Creating and promoting designs around specific anniversaries and special events is an effective strategy that can boost your sales. I talked about this strategy a few years ago, specifically referencing a total solar eclipse that happened a few summers back.
Several Low Hanging System members created designs about the event and saw a good amount of success. For some people, sales continued coming in even after the total eclipse had ended.
Here are a few screenshot testimonials that were taken from the LHS Facebook group:
Given the success people had with eclipse-related designs, one of the group’s moderators commented about how “people *love* commemorative things,” which is so true! The moderator then suggested creating designs and promotions for other anniversaries and special events happening throughout the year.
This is a great way to give your sales a boost during the “slow” months, or when there aren’t a lot of commercialized, gift-giving holidays.
So to help you start thinking about new design ideas and promotions, I came up with a list of special anniversaries and events happening throughout 2021, which you can use as a source of design inspiration.
Below, I also talk about special “seasons” that happen pretty much every single year, including graduation and wedding season. You can come up with design ideas based on these events as well. Plus, I offer coupon codes and hashtags along with social media templates to help with any promotions you might run for these products.
As a general word of caution, though, some of these anniversaries pertain to things that could be copyrighted. So as you create new designs, always be mindful of copyright infringement issues and do your due diligence.
That said, let’s dive into the special anniversaries and events starting with the big list.
Special anniversaries and events happening in 2021
The following list of special anniversaries and events is divided into the following three categories:
- pop culture anniversaries
- historical anniversaries
- and astronomical events.
Pop culture anniversaries
Hill Street Blues premiered – 40th anniversary (January 15)
Eddie Murphy joined SNL – 40th anniversary (January 24)
Adele’s ’21 was released – 10th anniversary (January 24)
Carole King’s Tapestry was released – 50th anniversary (January 30)
Silence of the Lambs premiered – 30th anniversary (February 14)
Bridesmaids premiered – 10th anniversary (April 28)
Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On was released – 50th anniversary (May 21)
Oprah’s final show aired – 10th anniversary (May 25)
Thelma & Louise premiered – 30th anniversary
Raiders of the Lost Ark premiered – 40th anniversary (June 12)
Jim Morrison’s death – 50th anniversary (July 3)
Amy Winehouse’s death – 10th anniversary (July 23)
Princess Diana and Prince Charles were married – 40th anniversary (July 29)
MTV launched – 40th anniversary (August 1)
The Macarena hit the scene – 25th anniversary (August 3)
Rugrats premiered – 30th anniversary (August 11)
Jay-Z’s The Blueprint was released – 25th anniversary (September 11)
Tupak Shakur’s death – 25th anniversary (September 13)
Everybody Loves Raymond premiered – 25th anniversary (September 13)
Nirvana’s Never Mind was released – 30th anniversary (September 24)
Fox News Channel debuts – 25th anniversary (October 7)
Duane Allman’s death – 50th anniversary (October 29)
Billy Joel’s Cold Spring Harbor was released – 50th anniversary (November 1)
’24 premiered – 25th anniversary (November 6)
George Harrison’s death – 25th anniversary (November 29)
Jerry McGuire premiered – 25th anniversary (December 13)
Dirty Harry premiered – 50th anniversary (December 22)
Historical anniversaries
Martin Luther was excommunicated – 500th anniversary (January 3)
America struck oil – 120th anniversary (January 10)
First United Nations meeting was held – 75th anniversary (January 10)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame was written – 190th anniversary (January 15)
President Kennedy was inaugurated – 60th anniversary (January 20)
President Regan was inaugurated – 40th anniversary (January 20)
Kansas entered the union – 160th anniversary (January 29)
Apollo 14 launched to the moon – 50th anniversary (January 31)
Texas seceded from the Union – 160th anniversary (February 1)
The first Medal of Honor was awarded – 160th anniversary (February 13)
Thomas Jefferson was elected president – 220th anniversary (February 17)
The Peace Corps began – 60th anniversary (March 1)
The Star Spangled Banner became the National Anthem – 90th anniversary (March 3)
Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated – 160th anniversary (March 4)
Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone – 145th anniversary (March 7)
Uranus was discovered – 240th anniversary (March 13)
The British evacuated Boston – 245th anniversary (March 17)
Abigail Adams wrote “Remember the Ladies” – 245th anniversary (March 31)
The first Modern Olympics were held in Athens – 125th anniversary (April 6)
President Tyler was inaugurated – 180th anniversary (April 6)
Billy the Kid was convicted of murder – 140th anniversary (April 9)
The American Civil War began – 160th anniversary (April 12)
The Bay of Pigs invasion occurred – 60th anniversary (April 17)
