Oh (Ho Ho Ho), who doesn’t love that Christmas feeling? For many, it’s the enjoyment of spending time cozied up by the fire surrounded by family, all while watching the highly anticipated John Lewis advert – a staple of the Christmas season. 

Home, but not alone. When Covid-19 hit, advertisers slammed on the breaks. Following on from what feels like an episode out of  ‘Black Mirror,’ Christmas remains a crucial sales period. Although it will look different this year, it should remain a priority for marketers. 

The Budget Shift: 

Every penny counts and spending is tight, especially in the 77-day countdown to Christmas, and in light of the pandemic, consumers are spending less to save more. Have your crowns and hands at the ready, as the battle of the discounted Christmas crackers (and other competitively priced goodies) commence. 

Where once we would take to late-night high-street shopping to beat the hustle and bustle of the crowd, the high-street has now turned into a winter ghost-land. At what is typically the busiest time of year for retail, many brands will fear the lack of footfall, leaving them to fend for themselves within the highly competitive digital landscape. 

Discount i-scavengers at the ready, the fight for bargains will begin, and home delivery will sky-rocket. Advertisers need to consider the digital mine-field where discount culture may take precedence this year over brand story. 

What to expect:

Starbucks, one of our favourite seasonal go-to coffee chains, has recently delved into the world of influencer marketing. You may have recently seen Love Island star, @mollymaehague, plastered on Instagram, taking on London Town with Starbucks in tow. 

Influencer marketing will take on a life of its own this season, with the help of AI making it easier and faster for brands to form celebrity partnerships. It will enable emerging and established brands to quickly build trust by reaching new, engaged audiences online.

Christmas Guide:

Our favourite social networking hub has just released its Christmas 2020 planning and marketing guide.

 “This Christmas shopping season will look different compared to years gone by. However, it’s going to be more important than ever for people to come together and share gifts with their loved ones.” – Facebook 

The New Kid On The Block:

You may see some new faces on the block this year, as we mourn the fall of many of the seasonal marketing hard-hitting players. It will be all to play for as we may welcome online conference, food delivery, and online streaming services to our screens. Government guidelines have also dealt brands a lousy hand, resulting in limited production; we can expect greater use of digital creativity as illustration, user-generated content, and animation will be heavily prominent across digital platforms.

A welcomed break: 

This year, Christmas campaigns will expectedly pull at our heart-strings as we recollect on the challenges presented to us. We’re all on the hunt for a Christmas miracle, and we should expect big things from leaders such as John Lewis, which will be a welcome break as we attempt to return to normality in what seems to be a bleak time. The opportunity to immerse in a bit of fun will be welcomed with open arms.

It’s easy to look at the simplicity of viral campaigns and wonder why it’s not happening for you. Partner up with our team of creative thinkers to get your campaigns there, get in touch.