Do’s and Don’ts of Holiday Marketing
The holiday season is supposed to be a joyous time of year, but sadly, it has become a contentious time for marketers. These days, it doesn’t take much for an ad to go viral for all the wrong reasons (just ask Peloton), and Starbucks® is one company that has had its fair share of holiday marketing blunders. In this post, we’re going to outline a few rules of thumb for marketing during the holidays, based on the successes and failures of the largest coffee house chain in the world.
Do’s
Let’s start with the positives. When crafting your holiday campaigns and messaging, do:
- Be authentic
- Be “on-brand”
- Honor tradition
- Listen to your customers
Most of the “do’s” on our list are things you should be doing for all of your marketing throughout the year. Communicating in an authentic way, keeping your branding consistent, and listening to your customers are keys to any successful marketing campaign.
Additionally, the holidays are all about traditions so remember to honor yours! For many years, Starbucks® was known for its festive holiday cups and seasonal “Christmas blend” coffee. This tradition began back in 1997 when designer Sandy Nelson created the very first Starbucks® holiday cup. The controversy surrounding recent cup designs is evidence of how invested coffee drinkers had become in this Starbucks® tradition. Rather than trying to switch things up, Starbucks® should have continued on its merry way, creating the Christmas-inspired holiday cups that its customers were clearly (and loudly) demanding.
Don’ts
If you want to avoid backlash over your holiday marketing, then don’t:
- Be too clever
- Buck tradition
- Be political
During the holidays, it is especially important to maintain consistency in your marketing. Many people look forward to this time of year because of the comfort and familiarity that time-worn traditions bring them. If your brand has created its own tradition during the holidays, then stick to it! Trying to be too clever or creative can come across the wrong way. Take this year’s “Merry Coffee” slogan for example. Starbucks® attempted to cleverly avoid the phrase “Merry Christmas” in order to be more inclusive, but in doing so, it alienated the rabid fans of its traditional holiday messaging.
Though this last one should go without saying, the holidays (and even the few weeks before “the holidays”) are definitely one of those times when you want to avoid politics. Instead, stick with positive, celebratory messages that honor the season and spread joy. Otherwise, you may find yourself in the same position Starbucks® did when it released its “unity” cup ahead of the 2016 election: a contentious one.
Done Just Right
This holiday season we are celebrating a brand that took themselves out of the big picture and created a memorable holiday commercial. It’s a reminder to enjoy quality time with family, unplug from technology, and not let time pass us by – the true meaning of the holidays. Our hearts were captured by Chick-fil-A: “The Time Shop” holiday commercial.
May Your Holiday Marketing Be Bright!
We’ve covered brand fails on this blog before because they are a great way to learn about the do’s and don’ts of branding and marketing. Hopefully, this post has helped you understand how to make the most of your holiday marketing efforts. If you still need a little help, you can always turn to the expert team here at Diace Designs.
About Kara Franco
Kara writes copy that speaks. She has a knack for creating clear, compelling messages without wasting words. She is passionate about digital marketing and believes that copy is the cornerstone of user experience.
Copywriter + Content Strategist
Kara@diacedesigns.com
