Online shopping has steadily taken chunks of change out of the Christmas marketing kitty over the last couple of decades. This year is sure to prove even bigger, with social shopping and augmented reality maturing into valuable digital marketing channels. Here are some Christmas marketing strategies to fit them into your digital holiday season campaigns.
Market Research
Years of market research tells us that there are two major forces driving buying decisions; market effects, and brand desire. In short, market effects are factors like price, promotions, and availability. Have you ever completed weeks of market research choosing the perfect product… only to be swayed by an incredible Black Friday deal? Then you have felt the manipulating force of market effects.
Brand desire is a powerful marketing strategy all the big brands spend millions chasing. The emotions usually get the majority vote in a purchasing decision, with logic and rational reasoning receiving a minority share. Likewise, organizations spend big dollars appealing to a customer’s emotional side. As a result, this works to create irresistible brand desire.
Marketing campaigns go into overdrive during the holiday season. Retailers strive to capture market share with creative digital Christmas marketing campaigns. They aim to tug on heartstrings, amuse, entertain, or help people save money on their gift-giving.
Subsequently, you don’t need marketing budgets the size of Apple’s to enjoy a successful Christmas marketing campaign. Therefore, a little creative thinking won’t go astray. Here are a few innovative digital marketing strategies you can use this holiday season.
Tugging on Heartstrings with Video Marketing
During the Christmas period of 2013, Apple hit one out of the park with their “Misunderstood” YouTube video. The campaign capitalizes on the idea that the older generation sees the younger generation as too captivated by their small handheld screens.
During the video, a teenager is shown to be continually using his phone. The looks on the faces of the aunts, uncles, and grandparents suggest that they feel disappointment with the youngster’s attachment to his device and would rather he pay more attention to enjoying the company of his family.
However, at the end of the video, we see the teenager turn on the TV. It shows a montage of the family’s time together he’d been producing on his phone the whole time.
Apple is effectively combating the common perception that smartphones drive people apart. In the video, Apple’s device is shown to be a capable tool for capturing fun memories or nurturing creative talent. And above all, bringing people together.
Creating Social Media Buzz
Social shopping is on the rise and is forcing marketers to adapt their strategies. They can take advantage of the higher traffic generated by the various social media platforms. Being able to capture the attention of Christmas shoppers rapidly scrolling through a news feed is an important skill.
Christmas traditions have the power to bring people together and reminisce, as well as forge new memories. Every year, Starbucks’ delivers a new design which inspires people to collect seasonal cups and post them on social media. The discussions can get quite lively, for instance. They often center around how the new design compares to the previous years.
The campaign has been so successful that a design which fails to satisfy customers’ expectations never fails to generate a torrent of tweets and posts from customers who vent their frustrations. As a result, Starbucks regularly enjoys a wave of viral posts every holiday season.
Digitized advent calendars are another popular strategy brands are using to create social media buzz. It’s just like kids counting down to Christmas get a chocolate surprise or little toy. Similarly, a digital advent calendar delivers discounts and giveaways to participating consumers. You can get creative with the surprises once you implement this into your brand’s Christmas marketing strategies. A countdown to a future discounted price can create excitement. Interesting tidbits of information or a quiz can add some variety.
Instagram is a growing force in holiday marketing strategies. It’s a powerful way to generate sharing is to create a hashtag contest. Ask users to post an image, along with a hashtag to qualify as an entrant. Get them to post selfies with a decorated Christmas tree as the backdrop to win a prize. Other Christmas themed ideas you could use include favorite Christmas recipes, creatively wrapped gifts, costumes or even Christmas light displays.
Augmented Reality
Augmented reality (AR) is making its way onto more and more smartphones, and many brands are learning to take advantage of the unique shopping experience AR can provide. If you can, try to implement that into your brand’s Christmas marketing strategies.
The big social media channels are working hard to improve the tool sets available to digital marketers. By using AR in their marketing campaigns, brands can give consumers a better idea about how items will look in real life. Above all, they can add fun elements to social media posts.
Examples of AR in Big Brand Marketing
Coca-Cola uses AR to great effect in their holiday marketing campaign where users can scan a bottle or can to see it come to life as the foundation of a winter wonderland.
Starbucks expanded on their holiday-themed cup design idea mentioned above by bringing their design into augmented reality. The AR effect can be activated by one of their cup designs to enhance their Christmas branding. Users will see 3D messages of good cheer spring from their cup, as well as ornaments. Or a game where users get to burst bubbles on their screen.
Target has cleverly incorporated AR into their digital holiday marketing campaign. Aptly titled “Will it fit?” smartphone users can use the app to help them choose the perfect Christmas tree. Target shoppers get a digitized image of the tree as if it was physically present in their living room. They can see how it will look, and more importantly, whether the size is right for the available space.
Getting Noticed
Consequently, the risk is high that your digital Christmas marketing strategies could see your promotions getting lost in the crowd. However, use creative ideas and digital technology to make the Christmas shopper’s life more convenient. This should help you gain more market exposure and strengthen your brand in the marketplace. Click the following link to explore more topics on marketing here.