Holiday marketing is back in season as we approach the end of another year. By now, we have all heard of the anti-Christmas movement that is challenging the traditional approach to holiday marketing. Perhaps shoppers are tired of seeing ads with Santa, flanked by his reindeer, holding bow-wrapped copies of the new iPhone 6/plus or this years gimme-gimme-gotta-have-it personal drones. Maybe consumers simply have every reason to reject the old Yule Tide cliches employed by retailers since the days of Miracle on 34th Street. As marketers, we are tasked with making the most of the holiday shopping season whilst dodging the “Christmas rut.”
So, here’s a look at four things your company can do to help make its Christmas season a more jolly one this year:
Don’t lose sight of brand identity
During the other months of the year, your company has worked hard to build an image for itself. This may be many things – it can range from casting your company as a cool, slightly irreverent disruption in your given field, to stylizing your product as a cozy-cuddly, warm and fuzzy creature of comfort.
Whatever the case may be, do not let the holiday spirit totally erode your brand image. In your holiday media and content, the best practice is to let your usual branding and tone shine with just a little holiday marketing flare figured in, for effect. In a visual example, think of it like wearing a Santa hat with your casual clothes instead of the entire red suit with pillows stuffed underneath – in the spirit but not contrived.
