The data, revealed in a report commissioned by the IPA, showed that while shoppers will be cutting back on their purchases this year, they still want to see brands embracing the festive season with their communications. More than a third are looking for an injection of festivity (37%), while humour (21%), nostalgia (20%) and a focus on value (20%) are all important considerations as well.
Most surprisingly, perhaps, was the finding that nearly half (46%) of consumers want to see Christmas advertising that reminds them of better times.
IPA senior insight manager Jamie Britton says that to navigate this tough environment, brands must pay attention to what consumers really want to see, ensuring they are “gauging and appealing to the mood of the nation” in both their advertising and their seasonal offerings.
But what advice do other agency leads have for brands as the Christmas advertising season creeps ever closer?
Joan London managing director, Tom Ghiden
“Christmas has always been a season for love, benevolence and joy. And although shoppers have a lot on their plates with the cost of living crisis and financial worries, this spirit will remain. Yes, marketers should acknowledge the struggles people are facing, but this isn’t a time to fixate on the hard times – instead, the economic climate can be balanced with the warmth and happiness of the festive season. Last year’s John Lewis advert is a perfect example of this, yet again delivering a heartwarming ad that acknowledged challenges for some.
The brands least affected by the ebbs and flows of the economy are the ones that have already established their modern legend status, as opposed to inconsistent brands that don’t know how to stay true to their brand as macro elements impact them. Now is the perfect opportunity to elevate new, innovative brands and gifts, and understand how to celebrate these.
A focus on that one carefully considered gift, the value of time with loved ones over material items, or broader community concepts in preference to overt consumerism are all approaches that help build brands at Christmas, chiming with the season, without appearing tone-deaf to many people’s struggles.”
Tribal Worldwide head of strategic planning, Mark Geden
“For successful Christmas campaigns, brands should help shoppers by pointing them to the meaningful, lasting value of their gift purchases. With the ongoing uncertain economic landscape, it is more important than ever to support people in need. This provides an opportunity for brands to partner with companies that bring altruistic benefits, that go beyond the gift itself.
For example, The Entertainer partners with the Salvation Army each year to launch a toy appeal and encourage customers to purchase an extra toy, which is donated to underprivileged children to open on Christmas day. We can expect to see more big brands offering similar buy-and-give elements to their gifts this Christmas.
Beyond this, retail brands should be looking to do even more to help customers by making the most of their promotions and offers. Loyalty programmes give shoppers access to incentives that can save them money, get the best value, and improve their experience.
Sainsbury’s and Tesco, for example, provide exclusive offers for members of their loyalty programmes, as well as additional benefits such as online access to sales, early bird prices and exclusive member-only events. By going the extra mile and offering additional services at no extra cost, brands can take this Christmas period to create stronger, more meaningful connections with customers.”
Analytic Partners associate vice president, Kevin O’Farrell
“The IPA survey highlights that this year’s Christmas is going to be difficult for many consumers. Brands need to be aware of these consumer trends and take them into consideration when they’re planning, executing, and analysing their holiday season campaigns.
To support consumers in making it a memorable event nonetheless, brands should focus on how they can bring true value and joy to them. Connecting to the magic in a sensible way through thoughtfully crafted creatives will be one part of it.
Alongside creative work, the availability and communication of promotional offers can help with price sensitivity, as well as ensuring topline growth for brands and revenue impact in this crucial period. However, to ensure long-term impact, brands must balance out brand and performance measures. By building up brand momentum now, coming up to the holiday season, brands can be certain that consumers want to pick them over a competitor when making their limited purchasing choices, while also engendering goodwill in the long run.”
Joint strategy partner, Laura Jones
“We’re over halfway through the year and yet we continue to find ourselves knee-deep in a tangle of concurrent crises. From the rising cost of living to climate disasters, 2023 has been no walk in the park. But fear not, for Christmas is coming and it’s our chance to turn the tide, one brand at a time.
This festive season is no time for gloom and doom; it’s a time for outrageous jumpers, flaming puddings, mouthwatering turkey, and invigorating icy plunges. People might have less cash to splash, but they still crave the best Christmas they can get their hands on. And it’s up to brands to step up and deliver. They’ve got to make every penny count, spread the holiday cheer far and wide, and let people know they’ve got their backs during these turbulent times.
Christmas might be a joyous time, but advertising has been losing its lustre. Kantar’s research lays it bare – people’s enjoyment of ads has been on a steady decline since the ’90s, with advertising’s effectiveness suffering as well. One major reason is the diminishing use of humour in ads over the last decade, even though humour has proven to be one of the most effective forms of communication.
So, let’s rewrite the script this year. Chuck those sombre sob stories out the window and get your funny bone in gear. Let’s fully embrace the absurd, bring on the ridiculous and give people a reason to smile. It’s not just about saving Christmas; it’s about making a mark that resonates long after the decorations have come down. After all, the world’s counting on us to make this Christmas one for the books.”
Interbrand UK senior strategy director, Sam Ashken
“Can brands help save Christmas for the British public in a cost-of-living crisis? Maybe. The first step is to look at what British people actually enjoy about Christmas, and what they don’t, and then defining their role from that.
Some 85% of Brits say they like seeing friends and family. Less than half (41%) enjoy watching Christmas ads. And nearly a quarter (24%) don’t like buying presents. How can brands help people get more of what they like from Christmas and feel less obligated to do the things they don’t like?
So, whatever role brands might be able to play as people cut back on spending, it’s probably not going to be the usual routine.
Maybe brands need to take a leaf out of their own playbook from the first lockdown and show some resourceful creativity. Maybe brands should collaborate rather than compete over the festive period in the service of customers. Maybe it’s time to ditch the A-listers in ads and expensive locations. And maybe brands could help people find more sustainable or cost-effective ways to buy gifts – focusing on enduring value – as well as celebrate the things people really like about Christmas.
All in all, this is a moment for brands to re-evaluate what they think they know about Christmas brand strategies.”
Virgile and Partners creative director, Ewald Damen
“Brands have the ability to really create strong experiences and brand expressions through pop-ups or even full store takeovers. Collaborations between Louis Vuitton and artists like Yayoi Kusama for store takeovers have a great impact. The recent Gingerbread Christmas take-over of the Harrods store by Dior is a prime example of brands contributing to the retail Christmas Spirit.
Brands can create experiences that will generate a “talk of the town” response from their existing clients and attract a new audience. Their focus should be on an innovative idea that does not only showcase the brand in a special way but as a total concept, but can also be a great opportunity to create a limited edition product line or venture into new categories and expressions.
In a desire to grow their businesses, retailers and brands have been focused on the Golden Quarter for decades now. A large increase in sales in the lead-up to the festive season is obviously a great opportunity. However, brands should be able to stand out and focus on their consumers throughout this busy period where often shopping for Christmas presents becomes a chore for many.”
Source: marketing-beat.co.uk
