We sure live in baffling times, and the world of social media has never been a more engaging place. Virtual tours and webinars have replaced summer vacations and events. Tales of mango pudding and aam panna are making up for canceled get-togethers and dinner dates. Online sessions and workshops are replacing vocational training and extracurricular classes. As we enter the month of May with equal parts trepidation and hope, one thing is for sure – content has never been more in demand. So strengthen your editorial strategy and #EngageUnfoolishly by taking inspiration from these content marketing opportunities and ideas.

1. International Labor Day – 1^st May

This day is celebrated across the globe to honor the contributions of those belonging to the working class.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: X Things you must look for in your offer letter before you take up a job
• Infographic idea: X Things you can do to unwind after work
• Video idea: How can we bridge the wage gap?
• Podcast idea: Is it time to review the 8-hour workday and change the way we work?

Brand campaign that worked:

This ad by Urban explores Labor Day and the concept of equality through a discussion between a mother and a child, and drives home the message that equality has no meaning unless it’s put into practice.

2. World Press Freedom Day – 3^rd May

This day provides an opportunity to journalists, academics, national authorities and the public to discuss emerging challenges to press freedom and their safety. The theme for 2020 is ‘Journalism without fear or favor’.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: What are the different roles you can take up in the news industry?
• Infographic idea: Media history: A timeline
• Video idea: Depictions of important events that were covered by the press
• Podcast idea: What happens when the press is biased?

Brand campaign that worked:

This video by UNESCO asks us the all-important question: why should we care about press freedom, and how does it affect us everyday.

3. World Laughter Day – 3^rd May

This day marks the importance of laughter and its ability to change the world in a peaceful and positive way.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: X Online comic strips for your daily dose of laughter
• Infographic idea: X Things that can make you happy everyday
• Video idea: Here’s why Charlie Chaplin was the king of comedy
• Podcast idea: How can laughter make you a happier person?

Brand campaign that worked:

This video by Dr Madan Kataria, founder of the worldwide Laughter Yoga movement, details 100 laughter yoga exercises you can practice throughout the day.

4. International Firefighters’ Day – 4^th May

This day was instituted to pay tribute to firefighters who dedicate their lives and those who have lost their lives to protect life and property.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: X Ways to make your home fireproof
• Infographic idea: Simple ways to stop a household fire
• Video idea: The biggest fire accidents that were thwarted thanks to firefighters
• Podcast idea: What are the biggest health issues that firefighters face?

Brand campaign that worked:

This video from the South Metro Fire Rescue PIO offers a glimpse into a day in the life of one of their firefighters (Justin LaBorde) and gives you a better understanding of their work.

5. World Asthma Day – 5^th May

This day aims to spread awareness about asthma and the ways we can prevent it.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: X Everyday irritants that can cause your asthma to flare
• Infographic idea: How can you differentiate between COVID-19 and asthma?
• Video idea: How does asthma affect the lungs?
• Podcast idea: How can an asthmatic person get through spring?

Brand campaign that worked:

This animated video from Philips features a voice-over by young children who have asthma explaining how its products are helping them breathe more freely.

6. World Red Cross Day – 8^th May

This day is an annual celebration of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent movement.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: Signs to look out for if you’re anemic
• Infographic idea: Here’s how you can enroll for the Red Cross
• Video idea: X Do’s and don’ts of blood donation
• Podcast idea: Donating blood in the times of coronavirus: How can you determine if your blood is ‘eligible’ to be donated?

Brand campaign that worked:

This video from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital teaches us how to perform CPR on anyone aged 12 and above.

7. International Thalassemia Day – 8^th May

International Thalassemia Day is celebrated to spread awareness about this inherited blood disease and to encourage all those with this disease who have kept their hopes high.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: X Foods that can increase the RBC count in your body
• Infographic idea: What are the symptoms of thalassemia?
• Video idea: What role does RBC play in maintaining a healthy body?
• Podcast idea: What are the treatment options for someone with thalassemia?

