St. Patrick’s Day Advertising: Restaurants & CPG Brands Go Green

For some people, it isn’t St. Patrick’s Day if they aren’t wearing a little green for luck. Retailers like Target, Walmart and other big box stores quickly switch from Valentine’s Day pink to St. Paddy’s Day green with items from t-shirts to toys advertised across their websites. Evergreen St. Patrick’s Day advertising ideas, like going green, offering St. Patrick’s Day specific promotions and leveraging video and user generated content (UGC) when possible, can engage consumers despite the likelihood that this holiday will be quieter than in past years. This year, CPG brands and restaurants are deploying digital strategies and tapping into consumer behaviors for St. Patrick’s Day product launches and activations, driving engagement and sales.

Lucky Charms Leverages Strategic Partnerships To Appeal To Kids This St. Patrick’s Day

Keeping kids entertained has been a full-time job throughout the last year, and Lucky Charms is here to help. “For generations, Lucky Charms has been synonymous with wonderment and fun, and this year we’re adding even more colorful magic for a special St. Patrick’s Day,” said Mindy Murray, senior brand experience manager for Lucky Charms. The cereal brand, known for its fun and magical marshmallows, partnered with Hasbro, Cold Stone Creamery and Crocs. Hasbro released a “Lucky’s CharmWorld by Candy Land” game board, available on the Lucky Charms online store, while Cold Stone and Crocs are offering promotional items that tie into Lucky Charms to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

Additionally, according to reporting from Kaila Mathis at Adweek, parents will get an assist with some easy activities courtesy of parenting media platform Scary Mommy, who partnered with Lucky Charms to present “17 Days of Magic, complete with St. Patrick’s Day-themed at-home adventures, crafts, recipes and games. Day nine features a collaboration with ecard app JibJab to allow participants to send digital greeting cards to friends and family.” The Lucky Charms activations and St. Patrick’s Day advertising and initiatives are being promoted with a multichannel strategy that includes a national commercial and advertising and content across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Restaurants Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day With Fun Menu Items, Including Cocktails Available For Curbside Pickup

One of the great innovations of the pandemic was curbside cocktails, available from popular restaurants across the country. This St. Patrick’s Day, Applebee’s is offering two “$5 Saintly Sips,” the Pot O’ Gold Colada and the Tipsy Leprechaun, both of which are being promoted front and center on the Applebee’s website and available for pickup curbside at certain locations, so St. Paddy’s Day revelers can enjoy their cocktails at home if they choose to stay in. Curbside pickup, for orders placed on third-party apps or online ordering platforms, has been very popular for restaurants throughout the last year, and many consumers hope the convenience sticks around even as on-premises dining resumes.

McDonalds has been promoting “Shamrock Season” on its Instagram account to promote the return of the Shamrock Shake. The McDonald’s OREO Shamrock McFlurry is a recent addition to the brand’s St. Patrick’s Day menu, which the fast food restaurant is encouraging people to order on its app. App sales have been a huge winner for McDonald’s during the pandemic, with the brand also effectively leveraging digital tools for every day dining and prior holiday celebrations, including Lunar New Year.

Despite the ongoing effects of the pandemic, many people still want to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, even if the celebrations take place at home. Brands that tap into historically effective St. Patrick’s Day advertising and marketing strategies, while also leaning into the consumer behaviors that have become more relied-upon in the last year, like app purchases and online activities, are likely to reach consumers excited for a little luck of the Irish and maybe a curbside cocktail.

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