With Ebay research suggesting that consumers think about their Christmas shopping as early as May, your marketing content during the festive season is more important than ever before. But what can Saint Nick teach us about content, consumer quirks and Christmas shopper mentalities?
Tell Your Christmas Story
The holiays are all about making personal connections. It’s the perfect time of year to create a strong emotional connection by running holiday campaigns on social media. The most effective brands frame their holiday content around a unique story that has consistency and emotional appeal. Lloyd’s Bank campaign, #loveyoutothestars captures the hearts of consumers as they go on a magical journey to find the perfect gift for mum. The simple script, narrated with child-like innocence, encourages us to reach “for the stars” by giving something truly special to our nearest and dearest this Christmas – with a little help from Lloyds and Apple Pay.
'Tis the Season for Giving
Many successful brands go the extra mile during the holidays to focus on charitable strategies that give back to the community. The Landmark, a shopping/office complex in Hong Kong, will be hosting its annual Share the Joy Christmas charity campaign for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The popular campaign has generated amazing amounts of good will and customer loyalty, effectively using Christmassy buzzwords like “sharing,” “enchanted” and “ true spirit” to fill their copy with wonder and magic.
Don’t push the Hard Sell
The holidays hold strong religious significance for many audiences, so your content needs to be culturally sensitive. Tread carefully when using rhetorical devices for your festive campaign, but always make sure you say something. Recent consumer backlash hit Starbucks when they unveiled their minimalistic festive cups. The lack of content and a “Merry Christmas” message from the coffee chain giant sparked heated political and religious debates on an international scale. So when it comes to your content (or the lack of it), err on the side of caution and keep your messages warm, joyful and inclusive.
Create a 360 ° Experience
Make sure your festive content is mobile-user friendly! According to research from Visa’s 2015 eCommerce Consumer Monitor Survey, mobile purchases in Hong Kong rose 23% per cent from the previous year. Before you post that article or promote your social media campaign break up your content with subheadings, bullet points and bite sized information for easy consumption on mobile devices.
John Lewis stand out from the crowd with their “Man on the Moon” holiday content by publishing press releases, tweeting gift suggestions and adding Facebook posts that encourage donations to Age UK. By spreading the Christmas spirit evenly across every touch point, John Lewis ensures their content appeals to on-the-go-shoppers and loyal customers alike. However don’t get caught up in bombarding your consumers with screenshots of 400+ product catalogues, as this will just deter your audience. Integrate concepts and content to give customers just the right amount of options. The key to hitting the festive season branding jackpot is to develop one cohesive message for the holiday season.
Even though you may need to put more bells and whistles on your marketing strategy around the festive period, you shouldn’t forget about the other 11 months of the year.
Truly great content marketing comes from your efforts all year round, not just during the winter holidays.