This year has been nothing short of a shakeup, with a pandemic, forest fires, racial injustice, and other issues dominating news headlines everywhere. Amidst these repeated crises, people are now, more than ever, seeking authenticity from the brands they connect with and being careful about where they put their money.
Where before your consumers might have brushed off a non-inclusive marketing campaign, they will now condemn one if it’s filled with the same faces over and over. As the holiday season—and with it, the gift-buying fervour—rolls around, this is more important than ever for companies to consider.
Audiences of today are demanding authenticity, inclusivity, and diversity as they see it in the real world and reflected in the ads on their screens. They want to connect with brands on a human level, see themselves and those they know in the promotions, and consume ethically.
Whether you’re revamping your digital marketing campaign or creating a print run, there are things that need to be considered when choosing everything from the models you shoot with to the message you spread.
Read on to discover some top tips from New Zealand’s leading SEO agency on how you can tailor your holiday marketing strategy to suit a newly awoken world.
(If you’re looking for a more general holiday marketing guide, check out our blog on how to Optimise your Digital Marketing for the 2020 Holidays.)
Understand Your Audience
– A group of people tasting wine on Waiheke Island
Our first tip is to understand your audience. While Philippines Photo Editor this is generally sound advice, it’s particularly important after a year of turmoil has shifted many people’s priorities. According to the 2020 Retail Reputation report—a report that reviews brand responses to customer feedback— “brands who improved their Reputation Scores the most had three times higher sales growth than others”.
In other words, brands who listen to their customers make more money.
However, understanding your audience goes beyond knowing your general demographic, although that is an essential step. It’s time to invest in some renewed market research to overhaul your current conceptions. Value-driven marketing is more important than ever, so it’s important to think about what your audience wants to see from your brand in terms of values, not just products.
For holiday marketing specifically, it’s important to either walk the line of neutral messaging or go all out to embrace inclusivity. New Zealand is a massive melting pot of many different cultures, religions, countries, and belief systems. So, it’s important to ensure your messaging, your content, and your practices reflect this.
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