• by Morgan Buell , Columnist, May 27, 2016

There is something about Memorial Day that evokes all sensory emotions — the taste of barbecue right off the grill, the feel of new clothes from great sales, and the emotions of commemorating those who served. It is the complete build-up to the excitement of summer.

The buzz of the holiday and coming together of friends and family keep mom busy, but this holiday, mom is planning for more than just the barbecue. Mom has the summer on her mind: she is prepping for the kids’ summer recess, tidying the house for summer parties, planning graduation, and coordinating the family vacation. Mom is juggling it all.

So how does mom keep her cool during Memorial Day and in preparation for summer? We surveyed 2,414 of our members on May 24 - 25, (female 18+, in U.S.) to find out what will keep them busy this Memorial Day and how retailers and brands can march to success over the holiday. Furthermore, these insights can be applied to the upcoming celebration of Father’s Day, and mom’s upcoming activities (vacations, graduations, weddings, etc.).

1. Impulse Shopping for Memorial Day Sales: While about one-third of women say they intend to take advantage of Memorial Day sales, nearly 50% are not yet sure they will. Brands can win women and moms over with last-minute deals and impulse sales that are sent to her via email and social. Brands and retailers can heavy up their social footprint and promotion to benefit from a burst of awareness during this key time.

2. Online and Social Take the Reigns From Local: Women rely on online searches (46%) and social media (43%) for info on Memorial Day sales almost as much as on local newspaper advertising (47%). And the women who will or may shop the sales on Memorial Day weekend are about evenly split on how much they'll shop online vs. offline. Retailers and brands can incentivize moms with deals to shop online, while offering better deals for shopping in-store. Driving in-store volume can boost sales across categories. Brands must also be mindful and respectful that this is a commemorative holiday.

3. Clothes and Shoes are in Their Carts: Sales on clothing/shoes (62%) are by far the most likely to be taken advantage of this Memorial Day weekend, more than twice as likely as the next highest category: home furnishings/décor (29%). Retailers and brands should push new looks and fashion inspiration with sales to excite women and moms to purchase for upcoming events (vacations, graduations, weddings, etc.). Brands can further utilize influencers to post fashion inspirations and drive people to purchase site.

4. Cookout is the Event of Choice and Pinterest is Her Social Recipe Inspiration: Over half of women (54%) plan to cook for family/friends this Memorial Day weekend. Of women who plan to cook for family/friends, over half will use Pinterest (54%) or recipe websites (52%) to find ideas. Food brands can leverage food influencers to create compelling recipes and recipe videos featuring their brand and post to social channels, specifically on Pinterest. Influencer content can host discount coupons and drive direct to point of purchase. Women are already following their favorite food bloggers and pinners, so giving a boost to their feed will encourage them to use your brand.

5. Partake in Social UGC: Nearly half of women (46%) plan to post content about their Memorial Day activities on social media. Make your brand the talk of the town. Utilize broad-scale sampling or sample to high-tier influencers and encourage them to post on social to get the conversation started with your brand.

What is most important to you this Memorial Day? Share below or tweet me: @morgan_buell.