Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) is the date forever stamped in American collective memory. Millions of individuals are going to celebrate by enjoying their favorite festivities on this day.
For businesses, this creates a great opportunity and a problem. Everyone from restaurant owners to nonprofit organizations is going to welcome Early may in sprint start.
So, how to stand out from the crowd and let people know about your fantastic offer?
Table of contents
Let’s first dig into the history
Mexico has a rich history, including the Battle of Puebla, the May 5, 1862, victory of Benito Juárez over the French Army, and a well-armed French fleet. The U.S. Civil War was underway then, driving President Juárez to act.
The date of that win by President Juárez over France and its naval forces is a celebration of Mexican heritage in the United States, with the date “May 5,” or “Cinco de Mayo,” as its name.
Other than in Puebla, Cinco de Mayo isn’t widely celebrated in Mexico. However, north of the Rio Grande, Cinco de Mayo is a fiesta of culture, cuisine, and libations. Knowing how people celebrate Cinco de Mayo will ensure that your special daily menu or fundraising campaign stays culturally sensitive and connects with the right audience.
Ways to Make the Most of Cinco de Mayo
Toast Mexico’s history and heritage in Cinco De Mayo celebrations by keeping these five tips for Cinco de Mayo in mind. These tips will help you have a greater appreciation of Mexican culture and enjoy a Cinco de Mayo event without having regrets or offending someone.
Know Your History
Contrary to popular belief in the US, Cinco de Mayo isn’t Mexican Independence Day, so don’t wish people “Feliz Cinco de Mayo” or “Happy Cinco de Mayo” there. That occasion is September 16. Dia de la Independencia is a public holiday in Mexico, celebrating the date in 1810 when the Mexican army and Spain negotiated an end to colonial rule.
Cinco de Mayo is mostly celebrated by Mexican Americans for a variety of reasons. It’s not Mexico’s version of July 4th, when the colonial army defeated Britain, though. Don’t expect military parades on “Puebla Day” celebrating a win over the French.
With this in mind, don’t get too political with your campaign. Launching targeted direct mail campaigns in cities with large Mexican-American populations is a great starting point.
Think about:
- San Antonio, Texas
- Los Angeles, California
- San Diego, California
- Miami, Florida
- New York, New York
Don’t promote stereotypes
Featuring Mexican caricatures is insulting to those of Latino heritage, so don’t push campaigns featuring oversized sombreros, fake mustaches, serapes, or similar costumes. Seeing people use Mexican stereotypes is hurtful to Mexicans and others. It’s nice to be nice.
Generally, fostering any stereotype is a bad idea. Enjoy this Latino-inspired holiday without being culturally insensitive, and everyone will have more fun.
Since Cinco de Mayo is in late spring, it’s a perfect time to promote warmer-weather activities, casual clothing, and insurance for outdoor activities.
Using red and green colors in the style of a Mexican flay is a good way to promote your offers without invoking insensitive stereotypes.
Leave Language Lessons in High School
If the last time you studied was a decade or two ago, don’t try to create postcards written in Spanish for Cinco de Mayo. The impression you make will be awkward. You may come across as if you’ve decided by someone’s appearance or a zipcode that they are Hispanic or don’t speak English.
If you’re not fluent in Spanish, you could accidentally make a faux pas, insulting someone instead of fostering a great connection with your prospects.
If English is your native tongue, write in English. It’s a far better option for those who aren’t anywhere close to fluent in Spanish. Most U.S. residents speak English, so there’s no reason to speak the language if the last time you practiced speaking Spanish was during your first year of high school.
Cinco de Mayo Isn’t an Excuse to Get Drunk
Mexican beer is among the finest in the world, and tequila either on its own or mixed in Margaritas is delicious.
However, the holiday’s name is Cinco de Mayo, not “Cinco de Drinko.”
If you’re looking to toast Mexico and its culture as well as a victory over the French, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the country’s libations without promoting overindulgence.
By all means, promote beers or Margaritas with your favorite Mexican food such as street tacos, elote corn, burritos, taquitos, nachos, and guacamole. But don’t invite people to smash a crate of Dos Equis.
Cinco de Mayo Can Be Celebrated at Home, Too
Public Cinco de Mayo events are fun, but the day can also mean that all the local restaurants and bars are packed. The good news is that Cinco de Mayo can be celebrated at home without waiting.
This is great news for marketers. With Postalytics, you can automate trigger campaigns that will send your prospects tasty Mexican recipes wrapped up in customized envelopes. Realtors are known for fostering connections in their long selling cycles with thoughtful and delicious guides on creating festive delicacies. You can even send a postcard detailing how to decorate a house party in 5 easy steps or send them a menu to serve on the day.
Decorations, ice buckets of beer such as Corona, Dos Equis, Tecate, and Modelo, and carne asada on the patio or enchiladas enjoyed indoors with a pitcher of Margaritas or Sangria can be the best of times.
Not only are there no lines or traffic at home, but you and your guests can have fun making and trying different recipes together.
Another idea is to have “Happy Cinco de Mayo” custom postcards sent to your friends, coworkers, employees, or family. Sending compelling postcards to celebrate the occasion is a fun and inclusive way to help your employees have a blast.
Final Thoughts
While it’s not Mexican Independence Day, Cinco de Mayo is a way to honor the heritage of one incredible culture.
A city or town, especially those with Hispanic populations, may need to promote a Cinco de Mayo event through direct mail, email, and other means of advertising. For example, an Asheville organization might include Cinco de Mayo for advertising a special event on the day or a promo coupon.
You don’t have to have a Hispanic heritage to enjoy a happy Cinco de Mayo, but promoting your holiday deal should be done with sound judgment. Don’t promote stereotypes and even the American-French can get together to appreciate some delicious Mexican food and beverages.
For many restaurants, realtors, and nonprofits, this could be the time of year they’ll want to celebrate by letting their prospects and customer know that they’ve prepared something special for them.
You can wish happy Cinco de Mayo by automating a direct mail campaign that sends letters and postcards for your audience.
Try it out today with a free account, and get ready for Cinco de Mayo in time.
About the Author
Dennis Kelly
Dennis Kelly is CEO and co-founder of Postalytics. Dennis joined Boingnet, the predecessor to Postalytics, in 2013. Boingnet was focused on providing print and direct mail marketing service providers the ability to add digital marketing channels to their direct mail campaigns. Postalytics is Dennis’ 6th startup. He has been involved in starting and growing early-stage technology ventures for over 30 years and has held senior management roles at a diverse set of large technology firms including Computer Associates, Palm Inc. and Achieve Healthcare Information Systems.