While consumers are sipping on pumpkin lattes, marketers are already in the thick of building their holiday campaigns. Predicting holiday shopping behavior is always a challenge for marketers. This year, however, they face the additional challenges of economically strained consumers and an uncertain post-election atmosphere. Add that to the fact that there are five fewer shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and after a summer that was both “brat” and “demure”, the rest of the year could be a wild ride for marketers.
We recently partnered with Google for their Think Retail conference, which offered invaluable sales and performance tips for capturing holiday shoppers this season. However, you have to have the right content to make that work, which is where we come in.
Top Three Holiday Marketing Tips on Our List This Year
The holidays are unlike any other sales point in the year — primarily because each of us interprets it through our own experiences and cultures. This makes it hard to visualize ideas and approaches that extend outside the box and truly cut through the clutter and connect. Bringing in diverse perspectives to guide holiday marketing efforts, whether that means analyzing spending behaviors across different demographics or bringing in team members with varied backgrounds to identify authentic opportunities, can offer new ways of connecting with consumers and guiding them on the journey to your brand.
1. Reimagine Holiday Messaging: Acknowledging that the holidays evoke diverse emotions and experiences can broaden your brand's appeal. Understanding that "family time" isn’t always comforting and December isn’t “the most wonderful time of the year” for everyone can open up your messaging and your opportunities to pull in a wider market.
2. Target Niche Communities: Break your content into smaller community-specific campaigns that connect with niche communities within Gen Z, LGBTQ+, and women-focused audiences. These demographics have significant spending power and are eager to support brands that get their challenges and reflect their values. To reach them, make sure you invest time and budget understanding their unique cultural moments during the holidays and find a way to celebrate their individuality.
3. Embrace Branded Entertainment: The holidays are a time when we see massive spikes in entertainment consumption. Rather than fighting over high-cost media spots, find ways to insert your brand into the must-have entertainment moments. As some brands lean into big moments with branded parade balloons or integration into holiday movies, festive social posts or quick holiday tips can be effective for reaching party goers and throwers. Other options to reach diverse audiences is to partner with podcasts, streaming services, or even video games.
Rather than viewing the challenges of this holiday season as obstacles, let them inspire you to reimagine your strategies and expand your reach. Happy Holidays marketers!