What you’ll read: Holiday marketing looked different in the years before Corona. We go through how the pandemic impacted campaigns.
The weather outside is frightful, chestnuts are roasting on an open fire, and Starbucks has peppermint mochas on the menu. ‘Tis the season for holiday marketing. Over the years, ads — and the way we consume them — have changed, but up until 2019, the message remained largely the same. However, the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a new normal in 2020, and many people weren’t able to celebrate in the same way. Here’s how holiday marketing campaigns have changed over the last few years, and what to expect going into the 2021 merry season.
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2019: The Before Times
What a difference two years can make! In 2019, holiday marketing was all about closeness, both emotionally and physically. After all, the December holidays are traditionally a time for loved ones to come together, whether that’s your family by birth or the one you’ve chosen. This Amazon ad from 2019 captures those warm and fuzzy feelings.
There are plenty of things in this ad that wouldn’t fly today, like the lack of masks on public transportation and in crowded airports. Large groups gathered together without a care in the world, and we had no clue that that kind of freedom would become a novelty in just a few months.
2020: Age of Corona
It’s safe to say that the pandemic put a damper on most people’s travel plans throughout 2020, and that extended to the holiday season. As a result, marketers were faced with a challenge: Find a way to address the changing nature of the holiday season without bumming everyone out. In Comcast’s case, that meant showing Santa’s elves discovering new ways to spread cheer.
The pandemic isn’t mentioned in the video, but it’s also not shying away from the new reality we all found ourselves in last year. Also, Santa Claus has never been more relatable than when he’s expressing a heartfelt sentiment like “It’s about the little things” only to be told he’s on mute by the elves in his video call.
2021: A Ray of Hope
Even though the pandemic is still ongoing, this year gave us some reasons to be hopeful — namely, the widespread implementation of COVID-19 vaccines. That means this year, the family can all be together again, but we won’t be taking that togetherness for granted. Thoughtful gestures mean more than physical gifts now, as embodied by this recent Kohl’s ad.
What’s especially clever about this video is the little nod to things you can get from Kohl’s to create a memorable holiday season, like that record player. That way, Kohl’s can share the message that it’s not just about presents, while still advertising its products.
The 2021 holiday season is just getting started, so expect to see a lot more of these campaigns after the Black Friday and Cyber Monday hype dies down. As for what 2022’s holiday marketing campaigns will bring, that’s a secret only the Ghost of Holiday Season Future knows.