St. Patrick’s Day - Marketing Trends & Strategies

Collect your pot of gold this St. Patrick’s Day with the right marketing and promotion strategies

Here are some statistics, trends and strategies to help you maximize this large consumer spending occasion!

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KEY TRENDS TO FOLLOW FOR 2023

Spends Get out there!

• Many consumers are looking to celebrate at bars, restaurants, concerts and parades this year. But online is still valuable.

Combine food & drink

• Alcohol spend is high, but pairing drink promotions with food will yield higher engagement.

Build buzz, not sales, online

• Create new digital experiences and twists on traditional themes to create excitement.

KEY STATISTICS

Country

• 54% of US consumers celebrated St Patrick’s Day in 2022

   

• Brits spent £5.9bn on St. Patrick’s Day in 2019

   

• Ireland generates €70mn of revenue between March 16-20 annually

Demographic - Most likely to celebrate St Patrick’s Day

1.  18 - 24
2. 25 - 34
3. 35 - 44: The biggest spenders with an average spend of $49.27

Spend

• Average spend per person $42.33 - That’s about 6 pints of Guinness!
• Total 2022 spend $5.87bn - That’s over 3,300 pots of gold!#1 Shoppers Curtail Holiday Spending
  

Top purchase categories

• Food 58%    
  • Women 59%
  • Men  57%
• Drink 46%  
  • Women 44%
  • Men  49% 
• Apparel/accessories 32%

One of THE biggest days of the year for alcohol brands

• Daily sales increase
  • Beer 174%    
  • Spirits 153%

Eating in and eating out are popular on St. Patrick’s Day

• Bar/restaurant visits +9% vs. 2021
  • Brands should create engaging, in-person experiences
• 45% of 65+ make a special dinner
  • Don’t neglect CPG /FMCG opportunities for promotions of key line items

Should brands run promotions online for St. Patrick’s Day?

• 11% Do their St Patrick’s day shopping online
• 45% Search online to research in-store purchases
• 29% Find online retail stores inspiring
• 49% Head to grocery stores for their St. Patrick’s Day items

Consumers look online for research and inspiration ahead of making in-store purchases. Step up your game with digital promotions and online experiences that drive awareness and loyalty pre-purchase.

How to see the green this St. Patrick’s Day

• ‘Stock more, earn more’ promotions for bars & clubs
• On-premise gamification
• Text-to-enter programs with fast responses
• Continuity programs to keep consumers engaged after St Patrick’s Day

Snipp Tip

• Offer financial incentives to retailers that stock more of your products. It’s a win-win situation: you get greater brand exposure and increased sales, the retailer gets a handy discount. 

2. Layer food & drink promotions
Combine promotions with partner brands to enhance engagement. And don’t forget about the staying home celebrants. Create portfolio-wide promotions to enhance sales

• Partner with aligned brands
• Layer promotions with different tactics and mechanics
• Reward on-premises purchases
• New product gift with purchase

Snipp Tip

• Combine the immediate gratification of an instant win prize (like a free drink or appetizer) with exclusive, high value rewards (like a brewery tour) to increase engagement and participation.

2. Be Inspirational
Help customers express their individuality. Giveaways, trials, and freebies encourage new routines – whether that’s switching brands or simply buying more – for consumers that want unique experiences that harness digital innovations like the metaverse.

• User-generated content
• Social sharing
• Digital games/apps
• Gamified digital experiences

Snipp Tip

• Reward consumers who share their experiences with your products on social media. 79% of consumers say UGC impacts their purchasing decisions, making it a great way to sell more while letting customers express themselves.

Discover how our best-in-class promotions solutions can drive sales and engage your customers. Contact us to learn more

SOURCES

• https://nrf.com/topics/holiday-and-seasonal-trends/st-patricks-day/st-patricks-day-data-center

• https://blog.gwi.com/trends/biggest-consumer-trends/

• https://www.mintel.com/global-consumer-trends

• https://wallethub.com/blog/st-patricks-day-facts/10960

• https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-strategies/search/in-store-related-shopping-search-statistics/

• https://www.ipaper.io/insights/shoppers-dont-visit-your-online-store-for-inspiration