Chernobyl happened – 35th anniversary (April 26)
The Empire State Building was dedicated – 90th anniversary (May 1)
The “Great Exhibition” took place in London – 170th anniversary (May 1)
The Haymarket Square Riot took place – 135 anniversary (May 4)
Rhode Island declared independence from England – 245th anniversary (May 4)
H.H. Holmes, America’s first serial killer, was executed – 125th anniversary (May 7)
The Franco-Prussian War ended – 150th anniversary (May 10)
Anne Boleyn was executed – 485th anniversary (May 19)
The American Red Cross was created – 140th anniversary (May 21)
The first speed limit law was created – 120th anniversary (May 21)
Joan of Arc was executed – 590th anniversary (May 30)
The first Indy 500 took place – 110th anniversary (May 30)
The Miranda Rights decision was made – 55th anniversary (June 13)
The United States-Canadian border was created – 175th anniversary (June 15)
The first Republican National Conversion occurred – 165th anniversary (June 19)
The Battle of Little Bighorn took place – 145th anniversary (June 25)
Gone with the Wind was published – 85th anniversary (June 30)
President Garfield was assassinated – 140th anniversary (July 2)
The Declaration of Independence was adopted – 245th anniversary (July 4)
Women were admitted to the US Naval Academy – 45th anniversary (July 6)
Women were admitted to West Point – 45th anniversary (July 7)
Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female Justice, was appointed to the Supreme Court – 40th anniversary (July 7)
The Liberty Bell rang for independence – 245th anniversary (July 8)
Billy the Kid was killed – 140th anniversary (July 14)
Machu Picchu was discovered – 110th anniversary (July 24)
Insulin was created – 100th anniversary (July 27)
Six Flags opened – 60th anniversary (August 1)
The Declaration of Independence was signed – 245th anniversary (August 2)
The first woman swam the English Channel – 95th anniversary (August 6)
Jesse Owens won 4 medals at the Berlin Olympics – 85th anniversary (August 9)
The Smithsonian was created – 175 anniversary (August 10)
Congress renamed the name the United States of America – 245th anniversary (September 9)
President McKinley died – 120th anniversary (September 14)
Neptune was discovered – 175th anniversary (September 23)
The Nuremberg Trials ended – 75th anniversary (October 1)
The Great Chicago Fire occurred – 150th anniversary (October 8)
Al Capone went to prison – 90th anniversary (October 17)
The first barrel ride down Niagara Falls happened – 120th anniversary (October 24)
The Statue of Liberty was dedicated – 135th anniversary (October 28)
Jeannette Rankin became the first women elected to Congress – 105th anniversary (November 7)
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was dedicated – 100th anniversary (November 11)
Moby Dick was published – 170th anniversary (November 14)
The Britannic sank – 105th anniversary (November 21)
LIFE magazine was published – 85th anniversary (November 23)
President Roosevelt made the fourth Thursday in November a national holiday for Thanksgiving – 80th anniversary (November 26)
The attack on Pearl Harbor occurred – 80th anniversary (December 7)
The Nobel Peace Prizes began – 120th anniversary (December 10)
UNICEF was created – 75th anniversary (December 11)
The Bill of Rights was ratified – 230th anniversary (December 15)
The Library of Congress fire occurred – 170th anniversary (December 24)
George Washington crossed the Delaware – 245th anniversary (December 25)
Kwanzaa was created – 55th anniversary (December 26)
Astronomical events
Wolf moon (January 28)
Snow moon (February 27)
March equinox (March 20)
Worm moon (March 28)
Lyrids meteor shower (April 22, 23)
Pink moon (April 27)
Eta Aquarids meteor shower (May 6, 7)
Total lunar eclipse (May 26)
Flower moon (May 26)
Annular solar eclipse (June 10)
June Solstice (June 21)
Strawberry moon (June 24)
Buck moon (July 24)
Delta Aquarids meteor shower (July 28, 29)
Saturn at opposition (August 2)
Perseids meteor shower (August 12, 13)
Jupiter at opposition (August 19)
Blue moon / Sturgeon moon (August 22)
Neptune at opposition (September 14)
Harvest moon (September 20)
September equinox (September 22)
Draconids meteor shower (October 7)
Hunter’s moon (October 20)
Orionids meteor shower (October 21, 22)
Taurids meteor shower (November 4, 5)
Uranus at opposition (November 5)
Leonids meteor shower (November 17, 18)
Micro full moon / Beaver moon (November 19)
Partial lunar eclipse (November 19)
Total solar eclipse (December 4)
Geminids meteor shower (December 13, 14)
Micro full moon / Cold moon (December 19)
December Solstice (December 21)
Ursids meteor shower (December 21, 22)
Promotional tools for annual events and seasons
The above list of anniversaries and astronomical events aren’t the only special occasions happening this year. There are also several annual special events and seasons taking place. These events and seasons include…
- Superbowl Sunday
- March Madness
- Awards ceremonies
- Fashion Week
- Graduations
- Weddings
Below, you’ll find more information about each of these events and seasons along with design ideas and promotional resources, including relevant hashtags, coupon codes, and social media templates.
