25 March is Waffle Day – one of many theme days that now fill the calendar. But behind these seemingly playful dates lies a long tradition of marking everything from holidays to products. For retail, they can also be more than just a fun bit of trivia – they can create relevance, inspiration and new purchase occasions in store.
25 March is Waffle Day. Wonderful, you’re probably thinking – but why do we actually sit down and eat waffles on this particular day? The explanation lies in Vårfrudagen (Lady Day) – a church feast commemorating the Virgin Mary. In everyday speech, “Vårfrudagen” over time became “vafferdagen”, which in turn became våffeldagen, Waffle Day. A linguistic slip that became a tradition and soon one of the most beloved food days of the year.
But Waffle Day is far from alone. In the calendar, it shares space with everything from Banana Day (4 March) and Cheesecake Day (14 November) to Cinnamon Bun Day and Feta Cheese Day. Today almost every date seems to be linked to something – and quite often a dish or a product. How did we actually end up here?
If we set aside the major holidays and look instead at theme days linked to food and everyday life, we can see that they have come about for a number of different reasons. Some have clear roots in older traditions, such as Semla Day (Shrove Tuesday) and Waffle Day. Others are tied to a specific date – such as Pi Day on 14/3 (3.14), which has become pie day, or Pizza Day on 1 January.
Others still have been chosen for more strategic reasons. Cinnamon Bun Day on 4 October was placed there so as not to compete with other holidays. Feta Cheese Day on 15 October marks the fact that in 2007 the EU gave Greece the exclusive right to the name feta. Sometimes it can almost feel as though a day has been chosen just to have a reason to celebrate, which in itself is a pretty good reason.
Theme days are not a new phenomenon. Far back in history, it was church feasts and the festivals of the working year that structured the calendar. Celebrations were often adapted locally and closely linked to the rhythm of nature.
During the 19th century, public holidays were standardised to a greater extent, and influences from other countries became more apparent. In the late 1950s, the NK department store began introducing Valentine’s Day in Sweden, but it was not until 1985 that the day was written into Swedish calendars. Today, around 800 theme days are marked in Sweden every year.
Theme days serve several purposes. They create attention – organisations and companies can highlight important issues, products or behaviours. They build community – marking International Siblings Day (10 April) or International Champagne Day (23 October) creates a sense of participation and recognition. And they can drive change – many international days are backed by the UN or WHO and aim to put the spotlight on health, human rights or the environment.
For retail, theme days are more than a fun note in the calendar. They are ready-made reasons to communicate, activate and create relevance.
For suppliers, they are a chance to plan campaigns in good time, secure visibility in store and link offers to a context that already exists in the consumer’s mind. A coupon linked to the right day can lower the threshold for trying something, prompt people to stock up ahead of a celebration or create additional sales through multi-buys.
For stores, theme days are a way to bring the shelves to life and build inspiration in the store environment. A clear display, a dedicated area or a simple activation makes it easier for customers to act. It’s not always about big campaigns. Sometimes a reminder is more than enough to move a hand on the shelf.
Above all, it’s fun to celebrate products and behaviours. Theme days create energy, conversation and new purchase occasions. Used the right way, they can build both interest and engagement – and, ultimately, conversion. Would you like more tips on how to drive interest, engagement and conversion in store? Contact us and we’ll tell you more.
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