Brands Prepare Early to Capture Consumer Attention and Boost Holiday Sales
Written by : Zul Chalis
Brands prepare for early holiday campaigns due to several key factors:
- Changing Consumer Behavior: Many consumers start holiday shopping earlier to avoid last-minute stress and inventory shortages. Early campaigns tap into this trend, capturing early buyers and spreading sales over a longer period.
- Competitive Advantage: Launching campaigns early helps brands stand out before competitors flood the market with promotions. Early visibility ensures the brand remains top-of-mind as holiday shopping picks up.
- Extended Sales Periods: Events like Double Date have expanded, with promotions starting weeks ahead. Early campaigns align marketing with these prolonged sales periods to maximize revenue opportunities.
- Better Resource and Budget Planning: Early preparation allows more thorough planning, creative development, and strategic use of budgets, including securing better advertising rates before peak season bidding drives costs up.
- Building Anticipation and Engagement: Offering sneak peeks, early discounts, and exclusive deals can generate buzz and emotional connection, encouraging customers to act sooner.
In summary, early holiday campaign preparation helps brands meet evolving consumer behaviors, secure competitive positioning, optimize resources, and ultimately drive higher engagement and sales during the critical holiday season.
When Is the Right Time to Launch Your Holiday Campaign in TMN
The ideal time to launch is the first full week of November. This allows you to capture the attention of “Early Birds” and “Planners” before the competitive frenzy of Double Date.
TMN with their inventory of screens across premium offices and apartment able to help your brand to capture the moment of early preparation to the upcoming holiday season.
These are the timelines we recommend for brand to campaign their ads in welcoming the upcoming holidays. We believe TMN can help your brand positioning remain within the audience top of mind when they think of holidays.
The ideal time to launch is the first full week of November. This allows you to capture the attention of “Early Birds” and “Planners” before the competitive frenzy of Black Friday.
However, a more sophisticated approach involves a phased strategy.
The Detailed Phased Strategy
Think of your campaign not as a single blast, but as a narrative that evolves with the consumer journey.
Phase 1: The “Early Bird” & Awareness Phase
- Timing: Early to Mid-November (November 1st – 20th)
- Consumer Mindset: Planning, researching, and making lists. They are not yet in “panic buy” mode but are looking for ideas and deals.
- Your TMN Screen Strategy:
- Focus on Inspiration & Brand Building: Use high-quality visuals to showcase your products as perfect gift solutions. Create “gift guide” style content.
- Tease Upcoming Offers: Build anticipation with messages like, “The Gift of [Your Product] is Coming,” or “Get Ready for Our Biggest Sale.”
- Target Locations: Place screens in areas with high dwell times (e.g., office building lobbies, upscale apartment complexes, medical waiting rooms) where people have time to absorb your message.
Phase 2: The “Peak Shopping” & Conversion Phase
- Timing: Black Friday through Cyber Monday, extending to Mid-December (November 23rd – December 15th)
- Consumer Mindset: Actively purchasing. They are looking for the best deals, urgency, and convenience.
- Your TMN Screen Strategy:
- Focus on Urgency and Promotion: This is the time for your strongest calls-to-action. Display prominent sale prices, limited-time offers, and “Buy Now” QR codes.
- Highlight Convenience: Messages like, “Get It Today, No Shipping Wait!” or “Find This at [Store Name] Just Steps Away!” are highly effective. TMN screens are perfect for driving immediate in-store or nearby purchases.
- Leverage Real-Time Capabilities: If TMN’s platform allows, use dynamic content to count down to the end of a sale or highlight daily deals.
- Target Locations: Maximize presence in high-traffic retail locations, malls, and shopping centers.
Phase 3: The “Last-Minute” & Panic Phase
- Timing: The Final 10 Days (December 16th – 24th)
- Consumer Mindset: Desperate, convenience-driven, and focused on immediate solutions. Shipping deadlines have passed.
- Your TMN Screen Strategy:
- Focus on Instant Gratification: Your message should be about solving the “last-minute gift” problem. Emphasize “In-Stock Now,” “Grab & Go,” and “No Shipping Required.”
- Target Impulse Buys: Use compelling, simple visuals that make your product look like an easy and impressive solution.
- Target Locations: This is prime time for screens in transit hubs (airports, train stations), grocery stores, and drugstores where last-minute shoppers are prevalent.
Key Advantages of TMN Screens for Holiday Timing
Why this timing works so well with TMN’s network:
- Reach Shoppers Close to the Point of Sale: You can target screens inside or near retail stores, influencing decisions as people are shopping.
- Flexibility and Agility: Unlike traditional print or TV ads, digital OOH campaigns can be updated quickly. If a product sells out, you can change the creative in real-time.
- High Frequency & Impact: During the holidays, people are out and about. TMN screens in high-traffic indoor locations ensure your message is seen repeatedly by a captive audience.
- Measurable Impact: You can track engagement and even use QR codes or promotional codes unique to the screen campaign to measure direct response.
Critical Factors to Finalize Your Timing
Before you set your dates, confirm these details with TMN:
- Screen Availability: Popular locations book up quickly. You should be securing your holiday placements by September or early October at the latest.
- Campaign Goals: Is your goal brand awareness (start early in Phase 1) or direct sales (focus on Phases 2 and 3)?
- Your Industry:
- Big-Ticket Items (electronics, luxury goods): Focus on Phase 1 and 2 to capture planners.
- Apparel, Gifts, & Toys: All phases are important, with a heavy emphasis on Phase 2.
- Food & Beverage, Gift Cards: Phase 3 (Last-Minute) is incredibly powerful.
Summary: Your Holiday Campaign Timeline
- September: Finalize strategy and creative assets. Contact TMN to book screen inventory.
- Early November (Phase 1): Launch “Awareness & Inspiration” campaign.
- Black Friday Week (Phase 2): Switch to “Urgency & Conversion” creatives.
- Mid-December (Phase 3): Launch “Last-Minute Solutions” messaging.
- December 24th: Campaign ends. Consider a “Thank You” or “Post-Holiday Sale” message for the week after Christmas.
By aligning your TMN indoor screen campaign with these psychological and commercial phases of the holiday season, you ensure your message is not just seen but is also highly relevant and effective at driving action.
Sources:
https://hypefy.ai/blog/holiday-marketing-campaigns
https://www.mightyroar.com/blog/holiday-marketing
https://jsmmtech.com/see-why-companies-are-prepping-for-the-holidays-six-months-early/
https://www.channable.com/blog/online-advertising-holiday-marketing-campaigns
https://foxecom.com/blogs/all/holiday-marketing-strategies
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