Fall represents the beginning of the end-of-the-year holiday mash up as well as the time of year where most B2B companies put all their eggs in one basket.
While it is common for B2B organizations to see a decrease in website traffic and conversions during this time, it is also where many look to capture the ‘leftovers’ of yearly budgets.
And I don’t know about you, but when it comes to my leftovers, you better make a good case for why I should give you them.
If you’ve been holding off on running a fall marketing campaign, it’s time to rethink your strategy. Your target audience is thinking about the upcoming holidays and such just as much as any other consumer – this is your chance to connect with them and make the sale.
5 Outstanding Examples of Fall Marketing Campaigns
Let’s take a look at some fall marketing campaigns that stand out from the competition to help inspire us this season. While these are mostly B2C companies, there isn’t any reason B2B organizations can’t do the same.
1. Kit-Kat
One of my favorite Halloween themed marketing campaigns has always been from Kit-Kat. Over the last few years, they’ve taken a more edgier approach to marketing their candies and have emphasized awkward situations to create comedy.
In addition, they have also created a campaign aimed at drawing in younger generations – Generation Z and Millennials – with commercials starring Chance the Rapper. Over the last year, Kit-Kat has created two very similar commercials with the musician, one being Halloween themed.
2. Ikea
I don’t know if you heard, but the seventh season of Game of Throne was this year and many drafted off its momentum. I think one the most creative ones was from Ikea, where they provide readers instructions to create their very own Jon Snow cape.
Not only are they benefiting off the Game of Thrones search presence, but they are also marketing one specific product beyond its normal use.
Ikea has also released their autumn marketing campaign focused on back-to-school, specifically for college students. The commercials showcase their products and their versatility while also hinting at their affordability.
3. Dunkin’ Donuts
For some, Fall equals apple cider and changing leaves, but for a lot of people, it means the return of pumpkin flavored goodies. This year, Dunkin’ Donuts is starting the trend early and is releasing their pumpkin coffee earlier than ever.
While flavored coffee is the trending thing to do, the company has benefited from them. According the CNBC, the company has reported better-than-expected earnings for seven-straight quarters, and new and limited-time products have given it a boost.
4. BMW
BMW has had a long history of out-of-the-box marketing idea. From their pre launch campaign for the GoldenEye featured BMW Z3 Roadster to their legacy Super Bowl commercials, they aim to stand out among the competition.
Last Fall, BMW released their newest marketing endeavor called ‘The Escape’. The 13 minute long commercial, starring Clive Owens, take a creative approach at showcasing their newest 5 series models by captivating their audience with an action-packed adventure.
5. American Express
Every year, the Saturday between Black Friday and Cyber Monday marks a big day for some B2B organizations. Small Business Saturday is aimed at encouraging shoppers to support small and local businesses—which is just the kind of places American Express hopes to service.
To help push this initiative (first sponsored by American Express in 2010), the credit card company created the @ShopSmall Twitter account. While the account the active year-round, it’s prime time of operation is within the fall. Within the last decade, Small Business Saturday has grown exponentially with support coming from the U.S. Labor Department, U.S Commerce Department, and Senator John Kerry.
So What Can You Learn From These Campaigns?
While each of the examples came from very different companies, they are all doing one thing alike: utilizing social media marketing.
With Fall starting off the holiday season, consumer searches and engagement on social media tend to trend upward, providing organizations an opportunity to capitalize on trends.
Each of these campaigns depended on social media to grow its reach and audience, while also impacting sales. So what does this mean for you?
Two things:
- Consider catering to the autumn trends that resonate with your audience. You’re going to have to work harder to stand out more, but it will be worth it.
- Add a social media aspect to your marketing campaigns. Concentrate on making visual and interactive content.
Go Beyond Halloween and Thanksgiving Marketing Campaigns
While marketing around the two biggest holidays of the Fall is a good thing to do, there are other holidays (official and nonofficial) that can help you break through the fierce competition.
Let’s take a look at some outlying holidays and how you could leverage them:
Autumn Equinox (September 22nd)
The Autumn Equinox is the official first day of Fall, making is officially okay to bust out your Uggs and leggings. It is also the point where there is exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness at the equator.
This is a great time to poll your audience on what their favorite fall activities are. Whether it’s apple picking, baseball playoffs, Thanksgiving planning, engage with them and ask for their opinions.
Name Your Car Day (October 2nd)
While it may seem too quirky for some, Name Your Car Day could help to set your company apart from the recent uptick of Halloween marketing going on. Encourage your audience to participate and share a picture of their car along with its name on social media.
What if they don’t have a name already?
Well you could build a fun assessment quiz to help them out. The quiz could consist of five to seven random questions all paired with a sporadic list of names. You could even add a lead form at the end to use it as a lead generation tool. And who wouldn’t love that?
Make A Difference Day (October 28th)
Initiated in 1990, the fourth Saturday in October is the national day devoted to helping others by doing volunteer work in the community.
This holiday presents your company an opportunity to highlight the volunteer work it’s completed within the last year and to share how your celebrated the day of.
Emphasizing a company’s dedication to their social responsibility also is beneficial for generating business. According to a Nielsen survey, nearly 66% of consumers noted that they would pay more for products or services from companies that are socially and environmentally responsible.
Have your target audience post their photos of the volunteer work they’re doing and repost them on your accounts. Run a co-marketing campaign with a local non-profit organization in your community and offer volunteers a unique discount offer.
Clean Your Refrigerator Day (November 15th)
While the origin of this day appears to be a mystery, it does seem appropriately timed as it enables us to make room for the abundance of Thanksgiving leftovers coming or worst, it’s timed to flush out bad food before people go on holiday leave. Regardless, it presents a very unique marketing opportunity to gain engagement.
Make a contest out the unorthodox day. Ask people to send in before and after pictures of their refrigerator purges and build out a bracket for others to vote on. Winner could win a gift card or a trial period of your product.
Need More Fall Marketing Campaign Ideas?
While I picked out my favorite Fall holidays, there are plenty of others you could pick from. Like did you know there is a Have A Party With Your Bear Day? Me neither!
Here are lists of other outlandish holidays occurring this fall that could spur some ideas:
Regardless of the season, create a conversation with your audience and build human-to-human relationships. Use the holidays as an inspiration to launch a marketing campaign that will educate and inspire your audience, with engaging content that provides value for you and for your prospects.
Need help planning your Fall holiday campaign? Download our Savvy Marketer’s Worksheet For Engaging Fall Marketing Campaigns!
Source: B2C
No comments:
Post a Comment