Month: September 2022

Your October 2023 Marketing Calendar

Autumn has finally arrived in the UK, which means it’s the final quarter of the year for businesses and their marketing agencies in London and the UK. Although Aperol Spritz season is over and temperatures have dropped, there are many exciting aspects to this cosy, spooky and colourful season to add to your digital marketing agency’s marketing, public relations and social media content strategy.

This month is packed with essential dates not to be missed in your marketing agency’s October marketing calendar, and we’re here to talk you through all of them! From International Gin and Tonic Day to Halloween, there are many notable dates this month, allowing your business to get fresh attention and bring your customers memorable experiences.

Join us as we prep for PSLs, cosy knitwear, and warm, hearty food!

1st October: International Coffee Day

Your digital marketing agency’s October marketing calendar for your clients should kick off with International Coffee Day! Coffee is one of the most popular beverages worldwide, and this day should missed if you’re a coffee shop or serve breakfast in London.

Offer promotions such as double stamps on loyalty cards or one-day-only special coffee mixes. Or, host a coffee-themed event featuring espresso martinis and other coffee-based cocktails and mocktails. This is also the prime opportunity to introduce pumpkin spice lattes at your London cafe!

1st October: World Vegetarian Day

The first day of October is busy because it is also World Vegetarian Day! Mark this day on your content calendar if you’re in the hospitality marketing and public relations industry, recognising all of your veggie diners, who are sometimes forgotten. Many restaurants in London are increasingly adding vegetarian and vegan options to their menus — even meat-based restaurants and steakhouses!

You could share resources on your socials that discuss the planetary benefits of going vegetarian or run offers on your non-meat dishes. It is a great way to recognise whether your restaurant in London has enough vegetarian and vegan options!

2nd – 8th October: National Curry Week

If you’re a restaurant in London that serves curries, this is the perfect week to run promotions and offers and to draw new customers to your business. When you hear the word ‘curry’, most of us think of Indian cuisine, but there are many more curries across multiple cuisines, such as Thai Green Curry or Japanese Katsu Curry.

If you are looking for Indian curry restaurants in London, check out Ritu for some of the best Indian food in the capital!

9th October: International Beer and Pizza Day

We dare you to name a better combination! This one is a super easy date for hospitality marketing agencies in London to mark, especially if your client’s restaurant specialises in pizza. Put on a special offer for the day where customers can get a pizza and a beer for a reduced price! You could even allow customers to swap out the beer for a different drink if they dislike it.

10th October: World Mental Health Day

This date is not necessarily a marketing opportunity but an excellent opportunity to share resources across social platforms, so consider adding it to your October marketing calendar. From national and local support services to top tips for effective wellness practices, using your platform to share advice and information can be impactful — you never know, it might reach somebody who needs it!

13th October: World Egg Day

Going hand-in-hand with International Coffee Day, your clients with breakfast restaurants in London will need this date in their October content plan. It’s time to highlight the most important meal of the day and the versatility of eggs in various breakfast dishes. Offer a two-for-one promo or extend your breakfast hours all day for the special occasion. What a fabulous opportunity to highlight a cafe or breakfast restaurant’s speciality!

15th October: World Students Day

By mid-October, university students have already been in classes for a while. So, adding World Students Day into your promotional calendar can be an excellent way for your clients to give students a pick-me-up after weeks of long days and essay writing.

Bars can run a student night with discounts on drinks, or restaurants can offer higher student discounts for this day. To further engage with the student audience and gain your business a fresh following beyond this key date, consider offering a permanent student discount with proof of a student ID!

22nd October: International Champagne Day

October brings us International Champagne Day — the ideal opportunity to host a themed brunch in London or a DJ brunch! We all know there’s nothing like holding a beautiful champagne flute and clinking glasses with friends while enjoying a delicious meal and entertainment. So, let’s get brunching!

25th October: World Pasta Day

Whether you’re a fan of classic spaghetti and meatballs, creamy fettuccine alfredo, or adventurous with exotic pasta shapes and flavours, this day is all about embracing the joy of pasta — a day made for pasta restaurants in London. Join the pasta party by offering exclusive pasta-themed promotions, such as a free drink with the purchase of a pasta dish. Or, run a pasta-making masterclass!

31st October: Halloween

Of course, October ends with Halloween, a favourite holiday for many — and the most fun for digital marketing agencies in the hospitality industry! If your business is a bar, you could create a unique cocktail, or if you run a nightclub, you could throw a terrifying Halloween party. Many people will be looking for activities such as Halloween markets, maize mazes and pumpkin picking near London. So, if your client’s venue offers any of these Halloween activities, expect their social media to buzz!

Still need more content ideas for your October marketing calendar? Get in touch with Posh Cockney today. 

A statement from Campari Group explains “Following the sad news of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing, and out of respect for Her Majesty the Queen, as a team we have made the decision to postpone Negroni Week in the UK until further notice.”

It’s Negroni Week!

Are you a cocktail connoisseur? A lover of Gin? Crazy for Campari? Does just hearing the word Vermouth excite you? 

Then you probably know that these three ingredients combined create the classic Negroni cocktail. This week (12th-18th September) marks the annual Negroni Week!

What is a Negroni?

As we get into the history of how the Negroni came to be, we can see that it has been, and probably always will be up for debate. 

One story details Count Camillo Negroni (was he actually a Count? No one really knows!) asking his bartender at Cafè Casoni in Florence to put a stronger twist on the classic Americano by replacing the soda with gin. Then, he popped off back to America, sharing his new cocktail creation, and it quickly became a classic. 

In recent years, a verified descendant of the Negroni family has built a case hailing his ancestor as the creator of the classic cocktail. His story describes General Pascal Negroni creating the Negroni about 50 years before Count Camillo had put his spin on the Americano. During wartime, Pascal is said to have made some Vermouth-based cocktails during high-ranking military meetings, which are now believed by some to be the origins of the Negroni.

History of Negroni Week

Negroni Week was established back in 2013 by Imbibe Magazine as a way to celebrate the classic cocktail while raising money for charities all over the globe. Since it’s been a thing, this annual festival, sponsored by Campari, has grown to thousands of participating venues all over the world and has raised millions for charitable organisations. 

Where to celebrate this week in London

Well, for starters, at TreeHouse@51 you can enjoy bottomless Negronis for £19. Their Tanqueray Negroni fountain is a must for all cocktail lovers. Guests can enjoy the free-flowing Negroni fountain as much as they would like for one hour. Now that’s what I call happy hour!

Rake’s Café Bar’s Aperitivo Hour is not one to be missed this week. 

Aperitivo Hour is enjoyed by Italians as a way to wind down and relax after work and before dinner time. At Rake’s, Aperitivo Hour runs between 6-8 pm every day, when you can enjoy two styles of Negroni alongside complimentary snacks. 

If you like to shake things up, then St James Bar at Sofitel London St James is offering 16 new takes on the classic Negroni. Their ‘Once In A Lifetime’ menu is designed to take guests on an adventure through their senses of taste, smell and sight. This menu was inspired by the exploration of a trip on the Orient Express.

TOZI in Victoria has been offering barrel-aged Negroni since 2016. They continue to dazzle with their amazing takes throughout the years. Their current menu offers three Negronis: a classic, a twist with pico, and a New York inspired version.

Azura in Camden is offering up a special espresso-infused Negroni available only this week!  

Get in touch with Posh Cockney today to find out how you can incorporate national days and weeks in your marketing.

Look forward to our October Marketing Dates blog, or get inspiration from previous months in our September Marketing Dates and August Marketing Dates blogs.