How brands forced smiles (and transactions) for #BlueMonday on social media
It's Blue Monday, supposedly the 'most depressing day of the year'.
In fact, what started as a marketing concoction by a holiday company has now been adopted by many other brands promising to help you beat the winter blues.
Before we start, let's leave this here.
Today is Blue Monday, the most depressing day of the year. Thankfully, it isn't real and was just invented by someone in marketing.
— innocent drinks (@innocent) January 18, 2016
Now things get real, here are the tweets that won the day,
Virgin Holidays surprised customers with puppies, hand-warmers and other prize giveaways in a bid to eradicate ‘Blue Monday’ woes.
Escape #BlueMonday, join the @VirginHolidays Twitter chat at 1pm & you could be jetting off to Mexico! #DreamBigger pic.twitter.com/AxhArUw2ET
— Virgin (@Virgin) January 18, 2016
Comedy Central
Petition to change #BlueMonday to #BlueLipstickMonday pic.twitter.com/IB29rBrn2s
— Comedy Central UK (@ComedyCentralUK) January 18, 2016
Mercedez Benz
It's always summer somewhere. Warm up this #BlueMonday with snaps from Down Under. @MercedesBenzAU #MBRoadTrip pic.twitter.com/btw1ofGSap
— Mercedes-Benz (@MercedesBenz) January 18, 2016
Boots
Banish #BlueMonday with the whole She-Bang! Tweet what makes you happy for a chance to win 1 of 3 must-have prizes! pic.twitter.com/P11FIUm0fK
— Boots (@BootsUK) January 18, 2016
Ford UK
It's a very #BlueMonday for us as the #FocusRS European launch kicks off in @FordSpain! @kblock43's having fun. pic.twitter.com/9Tv0QqEWub
— Ford UK (@forduk) January 18, 2016
Angry Birds
We know it's #BlueMonday, but that's not always a bad thing! Right, Blues? pic.twitter.com/DgZmMpStjS
— Angry Birds (@AngryBirds) January 18, 2016
Star Wars UK
Beat #BlueMonday. With a lightsaber if necessary pic.twitter.com/yY1wAAqlMf
— Star Wars UK (@StarWarsUK) January 18, 2016
Netflix UK & Ireland
When everybody is feeling #BlueMonday but you. pic.twitter.com/TACg976UA0
— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) January 18, 2016
Doctor Who
Exterminate the #BlueMonday blues with our collection of the most fun #DoctorWho videos https://t.co/vrijNfaVEg pic.twitter.com/AZ6l8oA9oV
— Doctor Who Official (@bbcdoctorwho) January 18, 2016
Superdrug
RT #BlueMonday by 23:59 tonight for the chance to win our Own Brand hamper. Ts&Cs: https://t.co/29iiMlsDqF pic.twitter.com/0WzVQjMvK6
— Superdrug (@superdrug) January 18, 2016
House of Fraser
How do we make this happen? #BlueMonday pic.twitter.com/kvgXNUMqfg
— House of Fraser (@houseoffraser) January 18, 2016
O2
Whether #BlueMonday's real or not, we'll give away #O2Academy tickets every hour anyway: https://t.co/U1f1NX9KpV pic.twitter.com/JgLoUnz7hq
— O2 music (@O2music) January 18, 2016
Disney UK
We know which emotion is in control today... #BlueMonday pic.twitter.com/wpKKxnrP6n
— Disney UK (@Disney_UK) January 18, 2016
BBC Three
Remember when Barry from EastEnders sang at the Bowls? Cheer yourself up this #BlueMonday: https://t.co/9xWnAafVfD pic.twitter.com/0gnC4nLaXW
— BBC Three (@bbcthree) January 18, 2016
Very
Pah #BlueMonday. Today is #PinkMonday! Tell us why you're loving today & we might pick you for a #PinkMonday treat! pic.twitter.com/azrZbQNQF4
— Very (@verynetwork) January 18, 2016
Three
Move over Monty. Sir Niles Olav is the new penguin king! #BlueMonday pic.twitter.com/0uTYLwMrRf
— Three UK (@ThreeUK) January 18, 2016
EasyJet
We’re turning #BlueMonday orange! Tweet us orange-themed pics with #OrangeMonday @ 12-2pm and you could win free ! pic.twitter.com/DYO5TXv7kz
— easyJet (@easyJet) January 18, 2016
Carphone Warehouse
To cheer you up on #BlueMonday tell us your 3 fave things & our cartoonists will draw them for you. #NotSoBlueMonday pic.twitter.com/WOA0xN0UWb
— Carphone Warehouse (@CPWTweets) January 18, 2016
Manchester City
