Bring the Heat: Summer Planning for the Winter Holidays
If you’re like most brands, you’ve already begun strategizing and planning for the upcoming holiday advertising blitz. As you put together creative and build your media plan, you may be looking for a little extra inspiration and the innovation that will take these campaigns to the next level. You’ve come to the right place.
The holiday season is a vital time for us to help brands thrive and exceed expectations. That’s why we asked our internal experts and representatives from some of our valued partners for their insider insight into what goes into a standout holiday campaign. Here’s what leaders from 4C Insights, Impact Radius, and Quad/Graphics had to say:
What tools, tricks, or tips help make campaigns more efficient and successful?
4C: It’s important to leverage tools like daily automated reporting, rules-based optimization, day parting to quickly and easily optimize your campaigns. This will free up more time to see the big picture and focus on areas that can yield the best results.
What is one thing many brands overlook in planning or implementing their holiday advertising?
Impact Radius: Sometimes brands get so caught up in Black Friday and Cyber Monday that they forget about, or under-plan for, the rest of the season. Think beyond just deals and work with your partners on fun holiday content, unique creatives, placement strategies, and thoughtfully planned (season-long) campaigns.
Quad: Keep in mind what is going on within your customers’ minds, what stresses they are going through, and how your communications may affect them. This is a stressful time of year for many consumers.
Can you share one example of an innovative approach to holiday advertising?
4C: One innovative, yet simple way to approach the holidays this year is to sync digital ads to TV content. We know people multi-task during commercial breaks, and a 4C major retail client invested heavily in not losing that audience last Thanksgiving. They synced their Facebook and Twitter social ads against Thanksgiving-themed content they had running on TV. By orchestrating their messaging across screens, they were able to increase both brand recognition and sales during a highly competitive time.
What’s the #1 piece of advice you would give a marketer ahead of holiday advertising season?
Quad: Make sure you break through all the noise. During the holiday season, everyone ramps up their media spend across all channels. It is difficult to deliver a meaningful campaign if you spread yourself too thin.
Impact Radius: Preparation and flexibility are key, particularly when working with partners and affiliates. Communicate early and often, making sure everyone is aware of deals, promos, and restrictions ahead of time. Similarly, make sure you’re asking for and listening to partner feedback. What worked well for them last year and what bombed? Where could they have used your support? What do they need in terms of content and creatives?
Looking back is helpful in the planning stages, but the market is finicky and things change quickly, so you need to be fluid. Keep an eye on your data and check in with your partners at least weekly to share what you’re seeing and discuss ideas for improvement.
Gearing up for a big holiday marketing effort? Learn how Rise’s CX, Media, and Analytics teams can help you prepare, execute, and measure campaigns. To learn more about our strategic partnerships, visit our Partner page.