June is all about Dads and Grads, or is it? Here are all of the potential marketing dates for your business. Make sure to get materials and copy ready ahead of time and pick the events that make sense for you.
Below is a printable calendar for June 2023. Hopefully this easy reference can help you plan events, sales, and marketing. You certainly don’t need to create something for every day, do what feels right for your store.
1st – Happy Birthday Tom Holland!
Or is it Happy Birthday Spiderman?
1st – Happy Birthday Notch!
Notch is known for a small game he created in 2009 and fully released in 2011 called, “Minecraft”.
1st – Flip a Coin Day
Flip a coin day can be a good day for a give away or discounts for a one day sale. Pick a pack or anything for a choice of one or another. Just check your local jurisdiction for gambling laws if applicable. Create a marketable day out of a national day.
1st – Hazelnut Cake Day
Hazelnut is slowly becoming a favorite flavor and spread thanks to the popularity of Nutella. If you serve cake, today is a great day to feature this cake.
1st – World Milk Day
Started by the United Nations to spread awareness on how nutritious milk can be and how important it is for health. You can spread this as a marketing day to highlight ice cream, milk for coffees, or going the step farther and pointing out the dairy alternatives you also carry.
2nd – National Rocky Road Day
Chocolate, marshmallows, and nuts combine to make up the flavor of Rocky Road. It is one of the most popular ice cream flavors in the United States. If you offer ice cream it’s a no brainer, but if you don’t, team up with a local ice cream parlor for some cross-marketing!
2nd – Global Running Day
After people eat all that Rocky Road, you can also remind them that physical activity is needed to stay healthy. Today, runners of all levels can spread awareness on being active.
2nd – Donut Da
On the first Friday of June every year, we celebrate the donut. Most national brands offer some sort of promotion or give away on this day. Use their marketing budget to spread awareness on your own donut sales or cross promote with a local bakery that serves donuts. Don’t forget to show your appreciation for staff and customers with free donuts.
3rd – World Cider Day
When the Roman’s invaded England around 55 BC, they discovered they enjoyed a drink of cider. It’s created by fermenting fruit. If your business offers alcohol beverages, consider using today to market or engage with customers on social media.
3rd – National Egg Day
Break out the egg recipes or run a contest for the best joke revolving around what came first. The Chicken or the Egg?
3rd – International Tabletop Day
While researching this day, while it was branded Geek and Sundry, this day was always in April. Once the Geek and Sundry, now nerdist.com, branding stopped there was no longer an official tabletop day. Most websites celebrate June 1st or June 3rd. For marketing purposes, I’d pick whatever day works best for you and your company. I picked the 3rd because it’s a Saturday. Reach out to board game publishers and see if they are interested in helping promote their game in your store. Look for trade organizations such as GAMA for support and cross marketing.
5th – Happy Birthday Ninja! Richard Tyler Blevins, aka Ninja
Ninja is one of the largest Twitch streamers racking up millions of followers. First known for his Halo 3 competitive play, his career catapulted when he started to stream Fortnite with artists such as Drake or Travis Scott.
5th – National Veggie Burger Day
As the popularity of meat alternatives rise, things like Impossible Meats and Beyond Meat work their way into major corporations. If you offer a meat alternative, today is a great day to advertise it. Companies like Burger King have not only added it to their menu, they have made it a permanent part of it.
Try Beyond Meat Teriyaki Jerky
6th – D-Day
The day the Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France. This is one of the single most pointed to operations that started the end of World War 2. Many towns and cities hold memorial services or parades in honor of this day. WWII Wargamers often run special gaming events.
8th – Best Friends Day
A perfect day to market any game or event that requires two people, or teams of two or more for gaming. Restaurant style stores can advertise a share platter or a buy one get one discount for the day.
8th – World Ocean Day
The oceans are a vital part of our ecosystem and yet as a human race we don’t do enough to take care of them. If your store is located near the ocean, consider doing a community day cleaning up the beach or accepting donations to a local charity that is committed to cleaning up the ocean and beaches local to you. If you don’t have a local charity, consider one of the ones listed here.
