St. Patrick’s Day Marketing Tips to Get The Green

St. Patrick’s Day presents a great opportunity for marketing teams to use smart – and even gimmicky – tactics to bring in major green for your business. In this post, we’re looking at some really cool campaign ideas for super awesome St. Patrick’s Day marketing.

In recent years, 149 million Americans reported celebrating the holiday… which makes sense. I mean really, who doesn’t love a little luck (and a lot of Guinness)? The National Retail Foundation found that most American St. Patrick’s Day celebrants are young adults, falling between the ages of 18 to 34. In fact, 72 percent of those in this age group report celebrating the green-clad holiday. They are followed by 57 percent of those in the midrange from ages 35 to 54 and some 41 percent of those 55 and older. 

While this holiday does seem to be one for the young, your influencer marketing campaign doesn’t need to stop there. Think of any shamrock fanfare as geared toward the young and the young at heart.

Forget Shamrocks, Show Me That GREEN!

Alright, enough of the who. Let’s get to the how much. We know, as business owners and marketers alike, you want us to show you the money! We’re pleased to report that this holiday could prove quite lucky for your biz, whether big or small. 

In 2022, $5.87 billion was spent on St. Patrick’s Day-related activities in the U.S. alone. The average celebrant contributed an average of $40 to that number. Why not put that $40 to good use on your products and offerings this March, right?  

When it comes to St. Patrick’s Day spending, most moola is dedicated to food and booze, with 41 percent going to grub. Accessories and decorations make up 31 percent and 26 percent respectively, and 16 percent goes to holiday candy. 

Of course, there’s plenty of room to carve out your own percentage in the holiday spenders’ budget, if you set up the right kind of St. Patrick’s Day marketing campaign.  

If you happen to be in the booze business, this holiday is for you. According to Forbes, more than 13 million pints of Guinness were consumed around the world on March 17th in 2021. Not to mention, upwards of 4.65 million cases of Irish whiskey were sold in the U.S. alone. People are willing to spend a pretty penny on liquor for the holiday. 

So Where’s the Party?

This year, celebrants will get merry on ‘Luck of the Irish’ pub crawls in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Denver, and more. Some drinkers will even make their run for the pubs in annual Run to the Pub half marathon in Bozeman, MT. (There are others like it, but this one was ranked #2 by the Best-in-the-U.S.) This mini-marathon attracts thousands of runners and St. Paddy’s Day enthusiasts alike. 

People love any excuse to celebrate, but for some, St. Paddy’s day hits closer to home. The most Irish cities in the U.S. each report upwards of Irish heritage at upwards of 15 percent of their population. The cities with the most Irish blessings include: 

• Boston, MA
• Middlesex County, MA
• Peabody, MA
• Albany, NY
• Syracuse, NY

It’s interesting that the cities with the largest Irish populations aren’t necessarily the ones who celebrate the hardest. You’ll find the most popular St. Paddy’s Day parades in Chicago, New York City, Savannah, Philadelphia, and Kansas City. Altogether, these events garner nearly five million spectators each year. In some places, even the rivers run green. Cities including Chicago, San Antonio, Indianapolis, Charlotte, Savannah, and more dye their rivers green for the special day.

Here’s a quick tip: Make sure to pay close attention to the geographic location of your customers. Are you a local business in one of the green-clad cities we just mentioned? Capitalize on that hype! Or if you’re not in the area but you’re happy to ship your goods to wherever the party is, partner with influencers who have the most St. Patrick’s pull. 

Now, Let’s Talk About St. Patrick’s Day on Pinterest!

St. Patrick’s Day is HUGE for pinners. Our research indicates that pinners save the most St. Patrick’s Day ideas from January to March. If you happen to be reading this post after January, don’t fret – it’s never too late to start! 

Plus, your kick-ass content will still be alive and well on the internet next year to entice all those St. Paddy’s Day planners. 

We know, we know. This is a lot of information. Stats and numbers and booze and luck and green. Don’t worry! There is a pot of gold at the end of this post. We’ve put together some lucky examples of posts on Instagram and Pinterest that we hope will spark your holiday inspiration. 

Now to the good stuff. 

