Holiday Marketing Strategies: How to Best the Bubble Bath

Image

You think online retail has eliminated holiday shopper stress? Don’t count on it. Look around. You’ll see that Yuletide nerves are as frazzled as ever. That warm glow radiating from consumer faces isn’t Christmas cheer – it’s the unmistakable sign of mounting irritability. As we move closer to the big day, matters will only worsen. Sign of the season.

Yeah, despite widespread digital convenience, holiday shoppers are still rushing to get things done. The time crunch is brutal. Now factor in the still-sizable contingent of brick n’ mortar explorers, and you have soaring stress levels on a massive scale. The in-store Black Friday shopping experience is particularly conducive to a screaming case of knotted nerves.

The good news is this: brand marketers can provide soothing relief -- better than a bubble bath. The result? Their merciful actions could win more paying customers, plump up their bottom line, and earn the paid vacation they’ve been howling for.

Marketers should start with proper timing – don’t rush the season. Christmas-related merchandise has, in some cases, appeared as early as August. This could be a bad move.

According to research conducted by Civic Science, 59% of participants felt Halloween was way too early to see holiday decorations and merchandise. Thanksgiving didn’t fare much better. 31% of the respondents considered this day of gratitude premature. In fact, it’s best to wait for December to unfurl the Christmas stock. 9% of the participants felt anything sooner was jumping the gun. Word to the wise – the rushed start will irritate many.

Once the official shopping season commences, brands can relieve frazzled nerves by offering ultimate convenience to the gift-buying public. This means going beyond the now-commonplace e-commerce experience. Here, marketers can take a cue from Amazon and others by offering free overnight shipping and other time and money savers. Anything that removes hassles from the picture will be warmly embraced.

As far as messaging and content go, marketers will gain abundantly by highlighting the calming character of their products or services. What is it about your brand that offers soothing relief to the wound-up and weary?

Whether you sell wool jackets or bicycles, focus on the relaxing aspects of the goods. Bicycle manufacturers, for instance, may feature one of their sporty two-wheelers in a lush forest setting. It’s entirely possible that the gift buyer succumbs to the lure and snatches one off the shelf for personal use, as well as for that special deserving someone. Double gifting at its finest.

If you have any questions or comments about holiday brand marketing, or about any other brand-related topic, feel free to send them our way.

You can connect with the Young Company team at 949-376-8404 #4033 or bart@youngcompany.com. And be sure to follow us for the latest brand marketing news and tips.