Deck the Ads: Infusing Your Marketing with Festive Flair
The holiday season is an opportune time for brands to connect with audiences by creating experiences that resonate and build relationships. With these tips, you can guide your teams and campaigns to craft content that truly connects with your audience during the festivities.
Tip #1: ‘Early Elves Get the Best Deals’: Kickstart Your Holiday Campaigns Ahead of the Curve
This year, consider launching your holiday campaigns earlier to capture customer attention and drive sales.
For example, Grubhub’s Halloween promotions for 2023 set the stage for an extended festive period, offering Grubhub+ customers a variety of deals from October 26th to November 1st, including discounts at 7-Eleven, Gopuff, Papa John’s, Insomnia Cookies, and a free Ghost Pepper Whopper from Burger King on orders over $20.
Tip #2: ‘Unwrap the Magic of Storytelling’: Craft Heartfelt Holiday Narratives
Engaging your audience with compelling stories can transform your holiday marketing. This season, focus on creating campaigns that not only showcase your products but also tell a story that resonates with the holiday spirit.
For instance, Etsy’s 2023 holiday campaign, “Your Mission,” offers a refreshing take on the classic holiday narrative. It’s a festive espionage thriller that playfully dramatizes the quest for the perfect Christmas gift. This campaign cleverly uses the iconic “Mission: Impossible” theme to accentuate the excitement of holiday shopping, making the search for gifts not just a task, but an adventure filled with fun and heart. It’s a creative reminder of how Etsy’s vast selection can turn the daunting task of gift-finding into a delightful experience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cr_SYEnl8vg
Tip #3: ‘Jingle All the Way to Their Hearts’: Create Emotionally Resonant Campaigns
This holiday season, aim to strike a chord with your audience by crafting campaigns that evoke joy, humor, inspiration, and a sense of belonging. Emotionally charged content can significantly enhance customer loyalty and engagement.
Take Amazon’s 2023 holiday campaign, “Joy Ride,” as a prime example. This heartwarming story revolves around three lifelong friends who rediscover the joy of their youth atop a snowy hill. The campaign’s centerpiece is a 60-second film that beautifully captures the essence of shared happiness and nostalgia, all set to a poignant cover of The Beatles’ “In My Life.” This ad brilliantly connects with audiences, celebrating the idea that fun and joy don’t have an age limit, making it a perfect reflection of the holiday spirit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOawHBpugkI
Tip #4: ‘Sleigh Your Campaigns with Style’: Elevate Your Holiday Marketing with Unique Themes
Crafting a unique theme for your holiday marketing can significantly enhance its appeal and memorability. This year, consider drawing inspiration from imaginative and distinctive concepts that align with your brand’s identity.
Neiman Marcus, for example, has taken a creative leap with its 2023 holiday campaign. They are introducing the theme of Neiman’s Express, reimagining a past brand concept with a modern twist. This campaign features a metaphysical train set and a dream sequence through the eyes of supermodel Jessica Stam, capturing the romance of travel and the journey of discovering luxury fashion. With this campaign, Neiman Marcus invites customers to explore remarkable gifts and holiday dressing inspiration, offering an immersive shopping experience through both in-store and online channels.
Additionally, their 64th annual Fantasy Gifts are part of this campaign, providing exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime experiences that encapsulate the essence of fantasy in every gift. These offerings continue to build on Neiman Marcus’ legacy as a purveyor of extraordinary, dream-inspiring holiday gifts.
Tip #5: ‘Merry and Bright Ideas’: Infuse Joy and Authenticity in Your Campaigns
The holidays are the perfect season to create marketing campaigns that are not only visually stunning but also heartfelt and authentic. This year, aim to develop content that genuinely resonates with your audience’s festive feelings.
For 2023, Coca-Cola has embraced this approach with their Christmas commercial titled “The World Needs More Santas.” Moving away from focusing solely on their products, Coca-Cola highlights the warmth of human kindness, reminding us all that we have a bit of Santa within us. This campaign is a masterclass in brand storytelling, aligning perfectly with the holiday ethos. It evokes emotions and connects on a human level, illustrating that sometimes the most powerful way to market is not to push a product, but to tell a story that reflects the brand’s heart and soul.
Tip #6: ‘Captivate with Holiday Elegance’: Blend Beauty and Warmth in Your Campaigns
This holiday season, enchant your audience with moments of beauty and heartwarming stories. Consider incorporating visually striking and emotionally touching elements into your marketing.
For instance, Macy’s 2023 holiday campaign showcases its commitment to youth empowerment through a partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters. They’ve created a once-in-a-lifetime experience for volunteers at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and invited children to design collectible products, which are featured in their iconic Herald Square windows, adding a personal and beautiful touch to their holiday marketing.
Tip #7: ‘Ho-Ho-Humor’: Keep Your Audience Smiling with Wholesome Fun
Humor is a powerful tool in holiday marketing, helping to build instant connections with your audience. This year, focus on light-hearted, audience-appropriate humor to make your campaigns memorable.
For 2023, Starbucks presents a delightful mix of festive cheer and humor. Their campaign includes a peek into the holiday transformation of their stores, highlighting the people behind the magic. Additionally, their traditional holiday coffees and Christmas Blend, a staple since 1984, along with festive drinkware and Starbucks Cards, offer a whimsical take on holiday essentials, making the season merry for everyone.
Tip #8: ‘Festive Fizz and Fairy Dust’: Sprinkle Holiday Magic on Your Marketing
This holiday season, embrace the festive spirit by adding a touch of magic to your marketing. Consider how you can make your products and services more appealing and joyous for the season.
Disney’s 2023 Christmas commercial, ‘A Wish For The Holidays,’ is a perfect example of this festive enchantment. Celebrating Disney’s 100th anniversary, this live-action ad beautifully encapsulates the essence of the festive season. It captures the heart of the holiday spirit with subtle humor and a global representation, reminding us of the joy and wonder Disney has brought to audiences for a century. This ad is not just about marketing products; it’s about creating a sense of wonder and connection, resonating deeply with the universal desire for togetherness and the magic of wishes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfxxI231TNI