Super Bowl Sunday (February 7)
Super Bowl Sunday designs can pertain to American football, the NFL, and the two teams playing in the big game (just always be mindful of copyright infringement issues).
To avoid copyright problems, instead of using the teams’ or players’ names in your designs, you can use sports-related images, such as helmets or footballs, and the teams’ colors. Or, you can make designs that relate to Super Bowl viewing in general and not get super specific about who’s playing in the game.
For example…
Coupon codes
SUPERBOWL
FOOTBALL
NFL
TOUCHDOWN
CHAMPION
HALFTIME
BIGGAME
Hashtags
#Superbowl
#SuperbowlSunday
#Superbowl2021
#Football
#NFL
#Touchdown
#Quarterback
#FootballGame
#AmericanFootball
#Champion
#Champs
#ESPN
#Yardline
#FootballPlayer
#FieldGoal
#Sports
#NFLDraft
Social media
Template: #SuperbowlSunday is almost here! Are you ready!? Check out our selection of #football-themed gift ideas: _____ [link]. Use promo code _____ to save _____% #Hashtag #Hashtag
Example: #SuperbowlSunday is almost here! Are you ready!? Check out our selection of #football-themed gift ideas: http://bit.ly/2lchnOu. Use promo code TOUCHDOWN to save 15% #NFL #Superbowl2021
Awards ceremonies (Golden Globes, Oscars, etc.)
Awards season involves the Golden Globes, Academy Awards (Oscars), Grammys, and all of the other awards show related to the arts. Design ideas can center around movies, television, and music (but, again, be careful not to make designs using any copyrighted material).
In general, keep your designs as basic as possible to steer clear of copyright infringement, as with the example below…
This design also works well because it could easily be applied to all of the other awards ceremonies — for example, “Future Grammy Winner,” “Future Golden Globe Winner,” et cetera.
Here’s a list of the major awards ceremonies happening in 2021:
- Golden Globes – February 28
- Screen Actors Guild Awards – March 14
- Grammys – March 14
- Writers Guild of America Awards – March 21
- Visual Effects Society Awards – April 6
- Art Directors Guild Awards – April 10
- Directors Guild of America Awards – April 10
- British Academy of Film and Television Arts – April 11
- Annie Awards – April 16
- Film Independent Spirit Awards – April 24
- Oscars – April 25
Coupon codes
AWARDS
WINNER
HOLLYWOOD
WINNING
PRIZE
OSCAR
GRAMMY
GOLDENGLOBE
SPIRIT
ANNIE
NOMINATED
ART
FILM
TELEVISION
CINEMA
Hashtags
#Awards
#AwardsSeason
#AwardsSeason2021
#Hollywood
#Oscars
#AcademyAwards
#GoldenGlobes
#Grammys
#Film
#Cinema
#Movies
#Actor
#Music
#Television
#Theater
#Arts
#Winning
#Winner
#AcceptanceSpeech
#AndTheWinnerIs
Social media
Template: #AwardsSeason is here! For anyone looking for awards-themed gift ideas (#Oscars, #Grammys, #Tonys, and more), we’ve got just the thing: _____ [link]. Use promo code _____ to save _____% #Hashtag #Hashtag
Example: #AwardsSeason is here! For anyone looking for awards-themed gift ideas (#Oscars, #Grammys, and more), we’ve got just the thing: http://bit.ly/2lchnOu. Use promo code WINNER to save 15% #Awards #AndTheWinnerIs
Fashion week
Fashion Week is a time when the industry’s most prominent designers showcase their upcoming clothing lines to buyers and the media through a series of runway shows. The most significant fashion weeks are held in New York City, London, Paris, and Milan. To learn when the events are being held in each location, check out this link.
Your fashion week designs could include articles of clothing, shoes, accessories, and fashion-related words, such as “style,” “glamorous,” “chic,” and “fashionista.”
