The holidays are upon us. Everywhere you look are lights, glitter, a cheerful song and a guy in a big red suit. But you’re also likely seeing more ads for socks (the perfect stocking stuffer!), Facebook posts about Hatchimals (the must-have gift of the season!) and every divorce lawyer is making their case (January is the unofficial divorce month after all). People are free with their money during the holiday season and emotions are running high, so marketing to them during this time is key for most of our clients. But how can you break through the clutter?
Offer them a worthwhile experience.
We’re all busy during the holidays, so offering consumers something above and beyond that will help them with their holiday tasks is a sure way to get and keep attention. For example, The Avion Holiday Boutique offers Avion card holders an oasis in the middle of a busy mall where they can have their parcels wrapped, check their coat and sip a latte while they take a much needed break from the busy mall (oh – and did we mention complimentary valet parking?). In its fourth year, The Avion Holiday boutique has become a staple of holiday shopping for many card holders. BlueSky had the pleasure of hosting a preview event for media and influencers and this was the feedback that was given most frequently – adding a meaningful perk at this time of year goes a long way when it comes to customer loyalty. (The Avion Holiday Boutique is located at Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto and Metropolis at Metrotown in Vancouver and runs until December 31st)
Give the facts (or numbers).
The holidays are filled with a lot of advertising and fluffy sales language, so mixed into the ‘most wonderful time of the year’ is the need for some real information. Whether you want to get the attention of the media or start a grass roots movement, people are motivated by numbers. Our client Ebates.ca does an annual survey that looks at holiday shopping habits. Media are very receptive to hard numbers that show trends in holiday shopping and consumers are happy to have a benchmark to gauge their behavior.
Get the right people to tell your story.
When it comes to influencer marketing, authenticity is the cornerstone to good content. Engaging the right influencers, not just to write about something, but to try it, test it and tell their friends about it will go a long way to building awareness and lasting loyalty.
Get Personal:
If you’re in professional services, the holidays are typically the best time to reach out to your clients to say thank you. Especially if you’re in a creative business, the holiday gift can say a lot about you and what you stand for. We’ve been lucky here at BlueSky to work with some of the best suppliers – and their creativity is in high gear this holiday season!
Left to Right:
The team at Style Democracy sent us a blueberry pie. At first it seemed like a regular old pie, but the message on the card really tied it together – and yes, we’d like a bigger piece of that pie. q30 design has become known for their creative holiday cards. This years message was a lovely reminder about what the holidays are really about. Jarred Katz at Jarhead Design always delights with his fun holiday gifts. There is always a (very useful) calendar involved, and this year we got a custom lego set! Jarred designed everything from the packaging to the lego calendar with bonus points for featuring his cute kids on the cover.
The holiday time might be a cluttered one, but people are engaged with what’s important to them. They are looking for that perfect stocking stuffer and that must-have gift. But you have to be engaging to engage them. No matter what your message – make sure it’s clear, relevant and authentic to stand out.
Happy Holidays from all of us at BlueSky!