When we think of February, most of us think of Valentine’s Day. And that’s natural, seeing how much we’ve been conditioned to associate this month with love and such.

But for content marketers, there arises a need to look outside of one topical event.

February gives brands an opportunity to talk about important issues like cancer, female contributions to the field of science, kindness, social justice, and the budget! And, of course, one can also include a healthy dose of light-hearted conversations this month with days like International Tug-of-War Day.

So sure, think love for starters. But then think broad and think different. There’s a lot packed within even the year’s shortest month!

1. Indian Coast Guard Raising Day, 1^st February

Content marketing ideas:

Video idea: How the Indian Coast Guard has made us proud time and again

Infographic idea: Signs that you are up for a career in the Indian Coast Guard

Listicle idea: X Career options if your love for India is undying

Podcast idea: Stories of Indian Coast Guard personnel who have made a mark

Brand campaign that worked:

While not created as a traditional advert, the following digital film designed by Grey Worldwide highlights the role the Indian Coast Guard plays to ensure the citizens’ safety.

2. World Cancer Day, 4^th February

Content marketing ideas:

Video idea: Health benefits of Vitamin D you probably didn’t know

Infographic idea: Everyday tips that can help reduce the risk of cancer

Article idea: Does your health plan cover cancer? Here’s what you need to know

Podcast idea: Here’s why every woman should consider specific cancer insurance plans

Brand campaigns that worked:

Hair care brand Dabur Vatika’s advert lauding cancer survivors can be considered the perfect example of a branded video.

Shown to have lost her hair during treatment, the video’s protagonist goes through all her daily movements with confidence until it’s time for her to return to the office.

However, it’s the support from her husband and co-workers that helps her feel more confident about her appearance.

In a different, less narrativised ad, Orion Malls put out the following image for World Cancer Day:

(Source)

3. International Day of Women and Girls in Science, 11^th February

Content marketing ideas:

Video idea: Scientific inventions from young female students that have changed lives

Infographic idea: Best universities to study STEM subjects

Listicle idea: X Sexual harassment prevention initiatives undertaken by the STEM industry

Podcast idea: Stories of young women whose lives were transformed by their pursuit of science

Brand campaigns that worked:

Oil and gas company Shell launched a campaign called #makethefuture that encouraged viewers to reduce the gender gap in the engineering and technology industry.

The video highlighted how while young girls are encouraged to pursue their calling, educated women, especially within the STEM industry, are constantly discouraged and worn down through sexist remarks and treatment. And that it is up to each one to not contribute to this phenomenon.

In a campaign motivated by similar sentiments, Microsoft furthered its marketing project, titled #MakeWhatsNext, to help young girls’ turn their STEM-based ideas into working realities.

What had started as a campaign to help viewers realise the limited recognition awarded to female inventors turned into an interactive empowering initiative.

4. Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day, 11^th February

Content marketing ideas:

Video idea: How to be your child’s best friend and confidant

Infographic idea: X Things that get you out when you hit rock-bottom

Article idea: What to do if you don’t clear a competitive exam

Podcast idea: How to restart your New Year’s resolutions

Brand campaigns that worked:

Creating content around this day might sound challenging at first. But the generic implication of the phrase makes the day applicable to any and every brand.

You can utilise the idea to urge your consumers to go in for one of your brand’s services, especially if it is available for a limited duration.

Consider this advert created by Stash Financial that offers investment options that start at just $5.

This day can also provide ample marketing opportunities to brands that drive campaigns to encourage veganism. Take, for instance, this ad created by Mothers Against Dairy, Toronto Cow Save, and The Save Movement:

(Source)

The image was viewed by over 6 million readers.

5. World Radio Day, 13^th February

Content marketing ideas:

Video idea: Did video really kill the radio star? These apps prove otherwise

Infographic idea: The world’s favourite RJs and their biggest radio moments

Quiz idea: Is radio jockeying the right profession for you?

Podcast idea: Stories behind the most requested songs on radio through the years

Brand campaigns that worked:

Mumbai-based advertising agency Scarecrow Communications put out a campaign to revive the lost love for radio.

Their 2017 campaign paid tribute to the signature Akashvani tune, included audio stories and interviews, and also involved the release of radio-related long-form stories.

Check out Best Media Info’s coverage of the same to access all content pieces specified.

In another effort to highlight the importance of radio as a medium of communication, entertainment and education, UNESCO put out the following video:

With ‘retro’ being all the rage these days, perhaps it is the right time to invest in campaigns like these.

