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Every 4^th of July, Annapolis celebrates America’s Independence Day with an exquisite colorful display of fireworks. But, have you ever wondered why we commemorate this particular holiday with fireworks?
On July 3, 1776 John Adams wrote a letter to Abigail Adams (yes, believe it or not, there wasn’t always texting and e-mailing to communicate, so people actually sent handwritten letters). Following is an excerpt from the letter he wrote, expressing the importance of celebrating the 4^th of July:
“I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”
There you have it! We celebrate our Independence Day with “Illuminations,” otherwise known as fireworks because it’s exactly what our founding fathers envisioned.
So, in the spirit of keeping tradition we continue to celebrate the 4^th of July through the fellowship of family and friends, parades, and fireworks. As times have changed and technology has become more advanced and accessible, we’re afforded the opportunity to expeditiously celebrate these holidays with more family and friends and communities through the advent of social media. Consider how many people will share photos and comments of their 4^th of July celebrations on social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and Youtube. This post caught YOUR attention, didn’t it!?
Holidays are perfect examples of how conversation leads the marketplace. Trending events promote the development of powerful trending hashtags that are based on these celebrations. For example, on July 4^th 2014, hashtags like #july4th and #firework began trending like wildfire. Trending hashtags allow individuals to contribute to a massive conversation and can bring together individuals celebrating common interests and holidays, including the 4th of July! This opens the door for businesses to expand their marking efforts exponentially by allowing them to contribute to the conversation.
Because so many brands are coming to the realization that they are able to contribute to these conversations, the competition amongst different niches is growing fierce. Maybe, your business has attempted to contribute to the conversation in the past and found that your efforts were unsuccessful. If this is the case, rest assured that you are not alone. With social media marketing growing at such a rapid pace, your input might likely be lost amongst the millions of others contributing to the conversation—without the strategy and experience that social marketing and social engagement can demand.
You might ask, “How can I get MY message to stand out?” Katy Perry put it best when she sang, “You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine, just own the night like the 4th of July!” In other words, your social posts must be original, captivating, and most importantly, have a spark of creativity in order to stand out in a large, expanded community of conversation. It’s a lot different getting someone’s attention and engaging conversation in a Starbucks than it is at M&T Bank Stadium at a Raven’s game! It’s also important that each of your social posts represent and support your brand message. Also, that the message builds your brand awareness in a way that reflects the conversation—all the while resonating with the personality of your audience.
One commendable brand that was able to do this with significant success was Oreo during the 2013 Super bowl. If you recall, there was a blackout during game. Oreo’s social team reacted quickly to this cultural moment and tweeted the content, “Power out? No problem.” along with the following image:

Moment of truth…how do YOU plan on joining the conversation this 4^th of July? Will your brand’s social posts shine brighter than your competitors’? Don’t miss out on the opportunity to ignite your brand message. Click here to discuss how to take your social media marketing to the next level.