Flip a Coin, Eat a Donut, Take a Selfie: Welcome to June!

I was innocently planning a few holiday posts for a client when June’s calendar decided to completely unhinge. What I thought would be a five-minute task quickly spiraled into a deep scroll of bizarre observances I had never heard of.

Sure, June is famous for Pride Month, Juneteenth, Father’s Day, and the official start of summer. But did you know it’s also the proud home of:

• National Flip a Coin Day (June 1)
• National Donut Day (First Friday of June)
• World Juggling Day (somehow… mid-month)
• National Selfie Day (June 21)—finally, a day to validate all 37 attempts at looking effortlessly candid.

National Days Drive Branding and Buzz

So, what’s the deal with all these “holidays”? Simple. They’re marketing gold.

Brands treat them like a calendar full of built-in campaigns. Free donuts on National Donut Day? Obviously. BOGO deals on National Taco Day (first Tuesday of October, if you’re marking your calendar like I am)? Suddenly, we’re all influencers with tacos in hand and captions like “Taco ’bout a good deal.”

And while a lot of these “holidays” are definitely made up, that doesn’t mean they’re not effective. They give brands an excuse to be playful, topical, and shockingly relevant without reinventing the wheel. Plus, audiences love any excuse to celebrate something random, especially if it comes with a discount, a pun, or a very shareable GIF.

It’s Not All Just Hashtags and Hype

Sure, some of these “National Days” might sound like social media fluff, but don’t be so quick to write them off. Some of these days actually have real stories and meaningful origins behind them. Take National Teacher Appreciation Week, for example. Back in 1944, a teacher named Mattye Whyte Woodridge started campaigning for a day to recognize educators. She even convinced Eleanor Roosevelt to lend her support. Fast forward to 1985, and the National PTA officially established an entire week in May to celebrate those heroes who taught us how to read, write, and not eat glue.

Or consider National Puppy Day, founded in 2006 by animal behaviorist and author Colleen Paige. This isn’t just an excuse to flood your feed with adorable puppy pics. It was created to shine a light on the millions of puppies waiting in shelters for a second chance and to promote adoption and responsible pet care.

And yes, while we might roll our eyes at things like National Clean Your Desk Day (because apparently, we need a reminder and a designated Monday to do it), these quirky observances can pack a surprisingly meaningful punch when brands use them right. The secret? Content with context. A clever post alone is fine, but when you link that content to your brand’s values—whether it’s honoring educators during Teacher Appreciation Week or supporting shelter pups on Puppy Day—it becomes something much more. Suddenly, it’s not just “fun for the feed,” it’s purposeful storytelling cleverly disguised as entertainment. Sneaky? Maybe. Effective, emotionally resonant, and perfectly on-brand? Absolutely.

Want to Make Your Own National Day?

Imagine this: one day a year when everyone is posting about your product, tagging your brand, and basically doing your marketing for you. That’s the power of a well-timed “National [Your Brilliant Idea] Day.”

The National Day Calendar is one of the unofficial headquarters for these quirky celebrations. If you’ve got a creative concept that ties into your brand (and ideally, makes people smile, or snack), you can submit it through their website.

Fair warning: they get a lot of submissions. Like, a lot a lot. Only a select few make the cut each year. But if yours does? Congrats—your made-up holiday could land on their official list and maybe even go viral!

Final Thoughts: Fun for the Feed, Power for the Brand

Let’s be real: some of these National Days are downright ridiculous, and that’s exactly why they work. In the world of brand marketing, a little quirk can go a long way. These offbeat observances give brands a golden opportunity to jump into trending conversations, showcase personality, and yes, maybe move a few more tacos or donuts while they’re at it.

Whether you’re jumping on the hashtag bandwagon or creating your own holiday, it’s a creative way to stay relevant and have fun doing it.

Want help turning National Days into scroll-stopping, brand-building content? That’s kind of our thing. Let’s chat.