Memorial Day Weekend Content Round Up: Brands with Stellar Instagram Feeds
Today, Memorial Day is synonymous with bbqs, picnics, and pool floats — but the historical significance of the holiday stretches far beyond a three-day weekend.
Originally known as Decoration Day, the holiday came to be after the Civil War to honor fallen military heroes. Through the years, it has evolved into the unofficial kick-off weekend to the summer season.
Because of Memorial Day’s double meaning — either a day of relaxation or one of somber commemoration — brands should be sensitive and tactful when approaching their marketing efforts for the day. While some brands respectfully pay homage to America’s brave warriors, others have found appropriate ways to participate with clever, offbeat content.
In this article, we’re looking at the approaches of top brands, and how they’ve taken to Instagram to celebrate the patriotic day.
The Serious Approach
Several brands — particularly those with values that tie back to the military and veterans — choose to take a more serious approach to Memorial Day marketing. And reasonably so.
This type of content conveys a brand’s values, selflessness, and appreciation for the historical meaning of the day. Here are some brands that have taken this approach:
Jeep has often been called one of the most American brands, and its history of manufacturing military vehicles supports that claim.
The brand has a heritage of heroes that stems from before America entered World War II, when more than 600,000 military jeeps were built with the brand’s irreplaceable DNA.
Its Instagram post from 2019 captures a veteran with a dog — a photo that conjured up positive feedback from Jeep’s consumers. The post doesn’t seek to sell anything, and aligns with Jeep’s brand identity.
Over the years, the use of GoPros has become more widespread across the military.
GoPro’s cameras are ideally suited for capturing military training and documentary videos from the soldier perspective, which can help with assistance on the battlefield.
The brand’s Instagram post from 2019 features a quote from Jeremy Hendricks, Product Marketing Manager of GoPro, who served in the U.S. Army for 9 years before starting his career with GoPro.
This year, Anheuser-Busch InBev has unveiled Budweiser cans featuring packaging with a red, white, and blue camouflage design. This patriotic-themed pack honors the five branches of the U.S. military.
Budweiser USA promoted the limited-edition Patriotic cans through a video on their Instagram last week:
This is not the first time the brand has gone all out in its marketing efforts for Memorial Day — Budweiser has held a long-standing support for American military veterans. In 2018, AB InBev unveiled the Budweiser Freedom Reserve Red Lager — a beer that was specially brewed by Budweiser’s own veterans.
What’s more, Budweiser donates the lion’s share of profits to its nonprofit partner, Folds of Honor, who provides educational scholarships to military families.
Shep and Ian Murray, brothers and co-founders of Vineyard Vines, started their business by chasing the American dream — quite literally: They quit their office jobs, and went after their goal of creating a high-end necktie company.
The co-founders’ embodiment of the American dream is encompassed in Vineyard Vine’s Instagram post from 2018, with a caption giving special thanks to “the brave men and women that represent this country.”
The Lighthearted Approach
Not all brands have specific ties to American ideals or the military, and that’s okay.
Fortunately, there is still a way to acknowledge the holiday and remain true to your brand — and that’s through a lighthearted approach. If you do opt for this approach, do keep in mind the serious nature of a holiday like Memorial Day. Consider these posts from top brands:
By cleverly positioning a soda can in a watermelon float, Pepsi used Memorial Day to celebrate the start of summer.
Sparkling water brand Bubly took a similar approach, humanizing its soda cans at a backyard barbecue.
The beloved ice cream brand promoted one of its products while tying in visual associations of summer — like a boardwalk, a boat, and a coastal area.
For Memorial Day, Stella Artois promotes its iconic Belgian pilsner and sparks engagement by asking its followers how they’ll be spending the weekend.
A Combined Approach
While some marketers preach that you should pick one route and stick to it, some brands have found a way to incorporate both a serious and lighthearted approach.
Take a look at these Instagram posts from brands who have found that happy medium:
Look closely at Siggi’s caption, and you’ll see the brand gives a shout out to the brave soldiers who have served the U.S. They cleverly position their strawberry, vanilla, and blueberry-flavored yogurts to mimic the red, white, and blue pattern of the American flag.
In a similar fashion, Lipton pairs a heartfelt caption in remembrance of brave soldiers with a fun, product-centric picture featuring an American flag.
Conclusion
For social media marketers, it’s important to consider which type of marketing approach is most appropriate for your brand. Whether it’s paying homage to American troops or drumming up excitement for summer activities, Memorial Day weekend offers opportunities for brands in all industries to recognize the special holiday’s meaning.