» Presidents Day: Elect to Launch a New Promotion!

Who cares about Washington’s Birthday? Irving Berlin, and marketers. But to get into the spirit of things, I think we should all view at least the first minute of this amazing clip from the classic 1942 film Holiday Inn. It contains what I believe to be not only one of the worst songs Irving Berlin ever wrote, but also the best song ever written about Washington’s Birthday. You haters skipping the link are not getting off easy, as I am printing the lyrics below:

I could say that you’re homely
Just as homely as pie
But this is Washington’s Birthday
And I’ve got to say you’re beautiful‘
Cause I can’t tell a lie

I could say that you’re stupid
Nothing up in your crown
But this is Washington’s Birthday
And the truthful he
Of the cherry tree
Would look down on me
And frown

I could say that I hate you if I try
But I’ve got to say I love you
‘Cause it’s February the twenty-second
And I can’t tell a lie

Amazing, right? Right. Let’s see you do it! (Comments section, please!)

Since the days of Irving Berlin and Fred Astaire, the birthdays of “the truthful he of the cherry tree,” along with his successor Honest Abe, have been heaped together as yet another opportunity to tirelessly promote retail sales at the time of year where the weather is miserable, the worst movies are out, and people are generally in bad moods, eating casseroles and waiting on spring.

In my inbox alone, I’ve received a “Presidents Day Sale Extended 3 More Days!” promo from Petco (I’m sure someone else is also having a birthday then, but a Lincoln-Washington-Peter Fonda-Steve Jobs-George Harrison Birthday Sale sounds like it comes with more red tape than Tax Day, so forget that option); a “Presidents Day Room Sale” from La Quinta Inn; a travel promotion to Washington, DC, from SniqueAway; and a “Presidents Day Weekend Event Sale” from Ann Taylor LOFT. Apart from revealing a lot about my personal tastes (travel often and travel cheap!), these promos also speak to growing opportunities for retailers to take advantage of the barren winter months. Let’s call it the Wintery E-Blast. (Like that?)

So I think the lesson for marketers to take away from this madness is that e-marketing is as robust as ever, as a relatively inexpensive yet highly effective means of reaching your market whenever you want to. Gone are the days where After Christmas and Fourth of July sales reign; the new promotional period is now.  Your market’s inbox is ready 24/7. So dust off your wigs and waistcoats, and take advantage of today just being … today.