6. Valentine’s Day, 14^th February

Content marketing ideas:

Video idea: X People you should show love to this Valentine’s Day

Infographic idea: Unconventional gift choices for your significant other

Listicle idea: Spending Valentine’s Day single? Here are X kickass things you can do

Podcast idea: How to celebrate Valentine’s Day on a budget

Brand campaigns that worked:

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to mean the creation of cheesy content that eventually goes on to be bashed by cynical singletons.

Take a leaf from Dairy Queen Cakes’ book:

The video sets the scene like any other romantic advert: with a visual of a well-off couple snuggled before a fireplace. Following the well-known formula, the man reveals a previously hidden sleek gift box to the woman, who receives it as teary-eyed and overwhelmed as expected.

However, it is then that the ad takes a turn to bare this laughable trope for what it is: an unrealistic expectation set by romantic comedies.

Through a similar effort, British online food delivery company, Deliveroo wittily demystified the couple-driven practices popularised around Valentine’s Day.

According to a survey it conducted, 54% of UK adults revealed that they would be happy to be joined by a ‘third wheel’ on Valentine’s Day. And it was based on this study that Deliveroo created a video campaign that encouraged couples to bring a third attendee to avail of their ‘Third Wheel Meal Deal’. Take a look:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOWSSyQ2qSo&feature=youtu.be

Take it from us (who have spent hours looking at some of the most impactful Valentine’s Day ads); with annual days like these, where every other brand is looking to leverage the festive sentiment, yours needs a fresh perspective to stand out.

Now let the numbers do the talking:

(Source: Buzzsumo)

7. World Human Spirit Day, 17^th February

Content marketing ideas:

Video idea: How these X sportspeople braved multiple injuries to play for their country

Infographic idea: X Precautions to ensure your immune system is as strong as your spirit

Listicle idea: Brave film characters who can serve as real-life inspirations

Podcast idea: How to raise a strong-spirited woman

Brand campaign that worked:

When do we most significantly highlight the strength of the human spirit? During times when human resilience is challenged the most.

Brands that concern themselves with more than just consumerism can certainly use this opportunity as a talking point. Take for instance Campaign 4 Cancer’s image ad:

(Source)

Of course, there also more light-hearted routes to take; the human spirit can also be cheekily referenced within a brand conversation about taking on Mondays. It all depends on your brand.

8. Random Acts of Kindness Day, 17^th February

Content marketing ideas:

Video idea: Random acts of kindness to bring a smile to your loved one’s face

Infographic idea: X Reasons why kind people are more likely to succeed in life

Listicle idea: X Reasons why moral education should be a part of every school’s curriculum

Podcast idea: Here’s why it’s important to teach your kids the importance of compassion

Brand campaigns that worked:

MailChimp went for something small yet sweet by wishing an Atlanta-based frozen treats company their birthday on Instagram:

(Source)

Coca Cola brand Peace Tea desired to further its ‘Choose Peace’ campaign by encouraging and practising random acts of kindness through a pay-it-forward approach.

It wished to target teens and young millennials, showing them that practising peace and kindness could be a simple and accessible act that is not just limited to NGOs or highbrow charity events.

They utilised their social channels to bring alive partnerships with influencers known for their positive presence online and who could get this initiative going.

The chosen personalities were asked to post about their random acts of kindness. Each ‘like’ on their post would lead to the donation of $1 to RandomActs.org. And commenting on or sharing the post would increase Peace Tea’s donation to $2.

Here’s a look at one of the posts from the campaign:

(Source)

Of course, it is almost never that a brand can truly carry out a selfless act of kindness. But the key is to ensure that your brand isn’t the only one significantly benefitting from such campaigns.

9. International Tug-of-War Day, 19^th February

Content marketing ideas:

Video idea: Private vs public colleges: What you need to know

Infographic idea: X Shocking studies that can finally convince you to cut down on sugar

Article idea: Is it ever too late or too early to buy a house?

Podcast idea: The Privacy Debate: Should the government track online behaviour?

Brand campaigns that worked:

Now, the campaigns discussed here weren’t specifically created for International Tug-of-War Day, but they’ve nonetheless utilised that concept well.

