Happy Star Wars Day! May the 4th be With You

Today, if you didn’t know, is Star Wars Day. Though it’s not an official holiday or celebration, fans around the world have taken the opportunity to honor their favorite movie franchise.

Though you might think Star Wars Day is reserved for dedicated fans, brands and businesses have harnessed the occasion for marketing and celebration too. In celebration of Star Wars Day 2022, we’re taking you through the history of this legendary day and how tech companies can get involved.

What is Star Wars Day?

May the 4th is unofficially ‘Star Wars Day’, an occasion that started out as a moment for die-hard fans to celebrate the iconic movie series. Though it started as an informal celebration, Star Wars Day has grown into a media phenomenon especially across digital networks. You’ll also see many brands jumping on the bandwagon in celebration and, if you’re active on social media, a whole slurry of memes dedicated to the day.

It’s not hard to understand why it’s May the 4th of all days once you connect the dots with the series’ staple line (and now cornerstone of pop-culture) ‘may the force be with you’.

The History of Star Wars Day

It’s been 45 years since the release of the first movie Star Wars: A New Hope in 1977. The phrase ‘May the 4th’ was supposedly first used by none other than the former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1979. The phrase was used to congratulate Thatcher on winning the election and appeared in a newspaper alongside her picture. From that moment, the day became unofficially designated star wars day.

Technology and Star Wars

Though the movie franchise is set in outer space, the series grapples with real-life questions of the tension and interrelation between humans and technology. If you pay close attention, you’ll see many parallels between the real technological world, softwares, and concepts in the film.

For example, AI and computers form a large part of the Star Wars universe (even if some representations aren’t exactly realistic). In addition, you’ll see references to cybersecurity and hacking.

In addition, there are a number of technologies from the Star Wars universe that have, believe it or not, become part of our world. For example, droids such as the beloved R2-D2 and C-3PO are mirrored in rapidly developing bots and robots that are set to take over human-tasks in certain environments.

How to celebrate Star Wars Day

Though for most of us it’s just another work day, there are some ways that you can mark the occasion at work.

Organize a Star Wars Day event

Organize an after-work screening, organize a lunch event, or a bake sale to mark the day. This is a great way to honor this iconic day and introduce some fun into your day.

Offer a promotion to your customers

If you know your customer base responds well to this kind of celebratory day or enjoy a good pun, you could consider offering a promotion or discount code for your products.

Honor Star Wars Day on your socials

Whether or not you make an occasion of it, don’t forget to mark Star Wars Day on your socials. Whether it’s with a discreet ‘May the 4th be with you’ or a quirky meme, Star Wars Day is as much a day for promotional content as it is for celebration.