Have you planned your Christmas marketing campaign?

By : Administrator
Published 3rd November 2014 |
Read latest comment - 23rd November 2014

It's that time of year again, and for online retailers this quarter can be the most profitable if they get their marketing message and sales processes right.

The big brands are now focusing on multi channel marketing, realising that we don't just make choices any more by watching the TV adverts. Lets be honest, how many adverts do you actually see now on the telly if you schedule your own viewing or live on catch up TV?

Marketing Week focuses on the new Debenhams "Found it" campaign after disappointing results from last Christmas.

The new campaign will combine all marketing avenues, online, offline, hashtags, TV, based around a notion of finding the perfect gift. Obviously using children and pulling at our financial heart strings

Interesting comments from the Debenhams Marketing Director:

The challenge has been in effectively going back, listening to customers, understanding what they want from us and building a campaign that we believe responds to those needs.

Last year customers in-store were saying, “we don’t think you’re Christmassy enough”, “we don’t think it’s celebratory” and “I want you to get me in the mood for Christmas”. We are investing in our in-store environment and have over 120 ‘Found It moments’.

So what do you think of the TV ad that is kick starting the campaign off?

I'm sure the Marketing Director will be nervously monitoring the results 

You can see the full article on Marketing Weeks website

So those of you that are selling products or can capitalise on the Christmas madness, have you got your plans in place?

Are you trying anything different to last year, or are you sticking to a winning formula?


Steve Richardson
Gaffer of My Local Services
My Local Services | Me on LinkedIn
Comments

Don't like the ad, not enough models in lingerie. 

But nowadays the only "target" for Christmas is kids, speaking to well everyone, we all get a bit sick of Christmas starting in October and I think it takes away from the excitement a bit. 

As for specific industries based on Christmas marketing. My advice would be run solid ad campaigns, don't try and target broad keywords or get into competition with any big brands, as your budgets will just be irrelevant to them. Target the low hanging fruit for longer tail keywords. Also go social and go early, I know I said its really annoying that Christmas now starts in October, but as a result you have to start earlier. 

Ecommerce sites themselves I would recommend looking into groupon/coupon style sites, but more important in a way would be places like: WOOT.com, http://www.iwantoneofthose.com/ and even amazon and ebay to an extent, just to get your product out there selling. Obviously look into deals and discounts. 

Just my thoughts... Don't think SEO sells very well over the holiday period, although we get a nice little spike in January


Tom Buckland
SEO Consultant

But nowadays the only "target" for Christmas is kids, speaking to well everyone, we all get a bit sick of Christmas starting in October and I think it takes away from the excitement a bit. ”
 

Must admit, am getting sick of my kids being dazzled by the latest tat on TV, so pester power is definitely a firm favourite  

A hardware shop round the corner from us has had his store adorned with xmas lights from the 3rd week of October. Depressing...

Good advice for ecommerce sites, target low hanging fruit and go early.

Anyone started?


Steve Richardson
Gaffer of My Local Services
My Local Services | Me on LinkedIn

A hardware shop round the corner from us has had his store adorned with xmas lights from the 3rd week of October. Depressing...

 

Dont worry - Boxing Day will see the launch of the Easter Egg campaign - now thats depressing.

Advertisers really want us to wish our lives away 


Clive

I also think it's a great way of being able to contact customers to remind them you're here with a Christmas message, incorporating a sales message of course! And not forgetting the "January sales" opportunities, although they do seem to start in December, but another great opportunity. The closer to Christmas the more I think people get into the spirit of it and are more receptive to contact.


Angela
My views & opinions are my own

Also forgot to add that I love the Coca Cola advert "The holidays are coming" sad I know but it does it for me....I don't drink anymore coke because of it though!!!


Angela
My views & opinions are my own

Looks like Sainsburys are really going for it, with a Royal British Legion collaboration, recreating the World War 1 Christmas Truce and oozing sentimentality 

Raising a few eyebrows in the taste department, but apparently donations of a featured choccie bar will go the RBL.

What do you think, too much, or does the donation to the RBL carry it?


Steve Richardson
Gaffer of My Local Services
My Local Services | Me on LinkedIn

Honestly? Jumping on the bandwagon of the centenary of WW1 - very poor taste IMHO  


Clive

Not sure what I think, as a donation to RBL and probably a substantial one it can't be a bad thing. Christmas nowadays is more about greed and over indulging than anything else, visit any supermarket during the week leading up to Christmas and you will genuinely see the human race at it's worst, sadly around a quarter of the food bought will end up in a landfill site somewhere or turned into pigs swill...Not something I've ever really understood with half the world starving, so I for one really don't get what the so called Christmas message is about, certainly not what we are led to believe its about....


Thanks,
Barney

cheese and predictable. Dunno why ad agencies get paid so much when they churn out the same old crap. With viewing habits Id bet money tv adverts dying in a few years and agencies will be paid just to generate viral campaigns. Maybe then we,ll see some originality.

 


Shakester

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