Citizens Bank created a video campaign to promote its retirement planning service. The advert depicted the tug-of-war between one’s desire to save for retirement, and the many splurges and financial responsibilities:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFtFzEMoA_k

Another advert that organically incorporated the concept of a tug-of-war is Sofa startup Burrow. Its 30-seconder shows two people tugging back and forth on a single blanket as they comfortably nap on the Burrow sofa:

10. World Day of Social Justice, 20^th February

Content marketing ideas:

Video idea: Best law movies of all time

Infographic idea: Why is feminism the need of the hour?

Listicle idea: Online courses that will help you understand the judicial system better

Podcast idea: How to prepare for a career in judicial services

Brand campaigns that worked:

Yes, we are going to bring up ‘that Gillette ad’. The one that’s taken the digital landscape by storm and amassed over 26M views on YouTube.

In case you somehow missed one of the biggest brand moves following the #MeToo movement, Gillette launched a video campaign that urged and encouraged men to be the best version of themselves:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koPmuEyP3a0

A version that doesn’t pass off violent behaviour amongst kids as “boys will be boys”. A version that doesn’t stand for sexual harassment or bullying. A version that knows better. Because, according to Gillette, “it’s only by challenging ourselves to do more that we can get closer to our best”.

Another of our favourite campaigns that propagated social justice was Airbnb’s #weaccept advert. It followed shortly after Trump signed an order that temporarily closed off the American borders to refugees:

What is striking about both these campaigns is that they attempted to tackle very timely issues that affect masses altogether. What says ‘social justice’ better?

11. International Mother Language Day, 21^st February

Content marketing ideas:

Video idea: Apps that can help boost your language and vocabulary

Infographic idea: Foreign words that found their way into mainstream English

Listicle idea: 20 Words from Indian languages that have recently been introduced to the Oxford dictionary

Podcast idea: How can being multilingual help your career options?

Brand campaign that worked:

On Republic Day last year, Bisleri launched its ‘One Nation One Water’ campaign that celebrated India’s diversity through bottle labels that featured different Indian languages:

The labels launched in the numerous local languages were meant to help consumers connect better with the product.

Your takeaway? Personalisation is almost always the key. Find out what matters to people and build your messaging on that.

12. National Science Day, 28^th February

Content marketing ideas:

Video idea: Not really rocket science! How to be a rocket scientist

Infographic idea: Major advancements in science that Indians are responsible for

Listicle idea: Best colleges for veterinary science in India

Podcast idea: How is science giving a boost to clean energy?

Brand campaigns that worked:

Brands seem to have barely tapped into the potential National Science Day offers. While image campaigns such as the following have come into circulation, nothing more large-scale has hit the Indian digital landscape.

(Source)

Other content marketing opportunities

1. Budget

Content marketing ideas:

Video idea: How does the budget impact SMEs and startups?

Infographic idea: How does a debt-free budget affect the common citizen?

Article idea: Travelling on a budget? Here’s what you can do

Podcast idea: How much should you budget for luxury fashion every year?

Brand campaigns that worked:

You know what is content marketing? Integrating your product identity and purpose with something topical.

You know what isn’t content marketing? Merely throwing together a suggestion of your brand’s service and a festive greeting/contextual hashtag within an image frame.

The reason we love the following campaigns is simple – they have done the former.

(Source)

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Now let the numbers do the talking:

(Source: Google Analytics)

(Source: Buzzsumo)

2. Exam season

Content marketing ideas:

Video idea: Tips to beat pre-exam anxiety and stay focused

Infographic idea: A diet plan to follow during the exam season

Listicle idea: Online study tools to help you crack competitive exams

Podcast idea: How to help children who are fretting over their exams

Brand campaigns that worked:

Horlicks wished to highlight the mental health issues that students in Kota, Rajasthan, face while preparing for entrance exams:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0azhsVWu8uo

It wanted to help mothers understand their children’s critical requirement for the ‘emotional nutrient’: a mother’s love and unwavering support during times of immense stress.

In a different campaign that emphasised on helping children pursue their dreams rather than what are just conventional goals, Lenovo India created the following advert:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Slna2TtqO4Y&feature=youtu.be

As a brand attempting to positively contribute to the exam season, it is critical to put out messages that seem doable to your audience. Outlandish ideas that can’t be practised in a consumer’s daily reality won’t hold much value.

3. Fashion week (New York: 4^th – 13^th February; London: 15^th –19^th February)

Content marketing ideas:

Video idea: Popular female celebrity looks and how to replicate them on a budget

Infographic idea: E-commerce websites that offer you the best deals on luxury fashion

Listicle idea: Snap-and-search apps that help you find the best outfit

Podcast idea: How power dressing can have a positive impact on women’s lives

Brand campaigns that worked:

Fashion ad campaigns possess the unique characteristic of delivering their message through appealing presentation and beautiful formats.

