International Friendship Day
30th July marks International Friendship Day, an occasion dedicated to celebrating those we love.
It's also the perfect chance to strengthen relationships with your customers while reaching new audiences. Offer exclusive rewards for customers to share with their friends in celebration of International Friendship Day, and you can take your referral programme to new heights.
Last year, brands including PrettyLittleThing, Laithwaite's Wine and Monica Vinader ran International Friendship Day campaigns and increased referrals by an incredible 100%.
This year is set to be even bigger. Don't miss out – register your interest now to start planning.
It's quick and easy to prepare your International Friendship Day campaign. Here are our tips on making it a success.
1. Run a special incentive
Motivate your customers to refer friends with offers such as:
- Promotional gifts
- Exclusive discounts
- Charity donations
You can even combine incentives to create offers even more likely to get people talking.
2. Update copy & design
Use imagery and language that reminds customers of their friends. For example:
- 'Share what you love'
- 'We're stronger together'
- 'Treat your bestie'
Our design studio can help implement these updates.
3. Extend Promotion
International Friendship Day may only last 24 hours, but your promotion doesn't need to. We recommend running your campaign for at least 7 days. For even better results, consider a fortnight or entire month.
4. Get our lookbook
We've created a lookbook bursting with copy, design and incentive examples to inspire your International Friendship Day campaign. Your Client Success Manager is also on hand to give ideas and recommendations.
1. build brand affinity
International Friendship Day is the perfect counterweight to the hard sell retail bonanzas of Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day.
By helping customers celebrate their friendships, you can create a sense of emotional engagement that keeps them coming back long after your campaign ends.
2. increase sales
If your sales have suffered in the current climate, now's the time to give them a boost. International Friendship Day campaigns are proven to increase core marketing metrics, including new customer revenue and average order value. Last year, one fashion retailer's promotion increased new customer revenue by a remarkable 997%.
3. acquire new customers
51% of consumers trust their friends' recommendations more than any other source of advertising. Motivating happy customers to tell others about your brand is a straightforward and effective way to acquire shoppers who fit your target demographic. These customers tend to spend more, return often and are 3x more likely to recommend your brand to others.
International Friendship Day has been about longer than you may think. It was first proposed by the World Friendship Crusade in 1958 to foster a culture of peace through friendship. In 2011, the United Nations declared 30th July as the official International Day of Friendship.
Fun facts
- The Beatles released their popular song “With a Little Help from My Friends” in 1967 to mark the 10th anniversary of International Friendship Day.
- In 1998, Nane Annan, the wife of the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, named cuddly toy character Winnie the Pooh as the Ambassador of Friendship.
- A popular custom includes giving pink and yellow roses to friends.