How to Target High-​Value Audiences with Holiday Campaigns

Do your clients know that 20% of holiday-​related spending will take place digitally this year? Here’s another important fact: Thanksgiving is late this year which means the shopping season is shorter than last year. Your clients need to target high-​value audiences with their best ad campaigns now.

The Holiday Advertising Season

Major retailers have been showing holiday ads since October. That strategy is certain to irritate some consumers. But other consumers take the appearance of holiday ads as a sign that they need to make purchases.

Your clients can stand out by turning to tactics that will appeal to high-​value audiences. For example, while the traditional holiday season may be shorter this year, some consumers extend their celebrations. Many Hispanics celebrate Three Kings Day which serves as another gift-​buying event.

The Four Days After Thanksgiving 

In general, analysts expect holiday sales to grow 3% over last year’s numbers. But the period from Black Friday through Cyber Monday will increase 5%. More specifically, 8% of holiday sales will take place between Black Friday through Cyber Monday. At that rate, consumers will spend an expected $75 billion during this compressed period.

To reach high-​value shoppers, it’s important to save some ad spending for that important four-​day period. Black Friday has ranked in the top two consumer spending days in recent years. And it is likely to hold that place again this year. However, Bain analysts believe Cyber Monday is losing its power.

Other days, such as the Friday before Christmas and the day before Christmas Eve, have rung up higher sales in the past couple of years.

Here’s what will encourage people to buy on Black Friday this year:

• Finding products that promote sustainability 57%
• Finding new brands 48%
• Finding great deals on products not previously considered 47%
• Buying multiple gifts in one place 42%

The Power of November Ads

But promoting holiday gift-​giving specials in November can pay off. High-​value audiences are searching online at that time. Microsoft data shows that targeting early online shoppers matters.

Their analysts report that 51% of “December conversions come from November clicks (21%) and December (30%).”

Planned Holiday Budgets

Not every consumer will increase their spending this holiday season. PwC has predicted an average per person spending of $1,683. That figure includes gifts, travel and entertainment.

Younger consumers, in general, are high-​value shoppers. They plan to increase their holiday budgets in 2024.

Older consumers, Gen Xers and baby boomers, appear to be cautious with planned spending decreases of 9% and 6% respectively.

Self-​gifting continues to be a trend. Up to 37% of the total Gen Z budgets will be spent on themselves. The same holds trust for 29% of baby boomers.

Consumers may intend to stick to a budget when shopping for the holidays. But in recent years, consumers often spend more if the right deal appears at the right time. To reach high-​value shoppers, your clients must advertise.

How to Drive In-​store Shopping

While consumers spend plenty of time and money shopping online, they will visit stores too. Your clients can make the most of their ad spending by promoting what consumers want in the stores:

• Holiday atmosphere 22%
• Holiday-​specific products 21%
• Making an event of the shopping experience 17%

Standing in line to pay for purchases is not part of the experience consumers want. They say self-​checkout technology (55%) and mobile payment solutions (54%) are very important. Your clients should emphasize those details in their ad campaigns.

High-​value audiences will be looking for deals in the stores and online this year. Don’t let your clients miss their best opportunity to boost sales. With AudienceSCAN data, they can target specific audiences with the media formats they notice.

Photo by AS Photography on Pexels.