Thanks to the success of #GinADayMay 2019, it’s back for 2020! However, these couldn’t be stranger times we find ourselves in. As we are increasingly encouraged to physically distance ourselves from one another to help limit the spread of Covid-19, social media can play an important part in mentally bringing people together again. #GinADayMay was always about uniting and strengthening the gin community but, with the hospitality industry facing unimaginable challenges in the wake of the Coronavirus crisis, it is my hope that by sharing and promoting our favourite brands and businesses we can also help support them through these incredibly tough times.

What is #GinADayMay?

#GinADayMay is, essentially, a fun and light-hearted celebration of gin in the form of a 31-day social media challenge. The aim is to promote and build the gin community online while encouraging creativity and helping participants find new accounts to follow (as well as hopefully gaining a few new followers for themselves). For those of you in the business, it will provide you with a great opportunity to showcase your brand and spirits (or those you admire) when everyone is looking and engaging with the same hashtag.

Why should you take part?

Predominantly the idea is simply to have fun! Although there are other reasons too. If you’re running out of ideas or content, then joining a social media challenge such as this one can offer inspiration and can also help you get into the habit of posting regularly. It’s also a great way to find new accounts to follow and will hopefully win you some new followers of your own as well.

In 2019, #GinADayMay’s inaugural year, in excess of 4,000 images were posted on Instagram using the #GinADayMay hashtag, averaging at approximately 135 posts a day. Feedback from those who took part was also overwhelmingly positive and there has been lots of enthusiasm for doing it again in 2020 already.

How do you take part?

To take part you need to post a picture, or video, on your Instagram and/or Twitter account that relates to the daily theme (as listed above with weekends highlighted in bold) and include the hashtag #GinADayMay. It’s up to you when and how you take part; you certainly don’t have to post everyday and you don’t have to worry if you miss a day here and there.

The most important thing is to be creative. Take day 23 for example: Red. Taking some inspiration from last year’s images, you could post a picture of a red bottle. Or a red label. Or a red cocktail. Or turn the entire image red! Your post is more likely to stand out if you try something a little bit different, so think outside the box. And don’t forget to look at other people’s posts too and comment on the ones you like; it all helps build and support both your profile and our gin community online.

Clockwise from top left: @susonne_, @two_gindependent_women, @ginparlourstories, @therealjuniperchick

What next?

The challenge starts on 1 May but it’s never too early to start planning your content. Especially if you’re stuck at home in self-isolation! If you need some inspiration check out my recap of #GinADayMay 2019. You can also follow me on Instagram and Twitter for regular reminders and remember, the more people who join in, the more fun it will be, so tell your friends, share the prompts and follow the hashtag.

During May I will promote and support participants by sharing a selection of images in my Instagram stories and retweeting posts on Twitter. At the end of May, I will post an image you can share to celebrate successfully completing the challenge. Finally, and most importantly, please drink responsibly.