St. Patrick’s Day: the one day of the year when people suddenly remember they have a distant Irish relative and feel obligated to wear green, drink, and celebrate like it’s a national holiday (even if it isn’t where they live). But beyond the parades and pints, St. Patrick’s Day is also a goldmine for brands. Consumers are in a festive mood, ready to spend on themed products, special offers, and anything that involves beer or chocolate.
So, how do brands stand out in the sea of green? Many have nailed their St. Patrick’s Day campaigns over the years, using clever marketing and storytelling to connect with audiences. But there’s one thing that can take any campaign to the next level: programmatic advertising.
Explore the commercial importance behind the holiday, the best St. Patrick’s Day campaigns from well-known brands, and how quality advertising from programmatic marketing companies can help you turn festive excitement into measurable results.
Why St. Patrick’s Day Ads Matter
Each year on March 17, the world turns green—not from envy, but in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. What started as a religious feast honoring St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, has transformed into a global phenomenon filled with parades, parties, and a whole lot of festive spending.
While Ireland keeps the tradition alive with festivals and cultural events, other countries—especially the United States—have embraced the holiday with open arms. Cities like Chicago dye their rivers green, New York hosts a massive parade, and bars everywhere serve up shamrock-themed drinks.
And people aren’t just celebrating—they’re spending. According to the National Retail Federation, in 2024, the average American spent 44 dollars on St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. With 62% of the population joining in on the fun, total spending hit a record $7.2 billion. That’s a lot of green (and not just in decorations).
What makes St. Patrick’s Day particularly exciting for brands is its strong presence on social media. Consumers love sharing their themed outfits, festive meals, and party highlights online. From Instagram posts of green lattes to TikTok tutorials on how to make the perfect Irish coffee, social platforms turn the holiday into a viral marketing opportunity.
With millions of people celebrating—whether by heading to a parade, grabbing a seasonal drink, or simply posting their favorite green outfit—St. Patrick’s Day offers brands a unique chance to connect with consumers in a fun, culturally relevant way.
The challenge is to stand out in an already crowded space. That’s where strategy (and a bit of marketing magic) come into play.
Brands to Take Inspiration from This St. Patrick’s Day
Guinness
If there’s one brand synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day, it’s Guinness. On an average day, millions enjoy the iconic Irish stout, but on March 17, that number skyrockets to 13 million pints—an 819% increase. Yet, Guinness doesn’t just rely on demand; it creates emotional and meaningful campaigns that reinforce its role in the holiday.
Take its 2021 campaign, launched while much of the world was still under COVID-19 restrictions. Rather than pushing beer sales, Guinness focused on what people had been missing: community, togetherness, and the joy of celebrating with loved ones. The ad struck a heartfelt tone, reminding consumers that better days were ahead and that a pint of Guinness was best enjoyed with good company.
Fast forward to 2023, and Guinness kept that theme alive with its “All Together with Guinness” campaign. The ad featured scenes of friends and families reunited in pubs, joyfully singing classic songs—a reminder of the magic of gathering once again.
But they didn’t stop at nostalgia. To boost engagement, the brand introduced a nationwide toast contest, offering over 100 winners $10,000 and one lucky grand prize winner a whopping $1 million.
Guinness understands that St. Patrick’s Day is about the experience. By tapping into emotions, nostalgia, and interactive engagement, they keep their brand at the center of the holiday without feeling overly promotional.
McDonald’s
McDonald’s and St. Patrick’s Day go together like fries and a Big Mac—and that’s thanks to one legendary seasonal treat: the Shamrock Shake. Introduced in the 1970s as a charity fundraiser, the bright green, minty milkshake has since become a highly anticipated part of the holiday.
For many, the arrival of the Shamrock Shake signals the start of St. Patrick’s Day season, proving that a limited-time offering can create powerful brand loyalty.
Aside from bringing back the shake every year, McDonald’s finds new ways to make it relevant. In 2022, they took a digital-first approach, revealing the “secret ingredient” behind the shake’s famous green color—Hex code #cbf2ac. Fans were encouraged to use the exact color in digital artwork and social media posts, tying creative expression to the product itself.
