It’s the most wonderful time of the year, as we indulge in mince pies and festive cheer, sipping mulled wine as we wander around Christmas markets.
The yuletide spirit permeates everything from our Spotify suggestions to our office chatter. We’ve grown accustomed to the Christmas adverts put out by big name brands, from John Lewis to Coca-Cola and Amazon, but with the rise of social media, companies across all industries are taking advantage of the online realm to inspire audiences with festive digital marketing campaigns.
Studies show that the average shopper begins their Christmas shopping in October. It’s no surprise then than brands seem to be starting earlier and earlier with their Christmas campaigns. And the sooner you start planning, the better prepared you’ll be with captivating seasonal content that will bring customers flocking to your brand.
There are some recognisable names out there that have mastered the art of Christmas marketing, pushing the boat out and wowing us time and time again. Here are some of our all-time favourites.
1. GOOGLE – SANTA TRACKER
Google have gone all out with their own micro-site for their yearly Santa Tracker. This handy GPS keep tabs on the location of Santa and his nine reindeer – eight, if you’re a traditionalist and don’t include Rudolph! (We do of course – what would reindeer games be with our red-nosed friend?)
The content of the site is also available in an app which has a variety of games, providing children with information on all of the different countries that Santa has visited so far and even teaching them how to code.
This valuable educational resource, wrapped up in a festive bow, puts Google at the top of any Christmas digital marketing campaign list. But is that really any surprise? It is Google after all!
2. HEINEKEN – SOCIAL CHRISTMAS TREE
2011 was a simpler time, but Heineken’s Social Christmas Tree Campaign wouldn’t have been out of place in a world where social distancing and self-isolation are part of our everyday vocabulary.
Located in Clarke Quay, Singapore, the 11ft tall social Christmas tree was a temporary landmark more futuristic than the marketers at Heineken could ever have envisioned.
This idea of this Christmas tree – which in the true spirit of the season was powered by friendship – was that people from all over the world could send their friends and family festive greetings to be broadcast one of the 48 LCD screens. Heineken used social media to get its worldwide audience talking about their brand, but more importantly, had them spreading Christmas cheer, loud and clear for all to hear – Buddy the Elf would be proud.
3. TED BAKER – #TEDSELFIE
In 2014, clothing retailer Ted Baker, went the extra mile in interactive marketing with a digital scavenger hunt based on the simple premise that on a Christmas night out, seven of Santa’s elves went missing. The only evidence left behind? An ‘elfie’ taken by the jolly man himself.
The starting Instagram account, @TedsElfie, revealed clues that led to other accounts with more clues, and so on, giving users the opportunities to win prizes along the way. Perhaps one of the most innovative digital marketing campaigns to date, Ted Baker showed fantastic initiative in combining Christmas with the ever-popular scavenger hunt concept to keep its customers engaged for three December weeks.
4. SPOTIFY – #SPOTIFYWRAPPED
Spotify has more than three million active users, and every Christmas each user is gifted with Wrapped. Wrapped is a Spotify playlist of a user’s most listened to songs and artists over the year, so for those most active on the steaming platform it can be an eye-opening experience!
What began as a simple round up in 2016 has gradually become a far more interactive experience with additions such as in-app quiz games and story features, allowing users to easily share their music with their friends – for either praise or humiliation, depending on their tastes.
We’re sure there are some of you out there – those whose start celebrating Christmas in May – who frequently have festive music sneak into their playlists too!
5. KWIK FIT – CHRISTMAS KONGA
In what is probably best described as a cross between Pac Man and Snake, last Christmas tyre company Kwik Fit launched a game that would make us all miss the office a little less.
Enter The Christmas Konga. Christmas parties were cancelled, but fear not, Kwit Fit had the answer. In their game, you travel around a virtual office, collecting your colleagues along the way, and picking up gifts for your chance to win vouchers that offered discounts on Kwik Fit’s products. This imaginative campaign managed to put spotlight onto the brand by offering users a fun and light-hearted way to engage.
The campaign even brought the brand an average of 20 minutes onsite engagement for each player.
HAVE YOU BEEN INSPIRED TO LAUNCH A CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN OF YOUR VERY OWN? REACH OUT TO OUR TEAM TODAY AND TAKE THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS NEXT YEAR’S FESTIVE FUN.