10th – National Ice Tea Day
One of America’s favorite drinks, there are infinite possible flavors of tea. Be sure to have a deep stock of Ice Tea and promote it alongside an event or sale day. Feel free to share a recipe we enjoy of Sweet Tea.
10th – Doll Day
Mattel’s Barbie is one of the most well known dolls but take the time to promote any doll or plush you want to sell.
10th – Rosé Day
Rosé is a blush wine that is normally bubbly and sweet, or a dry and deep pink. Any business that offers wine should use this day to offer it as a special for the day.
12th – Peanut Butter Cookie Day
Celebrate a traditional cookie! Have some ordered and give them to your customers, work with a local bakery, or bake your own if you have a bakery.
12th – Superman Day
Started in 2013 by D.C. Entertainment, on the release of “Man of Steel.” the movie. If you sell comics, today is a great day to have Superman fans come out and celebrate one of their favorite heroes by dressing up, giveaways and a sale focused on DC and other comics.
13th – Happy Birthday Chris Evans
Known for his role of Captain America, this American actor was born on this day, June 13th 1981.
14th – World Blood Donor Day
Blood donations save thousands of lives yearly. Use today to make aware the need of your local blood banks. Reach out to the Red Cross or other local blood donation and set up an onsite blood donation if you are able to. Run a charity event aimed at donating to the Red Cross or other charity that directly helps to make sure blood or funds are used to help save lives.
15th – Nature Photography Day
As the weather is now comfortably warm almost everywhere, celebrate the beauty of nature with photography. Share awareness of local hiking or National Parks and how beautiful they are by interacting with your customers. Ask for their photos to share, be sure to credit them. You could also use today to help raise awareness for an environmental non-profit by sharing their vision or run a charity event for them.
15th – National Splurge Day
Splurge, as defined at Dictionary.com: to indulge oneself in some luxury or pleasure. Run a clearance sale, focused sale on a new product, or highlight some of your high end merchandise and encourage the sale.
18th – Father’s Day
Celebrate the Fathers in the world! Today is a great day for Father and child events! Two-Headed Giant Magic or any game that requires a team of two.
19th – Juneteenth
Is an important and often overlooked celebration of the end of slavery in America almost two and half years after Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. The Union Army finally made it to Texas to enforce the law on this day freeing the last slaves in the states that rebelled during the Civil War.
19th – National Martini Day
Dry, Dirty, Shaken, or Stirred? Martinis are one of the most classic cocktails served at almost every restaurant and bar across the United States. Highlight your house special martini today!
20th – National Milkshake Day
While it is believed that “milkshakes” existed before 1885, the term wasn’t coined until then. Being made of ice cream, vanilla, and milk, milkshakes are incredibly popular and easy to make! If you serve ice cream or milkshakes, use today to advertise them or have a special on them. Don’t forget to take a photo and post it for your social media.
21st – Summer Solstice
Today will have the longest amount of light in the Northern Hemisphere. From this day forward, daylight will start to become shorter and shorter. As a fun fact, it is the Winter Solstice for our Southern Hemisphere friends.
21st – National Selfie Day
Use the longest day of the year as a chance to get some great lighting on selfies! Have your customers share photos of themselves or set up a selfie station. Use today to help build a testimonial from your customers on how much fun and love they have for your store or brand. Selfie stations can include a crafted foam board labeled with a store hashtag, a special event hashtag #Selfie2023 or with a life size statue you may own. Don’t forget to include your store name or brand somewhere in the frame of the photo!
23rd – Detroit-Style Pizza Day (Deep Dish)
As a native New Yorker, I’m hesitant to even acknowledge this! Celebrate Detroit Style pizza by working with a local pizzeria or surprise your staff with a few pies as a reward for doing a great job.
27th – Sunglasses Day
National Sunglasses day generally has nothing to do with the game and hobby industry. However, it is a good day to create a new marketing day. Any customers wearing sunglasses? A percentage off. Offer a pair of sunglasses with purchase. We found a link to 20 pairs of sunglasses for 19.99 here or a 60 pack for $39.99 here.
