I'm no Ebenezer Scrooge but I am writing this on a crisp, bright early Autumn day and almost as soon as the leftover Easter eggs have been removed from the shelves, so the supermarkets have aisles dedicated to Christmas.
So the news this week that Air Wick, the Reckitt Benckiser air freshener brand, is launching a £3m Christmas campaign to support of its new colour-changing candle, had me wondering about the changing importance of Christmas in the marketing calendar and how brands can best prepare themselves for it.
The importance of Christmas to certain sectors is undeniable. For example, for the gift confectionary sector, the Yuletide season represents more than half of annual sales.
As researchers, we would usually have to have results ready before Christmas for trade presentations early in the New Year ready for the following December.
But it is no longer just about the obviously seasonal products. Just look at the shops on Christmas Eve with people panic buying for gifts as well as food, the effort put in to make the house look ready for the big day, new clothes for parties and dare I say it, even seasonal air fresheners. Getting ready for Christmas is a multi-sector pre-occupation.
In terms of timing research, it can be tricky. For all research you want to try and make the situation as typical as you can - so you would avoid the Christmas season itself for a lot of things. However, with a product designed specifically for Christmas, a special effort may be required to make the research situation look and feel a bit Christmassy if you are not able to research in the lead up to an actual festive season.
As with all good marketing, there is a need for brand fit and there are bound to be a few seasonal shockers jumping on the bandwagon and I wonder if brands with apparent "integrity" or "authenticity" are harmed by being all Christmassy or whether uncharacteristic seasonal brand behaviour is forgiven, rather like uncharacteristic seasonal office party indiscretion.
Anyway - as a person that loves Christmas - amid the same old, same old I do notice when a brand goes above and beyond or is just a little bit different! So amid the Christmas clutter it is important to stand out and research can be key to finding ways to achieve such cut-through.
And with that, I'm going sit back and enjoy the Yuletide scent from my mulled wine and cinammon apple air freshener.
Ends.
Monday 19 September 2011
Tuesday 6 September 2011
How to mark “World Awareness of Awareness Days Day”
This is going to be a busy month for me. Not only do I have it in my diary to mark National Organic Month, World Suicide Prevention Day, International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, International Talk Like A Pirate Day (yes, really), World Reflexology Week and World Alzheimer’s Day, I have also just found out that September is also Oral Health Month.
I know this because of a report that Colgate is launching a £1m campaign this month to drive awareness of dental health care and hygiene. Oral Health Month will, apparently, run throughout September to remind the public about the importance of keeping their teeth and gums healthy.
Whilst improving the oral health of the nation is an important and worthy cause, the fact that Oral Health Month is an annual event created by the Colgate-Palmolive Company itself may raise concerns in some quarters that, at least in part, its creation has a purely commercial imperative behind it. This compares , for example, with National Smile Month, created by the British Dental Health Foundation, the UK's leading independent oral health charity.
There seems to have been a massive proliferation in recent times as brands attempt to cut above the line budgets in favour of “smart” PR/CSR style activity. The risk, of course, is that the sheer number of awareness events gives each of them – even the most worthy – the impact of wallpaper. However if, like any other piece of communications, the event is poorly aligned and badly thought out then the the assumption that just because it’s “Hybrid lawnmower engine Sunday” in your company, consumers will be as gripped, can actively work against the brand.
So normal diligence is the order of the day with research. Good early stage creative development which focuses on connecting the brand and consumer through the idea would be helpful and a resistance to using research to provide part of the story rather than test the story idea. Remember, also, that no matter how many awareness days or events there are, only a few rise to the surface of our consciousness. For instance there are nearly 400 film and TV awards events each year but as a film and TV follower I think most would only recall the Oscars, Golden Globes and the BAFTAs and maybe one or two others.
There are now so many awareness days that brands need to be careful which ones they choose to associate themselves with. Best to associate yourself with an event organised independently and without obvious commercial motive and to do so in a way that fits both the brand proposition and the objectives of the event.
And with that, I’m off to look for a sponsor World Awareness of Awareness Days Day.
I know this because of a report that Colgate is launching a £1m campaign this month to drive awareness of dental health care and hygiene. Oral Health Month will, apparently, run throughout September to remind the public about the importance of keeping their teeth and gums healthy.
Whilst improving the oral health of the nation is an important and worthy cause, the fact that Oral Health Month is an annual event created by the Colgate-Palmolive Company itself may raise concerns in some quarters that, at least in part, its creation has a purely commercial imperative behind it. This compares , for example, with National Smile Month, created by the British Dental Health Foundation, the UK's leading independent oral health charity.
There seems to have been a massive proliferation in recent times as brands attempt to cut above the line budgets in favour of “smart” PR/CSR style activity. The risk, of course, is that the sheer number of awareness events gives each of them – even the most worthy – the impact of wallpaper. However if, like any other piece of communications, the event is poorly aligned and badly thought out then the the assumption that just because it’s “Hybrid lawnmower engine Sunday” in your company, consumers will be as gripped, can actively work against the brand.
So normal diligence is the order of the day with research. Good early stage creative development which focuses on connecting the brand and consumer through the idea would be helpful and a resistance to using research to provide part of the story rather than test the story idea. Remember, also, that no matter how many awareness days or events there are, only a few rise to the surface of our consciousness. For instance there are nearly 400 film and TV awards events each year but as a film and TV follower I think most would only recall the Oscars, Golden Globes and the BAFTAs and maybe one or two others.
There are now so many awareness days that brands need to be careful which ones they choose to associate themselves with. Best to associate yourself with an event organised independently and without obvious commercial motive and to do so in a way that fits both the brand proposition and the objectives of the event.
And with that, I’m off to look for a sponsor World Awareness of Awareness Days Day.
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