National days are popping up all over the place. It seems like every day is a national day for something or another – National Chocolate Mousse Day, National Cat Day, and National Flip Flop Day to name just a few. What’s going on? Why have these holidays suddenly taken off? Who started them in the first place? And why do they matter to you, as a brand manager or marketer?As it turns out, National days are all the rage these days for a few reasons. First, they’re great marketing tools to help brands connect with consumers and grow their sales. Second, and this is the most important reason for brands to pay attention – consumers are craving fun. People want something silly to laugh about on social media or just enjoy with their friends in conversation. National days provide that outlet because it’s always an excuse to celebrate!Here are four National Days that have been trending lately: National Cat Day (August) – National Flip Flop Day (July) – National Bubble Bath Day (June) and National Chocolate Mousse Day (November).You may be thinking to yourself that National days are no different than any other day. But these National Days have a few things going for them: they’re fun, easy to celebrate with friends, always on the calendar, and usually come with some sort of food or activity attached. National days are a great way to get people talking about you and your brand, so be sure to keep an eye out for National Days that tie in with what you do.Not all National days are just for fun and silliness. National Days are also often observed to support a serious cause like Melanoma Day (May), National Nurses Day (May), World Population Day (July), etc.National days are a great way to give back and show support for causes that matter. National days not only bring people together to celebrate something, but they also share connections with others who understand the importance of their cause.For Brands, National Days can be a great way to show customers how much they matter.National Days are a great way to connect with family and friends too. Whether it is friends getting together for a few beers on New Beer’s Eve (April) or family getting together for National Brothers and Sisters Day (May), National Days give everyone a great excuse to get together with the people they love to celebrate.National Days may be as serious or silly as you want them to be, but one thing is for certain – National Days matter because they provide moments of connection and celebration with the things that really matter in life: family, friends, and causes!