St. Patrick’s Day is known for its parades, celebrations, and repetitive marketing campaigns that never seem to get more imaginative than “green”. Retailers dye food, drink, and seemingly any product they can green, while some might feel adventurous enough to slap a shamrock on a post, or add a visual of a leprechaun guarding its pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It’s all in good fun, and consumers eat it up . . . or do they? Is it money well spent, or are there better options for retailers to pursue beyond “wearing o’ the green” this St. Patrick’s Day? Let’s find out.
To understand the modern context of the holiday, it helps to understand it’s history. Interestingly, the patron saint of Ireland was not born on the Green Isle, nor did he introduce Christianity to the masses. Sixteen-year-old Patrick was brought there as a prisoner and “turned to his religion for solace.” He came back to Ireland years after his escape “to minister to Christians already living in Ireland and to begin to convert the Irish.”
Even more intriguingly, the modern celebration of the holiday, including how much history is actually represented, seems to vary significantly. B the volume and content of St. Patrick’s Day posts, broken down by geography, reveal important distinctions from country to country that should flavor promotional campaigns accordingly.
The overwhelming share of posts in the U.S. (335M population) are focused on very different aspects of the holiday than their Irish counterparts (5M population). The sheer volume of posts in the U.S. makes seeing online celebrations of the day unavoidable, earning 68% of the total compared to 36% in Ireland. However, the per capita posts, normalized per 100K inhabitants, demonstrate 153.1 Irish people posting vs 18.6 in the U.S.
Beyond Ireland (36%) and the UK (34%), during the past three months, we see the conversation in Europe is happening primarily, but to a lesser extent, in Russia (8%), Spain (4%), Germany (2%), and France (2%). In the U.S., we see New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, and, for some reason, South Dakota, which all have approximately 10 posts per 100k as well.
Let’s explore what is being said, where is it being said, and why it matters for marketing.
In Europe, primarily in Ireland and the UK, we see Irish Saints & Cultural Festivities topping the list of trending conversations:
The conversation in Europe is decidedly more focused on the holiday’s origins and history than what we’ll see in the U.S., as our AI summary expands in this breakdown:
1. Saints and Cultural Heritage: The documents extensively cover the lives and legacies of St. Patrick and St. Brigid, emphasizing their roles in shaping Irish religious and cultural identity. Celebrations like St. Patrick's Day and St. Brigid's Day are highlighted, showcasing their historical and contemporary significance.
2. Irish Diaspora and Cultural Identity: The experiences of the Irish diaspora, particularly in America and Canada, are detailed, exploring how Irish immigrants have preserved and adapted their cultural heritage abroad. This theme also discusses the global celebration of Irish cultural events.
3. Mythology and Folklore: Irish history and mythology are explored through stories of mythical beings and legends like leprechauns, with a focus on how these tales have influenced modern perceptions of Irish culture and its supernatural elements.
4. Christianity and Its Socio-Cultural Impact: The narratives discuss the spread of Christianity in Ireland, led by figures like St. Patrick and St. Brigid, and its intertwined relationship with local pagan traditions, shaping societal and cultural norms.
5. Contemporary Celebrations and Artistic Expressions: Modern observances and cultural expressions are discussed, illustrating how traditional celebrations like St. Brigid's Day are interpreted and celebrated today, including artistic and community events that reinforce Irish cultural identity.
When we isolate this conversation, we can dive deeper into the interests of the people writing the posts, uncovering the importance of religion, music, family and politics, along with a handful more:
The tone of posts in Europe are distinctly educational and steeped in cultural significance. This should encourage brands to create promotions focused on honoring the day, taking care not to alienate an audience that may resonate best with more meaningful efforts.
In the United States, the conversation is much more casual and certainly less serious than its European counterparts:
Here's the breakdown:
1. St. Patrick's Day Celebrations: St. Patrick's Day celebrations are prominent, focusing on cultural parades, community spirit, and Irish heritage across various cities. These festivities are crucial for community bonding and cultural expression, highlighted through vibrant parades and Irish-themed events.
2. Community and Social Issues: This theme explores community events intertwined with social issues like inclusivity and racism, particularly during cultural celebrations. It emphasizes the role of community activities in fostering awareness and unity in addressing social challenges.
3. Cultural Significance and Heritage: Cultural references are significant, covering aspects of Irish heritage, historical landmarks, and the preservation of cultural identity through events and architectural marvels like St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
4. Sports and Community Engagement: Sports events, including local marathons and Hall of Fame inductions, are highlighted for their role in community engagement and celebrating individual and team achievements.
5. Food and Beverage Trends: This theme covers the impact of cultural events on consumer behavior, particularly through seasonal food trends like the Shamrock Shake, and their ties to charity and marketing strategies.
Exploring this in a different way (from the methodology employed above), we can isolate the “Shamrock Shake” audience within the Food and Beverage trends to reveal key demographics. This audience is predominantly male, between 18-44, and when they aren’t reading news or watching videos, you can find them on a variety of food sites and forums:
Most notable here are the subreddits, which seem to have an interesting focus on pregnancy:
And when we combine this intel with their interests, which include “family” in the top five, it could alert McDonald’s (and other beverage makers) to create St. Patricks day campaigns particularly attuned to pregnancy and family life.
Depending on the brand and holiday one is preparing for, we can narrow down insight to get as granular as desired, or zoom out for an overarching view of the global conversation. Geographic or demographic segmentation offers actionable insight, but they represent only two of many possible combinations; consumer sentiment unlocks another world of insight entirely. Be sure to check back for posts detailing how consumer sentiment influences marketing in the upcoming weeks, and reach out to partner with us to unlock insight specific to your brand’s needs today!