For instance, men’s apparel company Untuckit created a campaign called ‘All Shapes and Sizes’.

Released as a 30-second television spot, and through radio, print and social channels, the campaign highlighted the brand’s efforts at creating shirts that cater to men of all shapes and sizes.

(Source)

Another example can be found in British luxury fashion brand’s campaign titled ‘Love Immigration’. Spanning content distributed across social channels and print, the campaign highlighted the beauty that results out of diversified collaboration:

(Source)

Not only did the campaign win praise from consumers, it was also named Marketing Week’s campaign of the year.

Another creative effort we can’t help but include is Hermès’ animated video that spread the word about its newly set up microsite; a content destination that featured its most popular collection of scarves:

4. Award season (Grammys: 10^th February; BAFTAs: 10^th February; Oscars: 24^th February)

Content marketing ideas:

Video idea: Classic movies you can re-watch if you’re a fan of action films

Infographic idea: You won’t believe how much money these Hollywood films spent on post-production technology

Listicle idea: Sci-fi films based on love stories that will make you a hopeless romantic

Podcast idea: How to nurture a career in filmmaking

Brand campaign that worked:

It is surprising there aren’t many major content-driven campaigns surrounding annual film awards. Especially since audiences who are very willing to engage with such award ceremonies don’t have to be cultivated with every such event.

There are, however, some film festival-centred marketing campaigns that you can always derive inspiration from. Take Toronto International Film Festival, which released a creative encouraging filmmakers with an Instagram account to submit their 60-second short to the #TIFFxInstagram Short Festival; an effort that could win participants a chance to attend.

Sports

• Kingfisher Ultra Indian Derby, 3^rd February

• Super Bowl LIII, 3^rd February

Content marketing ideas:

Video idea: X Best match/tournament moments in the history of <name of sport>

Infographic idea: X Foods that should be in every sportsperson’s diet

Listicle idea: What you need to become a <insert category of sportsperson>

Podcast idea: How technology has revolutionised the world of sport

Festivals

• Ragasthan

• Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, 2^nd – 10^th February

(Source: Google Analytics)

• Losar Festival, 5^th – 7^th February

• Mahindra Blues Festival, 9^th – 10^th February

• Saraswati Puja, 10^th February

• Jaisalmer Desert Festival, 17^th – 19^th February

• World Sufi Spirit Festival, 18^th – 23^rd February

Content marketing ideas:

Video idea: Tips to dress for festival celebrations in different settings

Infographic idea: Facts about the <insert name> festival

Listicle idea: X Essentials to pack for any trip

Podcast idea: How celebration is known to positively impact mental health

Film releases

• Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, 1^st February
• What Men Want, 8^th February
• The LEGO Movie 2, 8^th February
• The Prodigy, 8^th February
• Cold Pursuit, 8^th February
• Gully Boy, 14^th February
• Aashiqui 3, 14^th February
• Isn’t It Romantic, 14^th February
• Happy Death Day 2U, 14^th February
• How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, 22^nd February

Content marketing ideas:

Video idea: X <insert actor’s name> songs to dance to

Infographic idea: Lesser known, but equally important, careers in filmmaking

Listicle idea: Lessons from <insert actor’s name> career that can help you excel in your profession

Podcast idea: X Films to watch with your friends this February

Celebrity birthdays

• Harry Styles, 1^st February
• Shakira, 2^nd February
• Cristiano Ronaldo, 5^th February
• Abhishek Bachchan, 5^th February
• Bob Marley, 6^th February
• Charles Dickens, 7^th February
• Mohammad Azharuddin, 8^th February
• Tom Hiddleston, 9^th February
• Jennifer Aniston, 11^th February
• Abraham Lincoln, 12^th February
• Sarojini Naidu, 13^th February
• Madhubala, 14th February
• The Weeknd, 16^th February
• Ed Sheeran, 17^th February
• Michael Jordan, 17^th February
• J-Hope, 18^th February
• Chhatrapati Shivaji, 19^th February
• Millie Bobby Brown, 19^th February
• Rihanna, 20^th February
• Sophie Turner, 21^st February
• George Washington, 22^nd February
• Sanjay Leela Bhansali, 24^th February
• Steve Jobs, 24^th February
• Shahid Kapoor, 25^th February
• Johnny Cash, 26^th February