8. World Migratory Bird Day – 9^th May

This day is commemorated to raise awareness of issues affecting migratory birds and to encourage bird conservation. The theme for 2020 is ‘Birds connect our world’.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: X Exotic locations for birding enthusiasts on an affordable budget
• Infographic idea: X Most fascinating migratory birds of India
• Video idea: How have migratory patterns changed over the decades?
• Podcast idea: What is our role in encouraging migratory birds to follow their patterns?

Brand campaign that worked:

This video by the UN highlights the importance of bird conservation and encourages nations to join this worthy cause.

9. International Mother’s Day – 10^th May

This day is set aside by the world to honor our mothers and celebrate motherhood in its entirety.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: X Ways to create a memorable Mother’s Day experience for your mum
• Infographic idea: X Silent ways your mother says ‘I love you’ every day
• Video idea: What are the signs and effects of menopause?
• Podcast idea: What is the price of being a mother?

Brand campaign that worked:

This ad from P&G thanks all mothers for their thoughtfulness, and says that strong people are made by the sacrifices of their mothers.

10. National Technology Day – 11^th May

National Technology Day acts as a reminder of India’s technological advancements. Notably, on this day, India successfully tested Shakti-I nuclear missile at the Indian Army’s Pokhran Test Range in Rajasthan

Content marketing ideas:

Video idea: Future transportation plans that are straight out of a sci-fi movie

Infographic idea: Innovative tech start-ups that are making India proud

Article idea: How VR and data intelligence are improving your shopping experience

Podcast idea: Why you must exercise caution while making digital payments

Brand campaigns that worked:

National Technology Day began as initiative to commemorate Shakti, the nuclear test held in Pokhran in 1998. However, it would be a wasted opportunity to limit content to just that, and not address the emerging dimensions and utilities of technology.

One way is to throw light on the positives. The following video by Apple playfully and aptly showcases how technology can make working towards a deadline simpler:

11. International Nurses’ Day – 12^th May

This day marks the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale and celebrates nurses for the contributions they make to society.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: X Indian women who made a difference in the medical industry
• Infographic idea: How are nurses and doctors different?
• Video idea: How have nurses stepped up in the times of coronavirus?
• Podcast idea: How can we better fund our healthcare system?

Brand campaign that worked:

This ad from Aster DM Healthcare highlights the sacrifices that nurses make every day, often putting the comfort of others before their own.

12. International Day of Families – 15^th May

Both in traditional and modern societies, families are fundamental for a community to thrive. For most of our growing years, we were nurtured by our families. Every year, on this day, we take a moment to celebrate our families.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: X Places you can go on a virtual vacation with your family this summer
• Infographic idea: Games that are great fun when played with family
• Video idea: Famous people you didn’t know were related to each other
• Podcast idea: How can you build strong relationships with your cousins as you grow up?

Brand campaign that worked:

This video by POPSUGAR Fitness features cardio exercises you can do with your family – in the comfort of your home!

13. International Day of Light – 16^th May

This day celebrates light as an element of science and how important a role it plays in art, culture, and sustainable architecture.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: X Light arrangements perfect for a dinner party
• Infographic idea: X Famous works of art that play on light and darkness
• Video idea: How is light perceived by the human eye?
• Podcast idea: Answering the age-old question: Is light a particle or a wave?

Brand campaign that worked:

This quirky video by German animation studio Kurzgesagt describes complex concepts about light in a simple manner and how it affects everything we see and perceive.

14. World Telecommunication and Information Society Day – 17^th May

This day aims to raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of internet and other communication technologies can bring to societies.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: X Ways the internet has made our lives easier
• Infographic idea: A look at how we consume information has changed over the decades
• Video idea: From 2G to 5G: The evolution of the internet
• Podcast idea: What would happen if we had to live without the internet for a day?

