Christmas season is one of the most awaited times of the year for many people. Families come together, people get more sentimental, the streets are scented with cinnamon, orange and gingerbread, Christmas lights are everywhere and of course every second shop plays the famous “All I want for Christmas” from Mariah Carey. We are looking forward to Christmas. And not just us, but companies and brands as well, as in most industries, December is the month with the highest sales income.
However, big Christmas sales are preceded by huge marketing campaigns starting much earlier (Synetiq measures Christmas ads from October). The campaigns, especially if they include TV commercials, consume huge amounts of money. In spite of that, only a few of them can reach its intended marketing goals.
But what is the trick of the ads that grab viewers ’ attention, emotionally are moving, and even generate revenue for the company?
Synetiq has studied the non-conscious and conscious impact of countless Christmas ads over the past 5 years, and a few conclusions can be drawn:
1.Think less about creative appeal and more about emotions
This season is a great opportunity to take advantage of the emotionality generated by the holiday season. Usually those ads could keep viewers' attention longer and become memorable on a long term (according to ad recall results) which emotionally engaged viewers and moved major feelings. Just remember: this is a season when “people are shopping with their hearts rather than their heads”.
2. Share an (insightful) story
Those ads which are built on season specific, familiar customer insights, and where the introduced protagonists and their situations felt familiar to the viewers had a stronger activation power. Simply a missing a family member, cookie baking with the grandma or a stressful holiday shopping are just situations almost every viewer can associate with. To bring the most out from a simple story, use settings, colours, music and protagonists with expressive facial expressions.
3. Seek to create a simple storyline where your audience gets a captivating kick-off
When viewers see 100 Christmas commercials a day, they lose attention quickly during Christmas ads. You may have the best deal at the packshot scene (usually at the end of your spot), but to get the viewer there, you need to grab their attention in the previous 25 seconds. In order to glue the eyes to the screen, you first need a percussive kick-off. It is also worth it to use a story with a linear and/or simple storyline that makes the ad easy to follow, as during the season viewers are mentally more burdened (due to ads and great offers all around).
4. Addressing only the conscious mind with super offers does not work in this season
Those ads which convinced viewers with emotions instead of detailed and informative offers, more likely activated viewers after viewing the ad. Many brands use Christmas time to simply wish audiences a happy holiday, generating brand awareness and building goodwill in the process. Others aim to sell a product or more overtly promote the brand. Regardless of how you build your spot, it is worth communicating your brand’s value. Of course, the goal of any TV campaign is sales, but it’s also a season when many consumers are aware of the sometimes over-the-top commercialism of the holiday. Ads that try to capture or convey the “true meaning” of Christmas tend to work well.
written by Kriszti Polgár-Szabó
Christmas is a great opportunity for companies to connect emotionally with customers and in the long run, that is the biggest gain for a brand. To learn how to move emotions, how to grab attention with your story, how to create a captivating kick-off or how to build up your packshot, do not hesitate to contact us! Based on more than 5 years of measured Christmas ads, Synetiq has the insights to improve your advertisement in this important sales season. Are you ready?
And finally, some of our favourite Christmas spots:
