spirit. 

Forever21, as a fashion industry leader, published a Memorial Day social media post offering outfit suggestions for the day. The photo showed red, white, and blue fashion choices.

4. Marvel 

Instead of just sharing a simple tribute with the help of the holiday greeting, add your brand symbol/logo to speak your brand. 

Look at how Marvel joined the Memorial Day conversation in their signature style – with a simple GIF of Captain America. This way, you show you honor those who have fought for their country and remind the audience about your brand.

5. Prudential

Memorial Day is all about remembering and honoring the fallen soldiers, the vets, and the active duty service members. Prudential invited the audience to share their stories as #MemorialDay approaches. Your followers can share memories and photos of themselves or their relatives and recognize them. It is an excellent time to connect with the community this way. 

6. My Mind’s Eye

Like any other public holiday, Memorial Day is an excellent chance to maximize your sales and profits. As a result, businesses launch site-wide sales or promotions to attract more consumers. 

My Mind’s Eye brand published the post notifying they started the Memorial Day Sale early so everyone could shop and use Memorial Day to honor those who have sacrificed so much for us. In addition, the company advertised their decor kit for 50% off while supplies last.

7. Budweiser

Budweiser got the most of the holiday marketing to launch the new, patriotic-themed family pack of products with red, white, and blue camo-designed cans. To add more, the company donated the lion’s share of its profits to its nonprofit partner, Folds of Honor, which provides educational scholarships to military families.

As you can see, on Memorial Day, you can not only highlight patriotic products but also run donation/charity campaigns.

8. GoFundMe

What about the most shared Memorial Day post in 2017? GoFundMe posted a short video with a story about a Florida man who spends his days off cleaning veterans’ headstones. This post was great because an inspiring story and the right call to action to visit the GoFundMe web page.

9. Jeep

Jeep is genuinely one of the most American brands with a history of manufacturing military vehicles. However, the company’s Instagram post in 2018 did not strive to sell anything. Instead, they posted a strong picture of a Wrangler with the American Flag in the background and added the caption, ‘This Memorial Day, and every day, we honor the sacrifices many have made to help protect our freedom.’

10. TheLovelyCottage

Get your followers into the holiday spirit with a Memorial Day social media giveaway. The lifestyle blog TheLovelyCottage took a chance to showcase its products and offered a vintage Stars and Stripes flag as a price. Isn’t it an excellent chance to celebrate a holiday and engage your audience?

Memorial Day Social Media Do’s and Don’ts

While Memorial Day is synonymous with BBQs, picnics, and other family gatherings, it is essential to understand what Memorial Day stands for and prepare content accordingly. Check out a few Dos and Don’ts that you should consider when crafting Memorial Day social media content.

Don’t: Use “Happy Memorial Day!” wording in your social media posts, popups, and emails. “Happy” and “memorial” do not go hand in hand in this case since it is the day of remembrance for those who died in all wars and veterans. On this day, special ceremonies are held in cemeteries, churches, and other public places. So, the day is not quite “happy. “

Do: Post respectful content recognizing the holiday. Express gratitude and honor those who have lost their lives in military service. Such posts should be simple, thoughtful, and appropriate. If you have employees who have served in the military, you can tag them also to humanize the post.

Don’t: Market your products and services too aggressively. While holiday marketing is excellent for attracting customers, running too many promotional campaigns on Memorial Day can cause an adverse reaction. 

Do: Share valuable and helpful resources. Besides inspiring and promotional posts, you can also share some educational information about the holiday. Share your thoughts or stories, write a blog article, post a video – any educational content that can be useful for the audience.

Don’t: Be hyper-political in your posts. Remember, it is not the right day to share the political posts and participate in debates. Sure thing, you do not want to paint the brand in a bad light because of the inappropriate social media publications.

Do: Show your patriotic values. This way, you will represent your brand in a patriotic form which will resonate with some of your followers. 

Conclusion

On Memorial Day, we honor American soldiers who died in all wars and armed conflicts the United States has ever participated in. The holiday has always been an excellent occasion to market an eCommerce brand. When marketing this Memorial Day, consider these dos and don’ts to ensure your business is represented in a respectful light. Commemorate the nation’s heroes while sharing your values and developing a brand.

Agency Vista would like to express gratitude to the armed forces and their families and honor the fallen heroes who died protecting the United States of America.