Positioning Your Brand to Win the Hearts of Consumers this Christmas

Every year during the holiday season, we celebrate togetherness. Christmas is that time of year we dedicate ourselves to sharing special moments and experiences with loved ones; from sharing meals, to Christmas shopping and watching classic films together. It’s the one time of year that differences appear to dissolve and for just that season, the same songs and stories mean something to us all.

Christmas this year is going to feel a little different from what we have previously known. The 1st of January 2020 marked the beginning of a brand new decade which many of us were optimistic about. But as 2020 continues to progress and is almost drawing to a close, a lot of people are wondering if this year can get any more dramatic. Every single person you’ve made small talk with this year shares the same feelings on how 2020 has been quite turbulent.

Brands & Consumers have felt the brunt this year. The various events that have occurred so far, particularly the pandemic have changed many aspects of our lives, and the new habits we have formed will shape our behavior over the festive season.

It’s pivotal that you always consider the context when it comes to content. While in previous years, festivities centered around social gatherings and bustling shopping streets, this year it will have a different meaning.

How do you begin planning your activities for the upcoming season, and how can you help your customers and communities?

Five (5) New Consumer Habits This Season

A global marketing guide from Facebook IQ highlights trends and insights around new habits formed at this time, and which are likely to shape trends for the 2020 season and beyond. The five key insights include:

1. Gen X and Baby Boomers dominate mobile and e-commerce growth. We have always known that e-commerce was a growing need for consumers, however, COVID-19 has sped up the process tremendously. On average, 85% of consumers globally are shopping online, averaging over 80% of Gen X and Boomers. You may say to yourself, “This is just because of the pandemic, people will go back to normal once this is over,” but when surveyed, 43% of people said they expect to continue to shop online even more after the outbreak is over.

Recommendation: Create an easy-to-navigate online shopping experience. Reduce friction across the digital and physical path to purchase, as it may cause shoppers to abandon their purchase. Also, improve and streamline your communication channels on messenger apps and through live-chat as this will be the main channel of communication for customers.

2.  Self-gifting and seasonal shopping can be positive outlets in difficult times. People have resorted to self-gifting in order to cope with difficult times and give themselves positive rewards. This offers a great opportunity for businesses to focus on sales strategies based on what shoppers can purchase for themselves, and how products can be advertised to have a positive impact on the lives of the customers after purchase.

Recommendation: Create a customer journey that is specific to your customers’ online behavior and interests, to create a feeling of exclusivity for your customer whilst looking for products or services. Newsletters featuring products that have been selected for the individual customers are also a great way to create value out of the opportunity of self-gifting.

3. Imposed disruption fuels receptiveness to news products and services. Although this pandemic was a disruption no one wanted, it has pushed consumers out of their comfort zone and into an openness to new ways of shopping and receiving products. Whether that be grocery delivery or curbside pickup, consumers are getting more comfortable with new products, services, and activities that offer more convenience. 64% of seasonal shoppers surveyed said they are planning to explore new products during the holiday this year more than in previous years. This means more than ever that this holiday season we need to put the focus on finding new local consumers who are interested in your products. Going after new clients does not mean we forget about your past clientele at all; we will need to put a budget behind reminding your past consumers why they should stay loyal to your store.

Recommendation: Take the opportunity to spark new connections and help people identify with products meeting their preferences. Use immersive, engaging, and captivating content and advertisements. Stories are a great way to advertise and reach customers that are engaged and active on various social media platforms, use it!

4. People may prioritize Mega Sales in the face of economic challenges. The global pandemic has affected both businesses and consumers globally, causing consumers to feel insecure about their future financial stability and affect their spending patterns. In Australia, 37% of the surveyed people expect a big impact on their personal finances, while in New Zealand the percentage is 34%. According to FacebookIQ, the solution to capture the growing pool of price-sensitive shoppers is called Mega-Sales. Mega Sales day shoppers tend to be younger and are very comfortable going from discovery to purchase on mobile devices, requiring your business to have an integrated framework to support these purchases on digital platforms.

Recommendation: create a marketing campaign across their digital channels that resonate with both their existing customer base, as well as connects with a new audience of potential customers.

5. The new value equation is affordability, authenticity, and action. Consumers will continue to care about price points, discounts, and deals in order to save money in a more insecure period. But as a result of Covid-19, people care about businesses more than ever before, especially ones that create a personal relationship with their customers. Social responsibility and brand authenticity are more influential than ever.

Recommendation: Focus on impactful collaborations. Showcase the work your brand has done to support the community through all the events of 2020 concisely.

When planning for the coming festive season adapting your brand’s tone and content to suit the fast-changing times we are all living in now is vital. Consumers are more alert than ever, they want to support brands that support the cause they believe in. With all that we have all been through this year, do not be afraid to celebrate but do be sensitive.

Brands should consider new and creative ways to embody the festive spirit and, even, breaking traditions by exploring new territories. Christmas is a time to uplift and inspire, but it will mean different things to everyone this year.

Haven’t started planning your end of year campaign yet? Don’t worry, that’s why we exist! Click here to book a consultation with our team of experts.