Thursday, May 4, 2017

May the 4th be with you: 4 ways you can embrace ‘Star Wars’

Get ready for “Star Wars” puns: Today is May 4.

The day has become an excuse for fans to celebrate “Star Wars,” but in recent years, PR and marketing pros have jumped at the chance to win favor with their followers and boost engagement and sales.

Time reported:

Apparently, we might have former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher to thank for this tradition. She was elected on May 4, 1979 -- two years after Star Wars was released. Entertainment Weekly reports that an ad in the London Evening News read, " May The Fourth Be With You, Maggie. Congratulations."

But it wasn't until years later (you know, because of the Internet) that the phrase truly took off. In 2011, the Toronto Underground Cinema in Canada put together an organized celebration with a costume contest and a film festival.

USA Today reported a number of activities that Jedis could do to celebrate, including buying a toy or accessory from the film franchise, binging on its movies and drinking blue milk:

Luke Skywalker's Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru had blue milk on their breakfast table back on Tatooine, and you can enjoy it as well with these recipes. StarWars.com has a whole section of food-related fun for those who want to party hearty, from Yoda's root leaf stew to Kanjiklub sandwiches.

It’s not too late for you to take part. Here are a few ideas:

1. Give a brand nod or promotion.

A few brands—such as Disney—have obvious products and services to promote today:

However, many brand managers can take advantage of the marketing opportunity.

Amazon added “Star Wars” functions to its Alexa smart home device, Wired reported:

For Star Wars day (May 4), Amazon is letting Echo and Echo Dot users get their own small taste of 'the force'. Although not a life-changing update for Alexa, the firm has added a few Easter Eggs for the intergalactic day.

It's now possible to ask the AI to play the Star Wars theme, read jokes based on the films and explain the code of the Jedi.

Other organizations are taking to social media platforms to boost engagement and promote their brands:

PR and marketing pros should remember that the closer the relation to their product or service, the better received a branded tweet newsjacking a particular holiday or occasion will be. Though you should always be aware of potential pitfalls, today is also an appropriate day to celebrate Carrie Fisher’s legacy ( though you might want to lay off the promotion, in that case).

2. Craft nonprofit posts and puns.

Marketing pros can also use “May the 4th” to promote a cause, as these posts by the Humane Society of Charlotte, Stop-Homophobia.com and the American Stroke Association did:

[RELATED: Find out how to make meaningful connections with your customers and journalists at the Practical PR Summit.]

3. Create out-of-this-world content.

A “Star Wars” post doesn’t have to be promotional to be a hit with your followers.

Take a page from the playbooks of The Nerdist and The Tasting Table and curate a list of fun or wacky “Star Wars” items, recipes and more:

You can also share a fact or news item that your online audience might find helpful.

There are now lightsaber combat classes (which are all the rage, along with Harry Potter yoga), Circa reported:

4. Add intergalactic flair.

If you want to go more visual—and subtle—add “Star Wars” elements to your social media posts:

If you’re tight on time or low on budget dollars, you can also share a simple galaxy-themed social media post or ask your followers a question related to the franchise to increase engagement and show off your brand’s fun side:

Jumping on the “May the 4th be with you” bandwagon can be as simple as typing a pun C-3P0 would approve with a fun picture or GIF. Giphy has a collection of “Star Wars” GIFs you can use for free.

(Image via)



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