Fresh Marketing Ideas for January & February
Jump start your sales growth this year by implementing those great marketing ideas of yours. Put them down on paper in the form of a marketing calendar before you get swept away by the busy year. The only bad action is in-action. Pick through the ideas below to get your creative juices flowing and get that marketing calendar ready to roll. Call Mail King USA for help with all your direct mail services.
30 Marketing Ideas for January & February
- New Year’s Day (January 1) – “Fresh Start” Campaign
Use the classic New Year‑theme: “new year, new you”, “reset”, “fresh start”. Offer a promotion tied to the year (“Save 25 % in ’25”) or a bundle that helps customers begin the year with momentum. - Clearance / “Out with the Old” Promotion
Align with the post‑holiday mindset of decluttering and renewal: run clearance sales, trade‑in programs, or “upgrade your gear for the year ahead”. - Super Bowl / Big Game Tie‑In
Use the big‑game period (January/February) for themed content or promotions (“big plays”, halftime deals).
Even non‑sports brands can use the “teamwork”, “winning”, “halftime” metaphors. - Groundhog Day (February 2) – Predict, Play & Weather Theme
Use the playful weather/prediction hook: “Will spring come early? Get ahead now.” Great for seasonal goods/services. - Valentine’s Day (February 14) – Romance & Beyond
Classic Valentine’s tie‑in: gift bundles, couples specials. Also include self‑love, friendship (“Galentine’s”), solo promotions. 
Presidents’ Day (Third Monday in February) – Big Discount Moment
Use the retail/holiday moment for clearance, major deals, or “vote for your favorite” product themes.- Mardi Gras (Date varies in February) – Festive, Colourful Theme
Leverage Mardi Gras’ festive mood: bold colours, party feel, limited‑time fun deals or “carnival” themed campaign. - Hot Tea Month (January) – Comfort & Wellness
Use January’s “Hot Tea Month” theme to position your product/service around comfort, warmth, self‑care or renewal. (Seasonally appropriate.) - Blood Donor Month (January) – Purpose‑Driven Marketing
Use the observance of “Blood Donor Month” to highlight social good, community giving, or tie your campaign to a charitable contribution. - National Trivia Day (January 4) – Fun Engagement
Create quiz posts, fun facts, interactive content. Encourage engagement through social media or emails: “Did you know? …”. - Dress Up Your Pet Day (January 14) – Quirky, Share‑able
Ask your audience to post their pets in costumes, tag your brand, maybe offer a “pet‑themed” discount. Great for share‑worthy social content. - National Hugging Day (January 21) – Connection & Warm Feelings
Use this for emotional messaging: “We’re here for you”, “Give someone a hug (or discount)”. Builds brand affinity. - Squirrel Appreciation Day (January 21) – Unexpected Hook
Use a fun, quirky theme: “We’re nuts about our customers”, “Don’t squirrel away your savings”. Get attention by being playful. - National Puzzle Day (January 29) – Interactive Engagement
Create a puzzle/quiz to solve for a prize, or mail a mini‑puzzle to customers. Encourages deeper interaction. - National Use Your Gift Card Day (Third Saturday of January) – Stimulate Redemptions
Promote redemptions: “Use your card now + bonus value”, or run a campaign to remind people of unredeemed gift cards. - Quirkyalone Day (February 14) – Self‑Love / Solo Celebrations
On Valentine’s Day also celebrate those single: solo‑experience offers, self‑care bundles, friendship themes. - National Pizza Day (February 9) – Relatable Fun
Use the food‑holiday even if you aren’t in food: e.g., combine your product with a “pizza night”, coupon for a slice, or social media tie‑in. - National Send a Card to a Friend Day (February 7) – Share & Referral
Encourage customers to send cards or messages: “Refer a friend”, “Send a card & get a reward”. Good for word‑of‑mouth. 
National Frozen Yogurt Day (February 6) – Light, Impulse Friendly
Use a fun food holiday for light, quick promos: “Treat yourself”, “Sweeten your day” tie‑in.- World Nutella Day (February 5) – Trendy Food + Content Opportunity
Even if your product isn't food, you can tie into the indulgence vibe: social posts, giveaways with a Nutella‑partner, etc. - National Bagel and Lox Day (February 9) – Micro‑Holiday for Niche Engagement
Create an in‑store or social event (“bagel breakfast with purchase”), or some fun tie‑in for your audience. - National Umbrella Day (February 10) – Metaphor / Seasonal Product Tie‑In
Use as metaphor “We’ve got you covered” or literal for weather/seasonal businesses. Great for service brands. - National Get Up Day (February 1) – Action & Motivation
The first of February: encourage customers to rise from the holiday lull, take action now. Great for fitness, productivity, service‑brands. - National Nothing Day (January 16) – Minimalism / Pause Messaging
Use this lesser‑known day to promote minimalism, quality over quantity, taking a break: “Sometimes nothing’s better” or “Less is more”. - Seasonal “Beat the Winter Blues” / “Spring Start” Campaign
Though not a fixed holiday, February is often a lull month. Use campaigns like “Brighten your February”, “Get ready for spring”, “Don’t wait for the thaw”. Encourages action at a slow time. - User‑Generated Content (UGC) Campaign Around Seasonal Themes
Encourage your customers to share how they are starting the year (January) or showing self‐care / friendship (February). - Referral / Recommend‑a‑Friend Offer
Leverage the social mood around new year or friendship: “Refer a friend, you both get 20% off”, or “Tag your bestie & get a treat”. Works especially around Valentine’s / Send‑a‑Card days. - Short‑Form Video & Social Engagement for Seasonal Hooks
Create quick videos tied to the months: “Day in the life – January reset”, “Valentine’s prep”, “Winter wrap‑up”. Use TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts. Builds brand awareness & shareability. - Multi‑Channel Storytelling & Direct Mail Integration
Combine offline direct mail marketing (postcards, letters) with digital (email, social) and tie into your holiday themes (New Year, Valentines, etc.). For example: use direct mail postcards or letter mailers for New Year’s then follow up with a Valentine’s email. - Analytics and Mid‑Campaign Adaptation
Monitor which holiday/theme campaigns are performing (email open rates, social engagement, direct mail response rates) and be ready to pivot—if Puzzle Day mailings outperform Valentine’s social, ramp the direct mailings. This flexibility helps you maximise impact across the two months.
How to Use the List of Marketing Ideas
- Pick 2-4 ideas now that align with your brand and audience.
- Map them into a marketing calendar (Jan/Feb) with dates, themes, marketing channels.
- For each idea, decide: key message, channel(s), offer/CTA, creative assets.
- Use the odd/quirky days (Puzzle Day, Squirrel Appreciation Day, etc) to stand out—these often have less noise.
- Use the more traditional holidays (Valentine’s, Presidents’ Day, New Year) for high‑visibility campaigns.
- Track performance: choose your favorite KPI (engagement, redemption, referrals) to measure success and adapt.
Get Help With Your Direct Mail Campagin
You don't have to do it alone. Call now to speak with the experts at Mail King USA if direct mail marketing is part of your strategy this January or Febuary. Get advice on best mail types, offers, and formats to help make your mailings a sucess!
Use one of these ideas and save $100 off your mailing!
