The pressure is on to get the last promotions out there and running to get traction from the holiday season madness. Every brand is looking to do something to boost their sales over December and the same trend is showing up in digital.

So, is it the season to be jolly?

I think so! More and more brands are realising the value of digital, and in particular, paid media. We are seeing a definite increase in requests for media plans to run promotional campaigns over December and January. 

Traditionally, running campaigns from mid December onwards was not recommended due to the drop in traffic, but brands are now taking advantage of the many new approaches available to them in the digital space. They are realising that a paid campaign heavily depends on the objectives and target market and if these are considered carefully, great plans can be devised with great results and a definite increase in sales.

Consider this

We do still expect a drop in traffic over the holiday season, but your share of voice  will be higher. In addition, many people are now part of – and dare I say addicted to - social networks. Advertising on these platforms combined with the excellent targeting capabilities, can now take the traditionally lesser performing campaigns to new heights.

We also have many new advertising options available: sponsored tweets, banners with social media components, retail bars, and developments in video-like annotations. While they are by no means a new trend, thinking outside the box can make simple annotations spectacular. Consider this Happy Gilmore clip and forward to 2:55 to see a great example.

We are no longer limited to only one advertising method in the hope that consumers get the message. An integrated approach is the obvious choice and this makes optimisation more effective.

So, here’s to the festive season madness and the accompanying communication opportunities!