Here are some examples for inspiration:
Coupon codes
FASHION
VOGUE
STYLE
MODA
RUNWAY
MODEL
CHIC
Hashtags
#FashionWeek
#FashionWeek2021
#Fashion
#Vogue
#Moda
#Style
#Stylish
#Runway
#Catwalk
#Model
#FashionShow
#Fashionista
#FashionDesigner
#Modeling
#Designer
#FashionStye
#Fashionable
Social media
Template: The most #stylish of all the weeks, #FashionWeek2021, just started. We created a line of _____ [product] in honor of all things chic. Check out our selection here: _____ [link]. Use promo code _____ to get $_____ off #Hashtag #Hashtag
Example: The most #stylish of all the weeks, #FashionWeek2021, just started. We created a line of coffee mugs in honor of all things chic. Check out our selection here: http://bit.ly/2lchnOu. Use promo code RUNWAY to get $5 off #FashionShow #Model
March Madness (March 14 – April 5)
March Madness takes place March through April and it’s all about college basketball. Your designs can include anything related to brackets and playing basketball. But, once again, be careful of copyrighted material.
You might want to do something similar to your Super Bowl designs and just use team colors and basketball-related images. You might also stick to designs like the following:
Coupon codes
BASKETBALL
MARCH
MADNESS
NCAA
FINAL4
DRIBBLE
LAYUP
SWISH
Hashtags
#MarchMadness
#MarchMadness2021
#Basketball
#CollegeBasketball
#BigDance
#Bracketology
#Brackets
#CollegeBBall
#NCAA
#MyFinalFour
#FinalFour
#NCAATournament
#NCAABasketball
#BallIsLife
#Sports
#NothingButNet
Social media
Template: It’s that time of year again, #MarchMadness! Check out our selection of #basketball-themed products: _____ [link]. Save _____% when you use promo code _____. Shop now and win #Hashtag #Hashtag
Example: It’s that time of year again, #MarchMadness! Check out our selection of #basketball-themed products: http://bit.ly/2lchnOu. Save 10% when you use promo code FINAL4. Shop now and win #NCAABasketball #CollegeBBall
Graduation
Graduation is definitely a gift-giving season, usually occurring around mid-late May and lasting into early-mid June. Design ideas for graduations include caps and gowns, diplomas, and well wishes for the class of 2021. Graduation designs can involve both high school and college or university graduations. Plus, you can offer personalization options.
But keep in mind that with the ongoing pandemic situation, graduating in 2021 could very well end up being similar to graduating in 2020. So you might want to also create designs that factor in the pandemic.
Here are some examples from last year:
Coupon codes
GRADUATE
GRAD
CONGRATS
DIPLOMA
EDUCATION
SENIOR
CAPNGOWN
Hashtags
#Graduation2021
#Graduate2021
#Graduation
#Graduate
#Graduating
#HighSchool
#College
#University
#SmartyPants
#Diploma
#Grad
#GraduationDay
#GraduationDay2021
#GraduationGifts
#Student
#CollegeBound
#CollegeLife
#CollegeStudent
#HighSchoolStudent
#ClassOf2021
#COVIDGrad
#CoronaGrad
Social media
Template: Congrats to all the #grads this year! Show all the #graduates you know just how proud you are with a unique, celebratory _____ [product]. Promo code _____ saves you _____%. Shop now: _____ [link] #Hashtag #Hashtag
Example: Congrats to all the #grads this year! Show all the #graduates you know just how proud you are with a unique, celebratory coffee mug. Promo code DIPLOMA saves you 10%. Shop now: http://bit.ly/2lchnOu #Graduation2021 #Student
Weddings
Weddings occur year-round, but they are at their peak during the warmer months, from May to October, and they present lots of gift-giving opportunities. Guests customarily give gifts to the happy couple. And the bride and groom often give their bridal party tokens of appreciation for participating in their special day. So you could go either or both routes with your design ideas.
Also, similar to graduations, couples getting married in 2021 may still have to deal with Coronavirus restrictions so you might want to include some pandemic-inspired wedding designs as well.
Here’s some inspiration:
Coupon codes
WEDDING
BRIDE
GROOM
NUPTIALS
MARRIAGE
FOREVER
LOVE
ENGAGED
MARRIED
BLISS
Hashtags
#Wedding
#Marriage
#Married
#Bride
#Groom
#HappilyEverAfter
#TilDeath
#Love4Ever
#Engaged
#Fiance
#Husband
#Wife
#Newlyweds
#SheSaidYes
#Proposal
#CoronaBride
#CoronaGroom
#CoronaWedding
#WeSaidIDo
Social media
Template: Getting #married in 2021 or know someone who is? We’ve got a fantastic collection of #wedding gifts in our store. Perfect for the happy couple or bridal party. Shop now: _____ [link]. Use promo code _____to save $_____ #hashtag
Example:
Getting #married in 2021 or know someone who is? We’ve got a fantastic collection of #wedding gifts in our store. Perfect for the happy couple or bridal party. Shop now: http://bit.ly/2lchnOu. Use promo code FOREVER to save $5 #HappilyEverAfter
I really hope you find these suggestions useful! Let me know if you decide to create any designs or run any promotions based on these special events by leaving a comment below. And if you enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends and followers!
