Last summer, I was facing a peculiar challenge. A SaaS client needed to launch their product update, but the timing coincided with Presidents Day 2021. The question weighed heavy: "Are markets closed on Presidents Day 2021?" This led me down a rabbit hole that transformed how I approach seasonal marketing campaigns.
Let me share something few marketers openly discuss – holiday marketing often fails because we treat special dates as mere calendar items rather than cultural moments. The financial markets may close on Presidents Day, but consumer attention never does. This realization sparked what became one of our most successful gamified campaigns.
How a President's Day Campaign Changed My Marketing Philosophy
When researching whether markets would be closed on Presidents Day 2021, I noticed something intriguing. While financial activities paused, social media engagement actually spiked during the long weekend. People weren't analyzing stocks, but they were definitely on their phones.
This pattern revealed an opening. Rather than postponing our launch, we created a historically-themed gamification campaign that played off the holiday itself.
The Presidents Day Opportunity Most Marketers Missed
Turning Holiday Downtime into Marketing Uptime
Here's what we did:
- The Presidential Trivia Challenge: We created a series of increasingly difficult questions about presidential history, each unlocking discounts on our client's software
- Virtual "Mount Rushmore" Badges: Users collected digital achievements representing Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln when completing different product tutorials
- Community Voting System: Participants nominated peers who demonstrated "presidential leadership qualities" in using the software, with top vote-getters receiving premium features
The results surprised even me. During a weekend when markets were closed on Presidents Day 2021, our client saw:
- 247% increase in product trials
- 89% completion rate of onboarding tutorials
- 3.7x higher social sharing than typical promotional campaigns
The Psychology Behind Holiday Gamification
I've since thought deeply about why this worked. The campaign succeeded because it transformed idle holiday time into engaging play, while respecting the cultural significance of the day.
Some marketers would've simply thrown a "Presidents Day Sale" banner on their website. I think that misses the deeper opportunity. When someone is wondering "are markets closed on Presidents Day?", they're really saying: "I have unexpected free time – what meaningful activity might fill it?"
Beyond Presidents Day: Applying These Lessons Year-Round
This experience taught me three principles I now apply to all seasonal marketing:
- Find the emotional center of each holiday – Presidents Day isn't just about markets being closed; it's about contemplating leadership and history
- Create achievement layers that respect people's time – Not everyone has the entire holiday free; our campaign allowed participation at various commitment levels
- Connect individual play to community value – The voting mechanism transformed solitary game completion into shared recognition
Real-World Proof: Case Studies Beyond Our Campaign
This approach isn't limited to our experience. Consider how other brands have successfully gamified holiday moments:
Starbucks: Their holiday cup collection game turns seasonal products into collectible achievements, driving repeated visits during December market fluctuations
Nike: Their Thanksgiving "Earned Miles" challenge converted holiday eating guilt into fitness motivation, with activity-unlocked rewards
Both examples share a common thread with our Presidents Day campaign – they understood that holidays represent psychological transitions, not just calendar dates.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Seasonal Gamification
I believe we're entering an era where the distinction between "are markets closed?" and "is marketing closed?" will disappear entirely. Smart companies will create year-round gamified systems that simply intensify during holidays.
But I want to acknowledge something important – this approach requires genuine creativity, not formulaic application. Each holiday has its own cultural meaning, and gamifying without respecting that feels manipulative.
A Few Final Thoughts
When someone searches "are markets closed on Presidents Day 2021," they're expressing a practical concern about their routine. As marketers, our job isn't to exploit that moment, but to transform it into something genuinely valuable.
The most effective gamification doesn't just drive metrics – it creates memories associated with your brand. Our Presidents Day campaign succeeded because participants enjoyed the experience so much they shared it voluntarily.
I'm curious: How have you incorporated holiday timing into your marketing strategies? Have you found certain approaches more effective than others?
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Want to Know What Really Gets People Talking?
Let me share something that caught me off guard when I started using Faisco. We ran a small contest for a client last month, and what happened next was pretty eye-opening. Their social traffic didn't just tick up – it jumped by over 60%. People stuck around on their site four times longer than usual. And here's the kicker: their conversion rates shot up by 28% compared to their regular campaigns.
I get it – numbers are nice, but you're probably wondering what this means in real terms. Here's the deal: Faisco turns those boring "enter your email" promotions into experiences people actually want to share with their friends. I've seen it work for scrappy startups and growing SaaS companies alike.
Looking to Give This a Shot?
From my experience running these campaigns, I've picked up a few tricks that make a real difference.
Start with the End in Mind
Here's what I tell my clients: figure out what success looks like before you dive in. Are you after more email signups? Brand awareness? Social buzz? Each goal shapes how you'll set up your campaign.
Pick Prizes People Actually Want
I learned this one the hard way – offering an iPad might get entries, but offering something your specific audience craves? That's when magic happens. One of my clients in the photography space offered a premium preset pack, and their engagement went through the roof.
Get the Word Out
Sure, you could just hit publish and hope for the best. But I've found mixing things up works better – share on social, tap into your email list, maybe test some ads if you've got the budget. Different channels reach different folks.
Keep an Eye on What Works
Faisco comes with some pretty solid analytics tools. I check them regularly to see what's clicking with people and what's not. Sometimes the smallest tweaks make the biggest difference.
Here's something cool: you can test this out yourself at i.faisco.com. Their free trial lets you set up a campaign in about three minutes. Beats spending weeks planning and coding something from scratch.
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