What McDonald’s teaches us is that seasonal products can become cultural touchstones when marketed well. By turning a simple milkshake into a decades-long tradition and leveraging social media trends, McDonald’s keeps the Shamrock Shake fresh in consumers’ minds year after year.
Jameson
Jameson Irish Whiskey knows St. Patrick’s Day is more than just a party—it celebrates Irish heritage and embraces a fearless spirit. Instead of going the typical route of flashy ads or gimmicky promotions, Jameson took a storytelling approach, blending history, culture, and brand identity into one engaging campaign.
Their “Sine Metu” (Without Fear) campaign was far from a dull history lesson. The ad skipped the dry facts and focused on what it truly means to celebrate the Irish spirit. With a smooth Irish-accented narrator, the campaign encouraged viewers to “fear a bit less and live a bit more”—a message that resonated well beyond March 17.
Jameson excels at making its brand philosophy a key part of its marketing. Rather than simply saying, “Buy our whiskey for St. Patrick’s Day,” they build a connection between the holiday and a mindset of adventure, fun, and boldness. It’s an approach that feels authentic, engaging, and refreshingly different from typical seasonal promotions.
Cadbury
When you think of St. Patrick’s Day marketing, beer and whiskey probably come to mind first—but Cadbury proved that chocolate has a place in the celebration, too. While many brands take the obvious route of turning their products green, Cadbury flipped the script in 2023 with its “Be a Cadbury Daymaker” campaign.
Cadbury didn’t focus on sales or limited-time flavors, but encouraged acts of kindness. The campaign promoted the idea of making someone’s day better—whether through a thoughtful gesture, a small gift, or a heartfelt message. It tapped into a deeper emotional connection, setting Cadbury apart from brands that simply slapped a shamrock on their packaging.
By embracing an anti-formula strategy, Cadbury avoided the typical holiday clichés and instead highlighted the true spirit of generosity and community. It was a bold move that paid off—consumers engaged with the campaign not just as customers, but as participants in spreading kindness.
How Programmatic Advertising Enhances Well-Designed St. Patrick’s Day Campaigns
Real-Time Campaign Optimization
Marketing isn’t a “set it and forget it” game, especially during fast-moving seasonal events like St. Patrick’s Day. Programmatic advertising allows brands to adjust their campaigns on the fly, ensuring that their ads perform at their peak.
Imagine launching an ad promoting a St. Patrick’s Day event, only to realize that one version is getting significantly higher engagement than another. With real-time optimization, budgets can be instantly shifted toward top-performing ads, while underperforming ones are adjusted or replaced.
KPI Monitoring
Every marketing campaign has goals, whether it’s increasing sales, boosting brand awareness, or driving engagement. With programmatic advertising, brands don’t have to rely on vague estimations or delayed reports. Instead, they can track key performance indicators (KPIs) in real time, measuring click-through rates, conversions, impressions, and engagement levels with precision.
Scalability Across All Platforms
St. Patrick’s Day campaigns aren’t confined to a single channel—consumers are everywhere, and brands need to meet them where they are. Programmatic advertising makes it easy to scale campaigns across multiple platforms, from social media and search engines to display networks and connected TV.
Whether someone is scrolling Instagram, watching Netflix, or reading an article online, programmatic ensures they see the right ad at the right time.
Expanded Reach
St. Patrick’s Day marketing isn’t just for major brands—smaller businesses and local pubs can benefit just as much. Programmatic advertising enables brands of all sizes to reach highly specific audiences, ensuring their ads aren’t wasted on people who aren’t interested.
For example, a local Irish pub could run ads targeting people within a few miles who have previously searched for “St. Patrick’s Day events” or “Irish pubs near me.” At the same time, a global brand can use programmatic tools to reach different audiences with tailored messaging, ensuring that each ad resonates with its intended viewers.
Programmatic Marketing Companies Can Take Your St. Patrick’s Day Ads Further
A great St. Patrick’s Day campaign needs more than festive branding. With KPAI AI’s programmatic marketing, you can reach the right audience, optimize in real time, and maximize your ad spend—without the guesswork.
Looking for a smarter way to run your ads? Book a meeting with our team today and see how KPAI AI can help you get better results with less hassle.
