Are Jamaican Businesses using Jamaican special days to their best advantage?

So what were you doing last week Friday?

Well just to jog your memory that would be February 28, 2014. Still not sure about the reason that date is important? I am sure you will remember if you think harder.

What was the significance of that date?

If you haven’t figured it out as yet that was the day, ‘Jamaica Day’ was celebrated at many primary and high schools all across the island. During that day the students enjoyed various activities that celebrated Jamaica’s achievements in various areas.

If you are not a student attending school, then chances are that the day would have passed by in a very unremarkable fashion.

Did you receive any special discounts or specials on that day from any company? Perhaps not, but isn’t this a wasted opportunity?

A Wasted Opportunity!

In my humble opinion, it would be a great marketing idea for companies to take those ‘Jamaican’ special days and incorporate it into their calender so as to enhance the shopping experience.

It is not a case of just giving away products for lower retail prices but encouraging customers to come out and shop.  This type of marketing attracts more  customers as everyone is excited about saving money.

Even if the imported items are still on the shelf, companies could use innovative ways of encouraging customers to use the Jamaican counterpart of the product especially for the celebration of ‘Jamaica Day’.

If customers are encouraged to buy local products in this manner, perhaps they might be persuaded to realize that the local products are just as good if not better than the ones we import.

True Meaning of Jamaica Day

Jamaica Day should be more than a school activity, it should extend to the every aspect of the consumer’s lives as the message is sent that we take pride in what our little island has accomplished and produced over the years.

So what’s your take on the issue?

Can ‘Jamaica Day’ be more than a symbolic day of national pride to a tangible investment in the future of Jamaican products?

Let me hear from you!

Teri Ann Renee Paisley Gleaner Online Writer

Tags: consumers, investment, Jamaica