---
title: Birthday campaign
slug: data-platform/docs/legacy-birthday-campaign
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-08-10T12:05:16.000Z
---

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**

The terms *audiences* and *segments* are interchangeable. Optimizely has updated all *segments* to *audiences* on the **Audiences** page and is updating the UI on other pages. See  [Understand audiences](docId\:v-gHiL9jfINBey-4QNtFM) to get information on audiences.
:::

A birthday campaign in Optimizely Data Platform (ODP) engages customers throughout the purchase funnel. The campaign celebrates the customer's special occasion, encourages conversion, and fosters their relationship with your brand.

## Example

Use a birthday campaign when customers share their birthday information for a personal relationship. A satisfied customer might decide to purchase your brand again.

## Configure the campaign

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**

Email and SMS channels are legacy features and not offered to new customers.
:::

You must create the birthday campaign [from scratch](docId\:I2XX6Mmvb-Fw7QxVi2ggd). ODP provides the following three default fields on every customer profile:

- **Birthday (Month)** – The numeric month (1 – 12)
- **Birthday (Day)** – The numeric day of the month (1 – 31)
- **Birthday (Year)** – The numeric year

These field values populate through submissions to a web modal or embed, a CSV import, APIs, or SDKs. Using these fields, ODP calculates the following customer observations:

- **Days until Birthday**
- **Calculated Age**

## Create from scratch

1. Go to **Activations > Overview > Create New Campaign**.
2. Select **Behavioral** **> Create From Scratch**.
3. Expand **Enrollment** and select **Create New Segment**.
4. Add **Customers with attributes**, **Observation > Days until Birthday**, and a timeframe observation to the audience expression.

   ::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/CTDo8l1zmV5QWCIBnqrI_-20260720-145608.png" size="100" isUploading="false" showCaption="false" width="1313" height="146" darkWidth="1313" darkHeight="146"}
5. Expand **Enrollment Rules** and enable constraints to refine your audience and include customers who did not match the campaign in the previous year. This lets customers celebrate only once a year.

   ::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/8nShynv2zIe-CDLwPUhn9-20260720-145608.png" size="100" isUploading="false" showCaption="false" width="1321" height="222" darkWidth="1321" darkHeight="222"}
6. Expand **Touchpoint** and click **Select start time and schedule**. In the prompt, select **Recurring** and ensure the campaign has a **Start Date** and no **End**, repeats **Daily**, and is sent at an appropriate time. 

   ::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/MT4j4A2_VcjduaNEC_SFR-20260720-145608.png" size="100" isUploading="false" showCaption="false" width="509" height="514" darkWidth="509" darkHeight="514"}
7. Click **Touchpoint 1** to edit the campaign's content and include your brand's logo, a **Header**, and a **Footer**.
8. Click **Save** and **Go Live** when ready to send the campaign.

## Preview and test the campaign

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**

You must have the PII Viewer role to preview and test a campaign.
:::

### Preview the campaign 

1. Click **Preview**.
2. Enter the **email address** or **customer ID** of someone in the campaign's reachable audience to preview their version of the content.
3. Click **Preview**.

### Test the campaign

1. Click **Test**. 
2. Enter recipients (separated by commas) of the test email in the **Recipient Email Address**.
3. Expand **Render Template with Customer (Optional)** and search for the email address or name of someone in the campaign's reachable audience to preview their version of the content. Leave the field blank to preview the email as an unspecified customer.
4. Click **Send**.

   ::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/roMe84vAkDK-GfiKtm5dd-20260720-145608.png" size="100" isUploading="false" showCaption="false" width="1434" height="841" darkWidth="1434" darkHeight="841"}

## Go Live

1. Select the campaign's name from the breadcrumb trail.
2. Click **Save** to ensure all touchpoints are updated.
3. Click **Go Live**.

   ::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/PxisT6mQeczpjM3ggbvsh-20260720-145608.png" size="100" isUploading="false" showCaption="false" width="1475" height="715" darkWidth="1475" darkHeight="715"}