Brand campaign that worked:

This video from ICASA describes the formation of the day and why it is celebrated.

15. World Hypertension Day – 17^th May

This day brings to light the issue of high blood pressure in populations across the globe.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: X Sure-fire ways to keep your blood pressure in check at all times
• Infographic idea: What are the warning signs of hypertension?
• Video idea: X Exercises that can keep your body weight in check
• Podcast idea: How should you change your lifestyle if you have hypertension?

Brand campaign that worked:

This video from Novartis talks about the risks of hypertension and provides statistics on how many people it affects through the year.

16. World AIDS Vaccine Day – 18^th May

This day is marked to promote the continued urgent need for a vaccine to prevent HIV infection and AIDS.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: X Facts you might not know about HIV
• Infographic idea: How does HIV affect the immune system?
• Video idea: Why don’t we have an AIDS vaccine yet?
• Podcast idea: Expert talk: How are vaccines developed?

Brand campaign that worked:

This video by TED-Ed explores why it is particularly difficult to devise a cure for HIV, even though we have found cures for so many other diseases.

17. International Museum Day – 18^th May

The International Council of Museums organizes this day every year to emphasize museums and art galleries as an intrinsic value of culture in the society.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: X Best exhibits in museums around the world
• Infographic idea: The most bizarre museums around the world
• Video idea: Why is the Met Gala so famous?
• Podcast idea: How can museums become ‘cool’ again?

Brand campaign that worked:

This video provides a virtual walking tour of the Louvre, one of the most famous museums in France.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vuFh6NNa70

18. World Bee Day – 20^th May

This day is celebrated to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators, the threats they face, and their contribution to sustainable development.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: X Ways in which bees enrich our lives
• Infographic idea: Cartoons/movies about bees your kids can watch
• Video idea: What would happen in a world with no bees?
• Podcast idea: Is honey vegan or not?

Brand campaign that worked:

This informative video from national geographic explores the different jobs that bees do – from the queen to the nurses and workers – and the role they play in the functioning of a beehive.

19. International Tea Day – 21^st May

This day is celebrated to foster collective action to implement activities in favor of sustainable production and consumption of tea.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: X Additions to elevate your tea
• Infographic idea: X Delicacies you can make with matcha
• Video idea: What are the different ways to brew tea?
• Podcast idea: Why are we so fixated on chai?

Brand campaign that worked:

Have you been making tea wrong your entire life? This video from the BBC offers tips on how to brew the perfect cup of tea.

20. World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialog and Development – 21^st May

This day is celebrated to deepen our understanding of the values of cultural diversity and to advance the four goals of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: X Ways talking can resolve conflict
• Infographic idea: X Most recognizable elements of Indian culture
• Video idea: How can art promote the understanding of different cultures?
• Podcast idea: How can you stay connected to your culture if you live abroad?

Brand campaign that worked:

This video celebrates the cultural diversity of New South Wales in Australia and provides a montage of different cultural activities happening within the state.

21. International Day to End Obstetric Fistula – 23^rd May

This day aims to shed light on obstetric fistula, a condition that pregnant women could develop due to prolonged, obstructed labor without treatment.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: X Things you need to know about obstetric fistula
• Infographic idea: X Ways to make any pregnant woman more comfortable
• Video idea: Why is obstetric fistula so prevalent in rural women?
• Podcast idea: How can we improve women’s experiences during childbirth?

22. International Day of UN Peacekeepers – 29^th May

This day is celebrated to pay tribute to the uniformed and civilian personnel of the UN and to honor the 3800 peacekeepers who have lost their lives while serving the UN.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: How can you work at the UN?
• Infographic idea: X Most dangerous places UN peacekeepers work in
• Video idea: How do UN peacekeepers stay safe in conflict-ridden zones?
• Podcast idea: How effective are UN peacekeepers at actually preserving the peace?

Brand campaign that worked:

This video by UN peacekeepers describes how women can lead peace processes around the world, and the relation between violence against women and outbreaks of conflict.

