Event-based marketing is based on sending productive messages to a consumer that are centered around an event that is taking place in their life at the time. This could mean a special birthday discount or holiday-related promotional offer. The idea is that the message is relevant at the time it is received.

Knowing what noteworthy events are coming up and planning your email promotions based around those events could result in a higher than average return for you. We have created the following calendar to help you plan ahead for big events taking place during 2012.

We have included dates for major and minor holidays, sporting events, and important retail dates for the year. If a certain day that you want to celebrate doesn't exist, one of the most fun aspects of event-based marketing is that you can create it! Examples of this might include a "Founder's Day" celebration for your business. Our calendar is presented in chronological order, but if there are particular events you are interested in, you can refer to the following color key.
 
Green: Retail Dates
Blue: Government and civil holidays
Red: Religious holidays
Orange: Sporting events
Purple: Just for Fun events

JANUARY
Sunday, January 1: New Year's Day
Friday, January 13: Friday the 13th (1 of 3 this year)
Monday, January 16: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Wednesday, January 18: Winnie the Pooh Day (birth date of Winnie the Pooh author A. A. Milne)
 
FEBRUARY
Thursday, February 2: Groundhog Day
Sunday, February 5: Super Bowl XLVI, held in Indianapolis, Indiana
Sunday, February 12: Abraham Lincoln's Birthday
Tuesday, February 14: Valentine's Day
Monday, February 20: President' s Day
Wednesday, February 22: George Washington's Birthday
Wednesday, February 29: Leap Day (occurs once every 4 years)
 
MARCH
Sunday, March 11: Daylight Savings Time Begins ("spring forward")
Saturday, March 17: St. Patrick's Day
Tuesday, March 20: First Day of Spring
 
APRIL
Sunday, April 1: April Fool's Day
Saturday, April 7: Passover
Sunday, April 8: Easter
Friday, April 13: Friday the 13th (2 of 3 this year)
Monday, April 22: Earth Day
Wednesday, April 25: Administrative Professionals' Day
 
MAY
Tuesday, May 1: May Day
Friday, April 13: Friday the 13th (2 of 3 this year)
Saturday, May 5: Cycling's Giro d'Italia begins
Sunday, May 13: Mother's Day
Saturday, May 19: Armed Forces Day
Monday, May 28: Memorial Day
 
JUNE
Thursday, June 14: Flag Day
Sunday, June 17: Father's Day
Wednesday, June 20: First Day of Summer
Monday, June 25: Tennis's Wimbledon tournament begins
Saturday, June 30: Cycling's Tour de France begins
 
JULY
Wednesday, July 4: Independence Day
Friday, July 13: Friday the 13th (3 of 3 this year)
Friday, July 27: Summer Olympics opens in London

AUGUST
Sunday, August 12: Summer Olympics closing ceremony
Sunday, August 26: Tennis's US Open Grand Slam begins

SEPTEMBER
Monday, September 3: Labor Day
Monday, September 17: Rosh Hashanah
Saturday, September 22: First Day of Autumn
Wednesday, September 26: Yom Kippur

OCTOBER
Monday, October 8: Columbus Day
Tuesday, October 16: National Boss Day
Wednesday, October 31: Halloween

NOVEMBER
Sunday, November 4: Daylight Saving Time Ends ("fall back")
Tuesday, November 6: Election Day
Sunday, November 11: Veterans Day
Thursday, November 22: Thanksgiving
Friday, November 23: Black Friday
Monday, November 26: Cyber Monday

DECEMBER
Friday, December 7: Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
Sunday, December 9: Hanukkah begins
Friday, December 14: National Free Shipping Day
Friday, December 21: First Day of Winter
Tuesday, December 25: Christmas
Monday, December 31: New Year's Eve