Cheer-up your #bluemonday with all the action from #cityvpalace. Extended highlights: https://t.co/BLJglksqsi pic.twitter.com/M8AzjJCXGy
— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) January 18, 2016
MTV UK
12 celeb-inspired motivational posters that will banish the #BlueMonday doom (promise): https://t.co/vpgQVeVYHz pic.twitter.com/Njfo21oEut
— MTV UK (@MTVUK) January 18, 2016
BMW UK
Rumour has it that #BlueMonday is supposed to be a real downer of a day. #BMW #M3 https://t.co/nwMkP5f8Xa pic.twitter.com/5oPV1x0inu
— BMW UK (@BMW_UK) January 18, 2016
Yorkshire Tea
Today, brands will use the myth of #BlueMonday to sell you things. Not us. Except for this REVOLUTIONARY steam mop! pic.twitter.com/UV9EFUykaq
— Yorkshire Tea (@YorkshireTea) January 18, 2016
River Island
#BlueMonday getting you down?Turn that around & #WIN £100 for you & your squad! Enter now https://t.co/n4mTK3aHvp pic.twitter.com/EgoaqofxMP
— River Island (@riverisland) January 18, 2016
Jeremy Kyle
It's #BlueMonday but here's SECURITY STEVE to cheer you up! Remember #VoteJK Best Daytime at https://t.co/u4BEnvY0vu pic.twitter.com/AoT92hnAo3
— The Jeremy Kyle Show (@itvjeremykyle) January 18, 2016
Team McLaren
Here's our cure for #BlueMonday. #McLarenMonday pic.twitter.com/NM68duKvAc
— Team McLaren (@TeamMcLaren) January 18, 2016
Lionsgate UK
It's Monday and we're getting motivated by the one and only @aplusk! #MondayMotivation #BlueMonday pic.twitter.com/RpbBdU1vGX
— Lionsgate UK (@LionsgateUK) January 18, 2016
Rimmel London
There's nothing wrong with Monday's being Blue... #BlueMonday pic.twitter.com/kPfzZJLLTP
— Rimmel London (@rimmellondonuk) January 18, 2016
Carphone Warehouse
Just because it's #BlueMonday doesn't mean you can't succeed. Just don't eat your phone! #MondayMotivation pic.twitter.com/opGEkbxQ9b
— Carphone Warehouse (@CPWTweets) January 18, 2016
Barclays Access
It's #bluemonday what are you doing to brighten up your day? Tweet us the tips that get you through! #mentalhealth pic.twitter.com/zHMfkO6ck8
— Barclays Access (@BarclaysAccess) January 18, 2016
Wicked UK
There's never a #BlueMonday in the Emerald City! #WickedUK pic.twitter.com/IEtLqVRJWV
— Wicked UK (@WickedUK) January 18, 2016
Boohoo
When everyone won't stop reminding you it's the most depressing Monday of the year #BlueMonday pic.twitter.com/H4P6Vc89Fp
— boohoo.com (@boohoo) January 18, 2016
Topshop
Good news on #BlueMonday! Season 4 of #OITNB has a release date - get 17th June in your diary, stat.
— Topshop (@Topshop) January 18, 2016
Scope
Disabled couple, both with cerebral palsy, welcome a baby girl https://t.co/Qi5GlwgwG8 #BlueMonday #HappyMonday pic.twitter.com/aenGuDNtAD
— Scope (@scope) January 18, 2016
Morph
Oh no, it's #BlueMonday and Morph really has got the blues! Anyone got any tips or jokes to help cheer him up? pic.twitter.com/x3mHsWOyNP
— Morph (@AmazingMorph) January 18, 2016
Richard Jones, chief executive and co-founder EngageSciences analysed the top Blue Monday trends on Twitter, these were #win, #purplemonday, #competition, #mondaymotivation, #sunrise and #giveaway.
The top buzzwords were blue, cheer, follow, today, beat and brighten. More than half of the consumer engagements were retweets and the peak engagement time was 2pm.
Jones said: “John Lewis, Three Mobile and Moonpig are simply using the day to humanise their brand with cutesy animals to cheer up consumers.
“Why? Animals are authentic and true in their affections. They represent our best selves - full of happiness, excitement and playfulness; these are emotions we connect with regardless of cultural background.”
He noted that many of the campaigns (notably WilkinsonSword, Very.co.uk, ProtectYourBubble and EasyJet) offered competitions in their tweets and Tesco offered free food to consumers at many of its stores across the UK.
If you wish to compare this year's glum tweets against Blue Monday 2015's, hit the link.