23. World No-Tobacco Day – 31^st May

This day aims to raise awareness of the deadly use of tobacco and exposure to second-hand smoke.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: Alternatives to smoking that could actually work
• Infographic idea: Signs that someone is a secret smoker
• Video idea: What happens to your body when you quit smoking?
• Podcast idea: How have movies romanticized the idea of smoking over the decades?

Brand campaign that worked:

This simple video from WHO explains through a child’s explanation why tobacco taxes should be raised.

24. Global road safety week – 6-12 May

Every year 1.5 billion people die of road injuries. This day was made significant by the UN to create and propagate road safety measures that can reduce the number of deaths.

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: How can you make your car safe for a newborn?
• Infographic idea: X Bad driving habits to let go of right now
• Video idea: Innovative road safety measures implemented by countries across the world
• Podcast idea: Are we ready for self-driving cars?

Brand campaign that worked:

This ad by WJBF shows a dramatized version of a car crash, with a fictional interaction between the two drivers warning against the dangers of texting and driving.

25. Fun days

Star Wars Day – 4^th May

International No-Diet Day – 6^th May

Chocolate Chip Day – 15^th May

World Whiskey Day – 16^th May

Sunscreen Protection Day – 27^th May

International Hamburger Day – 28^th May

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: X Easy snacks to make at home for a movie marathon
• Infographic idea: Star Wars movies ranked in order of popularity
• Video idea: How is whiskey made?
• Podcast idea: How can you lose weight without following a strict diet?

26. Festivals

Buddha Purnima – 7^th May

Rabindra Jayanti – 7^th May

Eid-ul-Fitr – 23^rd May

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: X Works of Buddhist literature you must read
• Infographic idea: X Reasons why you must visit Shantiniketan in West Bengal
• Video idea: Best Ramadan desserts to whip up in a jiffy
• Podcast idea: The importance of intermittent fasting and its life-changing benefits

27. Birthdays

Anushka Sharma – 1^st May

Satyajit Ray – 2^nd May

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson – 2^nd May

Aruna Irani – 3^rd May

Henry Cavill – 5^th May

Adele – 5^th May

Motilal Nehru – 6^th May

George Clooney – 6^th May

Enrique Iglesias – 8^th May

Prakriti Kakar – 8^th May

Rosario Dawson – 9^th May

Domhnall Gleeson – 12^th May

G Balakrishnan – 12^th May

Sunny Leone – 13^th May

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar – 13^th May

Robert Pattinson – 13^th May

Stevie Wonder – 13^th May

Lillette Dubey– 13^th May

Waheeda Rahman – 14th May

George Lucas – 14^th May

Madhuri Dixit – 15^th May

Pierce Brosnan – 16^th May

Craig Ferguson – 17^th May

Tina Fey – 18^th May

Ali Zafar – 18^th May

Manushi Chillar – 18^th May

Nawazuddin Siddique – 19^th May

Ruskin Bond – 19^th May

Sam Smith – 19^th May

Timothy Olyphant – 20^th May

Aditya Chopra – 21^st May

Naomi Campbell – 22^nd May

Bob Dylan – 24^th May

Rajesh Roshan – 24^th May

Kunal Khemu – 25^th May

Karan Johar – 25^th  May

Ian McKellen – 25^th  May

Cillian Murphy – 25^th  May

Helena Bonham Carter – 26^th May

Pankaj Kapoor – 29^th  May

Paresh Rawal – 30^th May

Clint Eastwood – 31^st May

Vir Das – 31^st May

Sobitha Dhulipala – 31^st May

Content marketing opportunities:   

• Listicle idea: X Fitness rules you must learn from The Rock
• Infographic idea: X Ruskin Bond books every child must read
• Video idea: The evolution of Ian McKellen’s acting journey
• Podcast idea: How have female comedians changed the comedy landscape?

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