St Patrick's Day And The Power of Calendar-Based Engagement

St. Patrick’s Day is a cultural celebration of Irish heritage. And, for some brands, it’s a fantastic opportunity for them to engage their audiences, boost retention, and create memorable customer experiences. 

Calendar events like this provide natural touchpoints that brands can leverage for personalised, creative campaigns that drive long-term loyalty. 

At RetentionMinds, we believe that CRM isn’t just about sending emails; it’s about delivering timely, relevant, and engaging interactions that keep customers coming back. Let’s explore how brands have successfully used St. Patrick’s Day to drive engagement and value. 

1. Gamification: Lucky Draws & Instant Wins

Case Study: Domino’s Pizza - Domino’s regularly leverages St. Patrick’s Day to engage its pizza loving customers.  From interactive gamification e.g. digital scratch cards to special deals to mark the day, Domino’s use email and app push notifications to drive engagement with these promotions, delivering (no pun intended) increased order frequency and app engagement, and proving that gamification can drive repeat purchases and brand excitement.

How You Could Apply It:

• Run a “Spin the Wheel” promotion offering discounts or loyalty points.

• Use tiered rewards where higher spenders unlock bigger prizes.

• Make participation exclusive to loyal customers, reinforcing VIP status.

2. Personalisation: Themed Email & SMS Marketing

Case Study: ASOS - ASOS took a unique approach by promoting a curated selection of green outfits, as well as using limited discount promotions. They used past purchase data to send hyper-personalised recommendations, increasing both email engagement rates and conversion rates significantly.

How You Could Apply It:

• Segment customers based on preferences and recommend themed products.

• Use dynamic content in emails to reflect customer behaviour.

• Send SMS reminders with exclusive, limited-time offers to drive urgency.

3. Community Engagement: Social Media & UGC

Case Study: Guinness - Guinness created an interactive UGC (user-generated content) campaign called #StacheForCharity, encouraging customers to share photos with their Guinness ‘stache.’ For every photo shared, Guinness donated to charity. This not only boosted engagement but also reinforced brand values and social impact.

How You Could Apply It:

• Run a themed hashtag campaign that aligns with your brand.

• Encourage customers to share photos using your product with a contest incentive.

• Feature user-generated content in emails, onsite and within social channels.

4. Loyalty Program Boosts: Double Points & Exclusive Rewards

Case Study: Starbucks - As well as launching a Luck of the Matcha Crème Frappuccino in all its green glory, Starbucks offered double loyalty points on St. Patrick’s Day purchases, to drive footfall and increased spend per transaction. Customers received personalised app notifications, which led to a double digit increase in app usage that week.

How You Could Apply It:

• Offer bonus loyalty points for purchases on seasonal events.

• Provide exclusive early access to limited-edition products.

• Create a tiered reward system where engagement unlocks better benefits.

5. Surprise & Delight: Limited-Edition Products & Experiences

Case Study: Krispy Kreme - Krispy Kreme introduced limited-time themed doughnuts, paired with a surprise giveaway for loyalty members. Customers were ‘surprised and delighted’ with free treats, reinforcing positive brand sentiment and driving store visits.

How You Could Apply It:

• Introduce seasonal products or limited-time packaging.

• Reward long-time customers with surprise gifts.

• Use SMS or push notifications to create urgency for exclusive offers.

Key Takeaways: Turning Calendar Events into CRM Wins

St. Patrick’s Day—and any seasonal moment—presents a chance to:

• Leverage gamification to increase customer interaction.

• Use personalisation to enhance engagement and conversions.

• Encourage UGC to strengthen community and advocacy.

• Boost loyalty programs to reward and retain customers.

• Surprise & delight customers to build emotional connections.

If you’re looking for a strategic CRM approach to make the most of seasonal opportunities, RetentionMinds can help you craft data-driven, high-impact campaigns that not only drive revenue but also build lasting customer relationships.

Author: Helen Day.

Customer Retention Specialist & CRM Consultant, RetentionMinds, UK.