Our Tips for St. Patrick’s Day Marketing (and INfluencer Marketing)

With campaigns this good, you won’t need a four-leaf clover. (Unless of course your influencers are including them in their posts in which case the more the merrier!)

Now, we know most brands aren’t launching influencer campaigns specifically for St. Patrick’s Day. But for year-long activations and even for testing marketing messages ahead of the big spring retail events like Easter and Mother’s Day, it’s good to know how to grab the attention of the huge crowds that plan to troll the bars and stroll the streets in mid-March.

Tip #1: Instagram and Pinterest are your go-to social channels for St. Patrick’s Day influencer marketing.

Our research indicates that Instagram and Pinterest are St. Paddy’s Day influencer marketing mainstays. So we’ve included some post examples below to get your creative juices flowing and inspire your next St. Patrick’s Day influencer push! 

So what do people look for when consuming St. Patrick’s Day-themed content on social media? Recent data points to the following: desserts, crafts, outfits, and nails. People want to get decked out from head to toe PLUS get their holiday-themed parties and places just as festive!

Tip #2: Find creators who already have the St. Paddy’s Day spirit. 🍀

The numbers say approximately 77 percent of men and 84 percent of women avoid pinching by wearing green on March 17th. This, of course, means that millions will be planning their St. Paddy’s ‘fits in preparation. In fact, “St. Patrick’s Day outfit” is one of the most searched phrases for the holiday on Pinterest  

In fact, on Pinterest, you can find creators and brands who have the holiday spirit just by switching your search filter to Profiles. It’s an easy peasy way to jumpstart your St. Patrick’s Day marketing. 

So, don’t fret much about finding someone who can embed your products into their posts. 

Tip #3: Keep things interesting by partnering with a diverse group of influencers. 

You don’t have to sell green clothing or accessories to use this technique to your advantage. Depending on the vibe of your brand, you can take influencer ‘fits from wacky and leprechaun-esque….

Check out the ultimate St. Paddy’s style from Party City. Source: Pinterest 

…to something a little more subtle and chic. 

Who said you had to sacrifice fashion (or comfort!) to dress festive? Source: Pinterest

Have you considered pet influencers? We didn’t find any stats on the percentage of people who dress up their pets for St. Patrick’s Day. But we do know that 1 in 5 Halloween celebrants will dress up their dogs. We also noticed the search queries such as leprechaun dog costume, St. Patrick’s Day dog collar, St. Patrick’s Day dog treats, and St. Patrick’s day dog shirt (or dress or sweater) are up around this time of the year. 

That said, it never hurts to let your furry friends in on the dress-up trends as well. Like this good boy.

Nothing makes customers say “luck me!” like a cutie like this guy on their timeline. Source: Instagram

And of course, we know sometimes the real magic is in the details. We’re talkin’ nails, makeup trends, and more! Take advantage of those clicks, and get your products to stand out with the help of influencers who are nailing it!

This beautifully designed hand is holding more polish, but imagine if it was your product! Source: Pinterest

The same goes for influencers who love to use their faces as the canvas. Entice holiday enthusiasts with the perfect holiday makeup look alongside the goods your company provides. 

The possibilities for holiday expression are endless with artful posts like this one. Source: Instagram

Sell jewelry, accessories, or beauty products? Or maybe your customer base includes people with faces! All of these are great examples of businesses that are prime candidates for leveraging the power of holiday makeup as part of their influencer marketing strategies. 

Tip #4: Do some more-obvious but not-cheesy product placements 

Enough about holiday style. St. Paddy’s party throwers want to know how to make their festivities magically delicious. This includes snacks, desserts, beer and more! What role can food play in your next campaign? Your customers gotta eat!

Pair your products with treats St. Patrick would love! Source: Pinterest 

St. Paddy’s Day is great for drinking and product placement! Source: Instagram

And last but certainly not least, who doesn’t love a wholesome holiday craft?

This is a great one for the kids and the whole family! Source: Pinterest

We hope this St. Paddy’s post will act as your metaphorical four-leaf clover, bringing you luck and ease in your next holiday influencer marketing campaign. If you want to learn more, or you aren’t sure where to go from here, that’s fine too! Reach out to our experts for even more intel on how we can enhance your influencer marketing to help you reach your revenue and outreach goals!

For now, in the spirit of the season, this is our Irish goodb–. 

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