Taking Christmas Ads from TV to Social Media

Taking Christmas Ads from TV to Social Media. Mike Shapaker, EMEA managing director at ChannelAdvisor, looks at how retailers are increasingly turning to social media as a way of engaging with consumers during the competitive Christmas period, and what can be learned from their efforts. John Lewis perfectly timed its TV and social marketing efforts to take effect just before the mad rush of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and it’s not the only brand that has taken advantage of social media to build buzz and drive sales in the run up to Christmas. Last year, Black Friday generated £1.1bn in online sales in the UK, and Cyber Monday £968m. This year could very well prove to be more profitable. It is vital, then, that digital marketing plans are finalised long before the Christmas period, with eCommerce platforms and sales channels optimised for the huge numbers of visitors at peak times. The social opportunity Away from John Lewis’s foray into Snapchat, how does social media fit into the seasonal marketing mix? Customers can create personalised video messages, which are shared with potential present-buyers to persuade them to purchase a new pair of shoes or boots. The dynamic nature of Facebook But it’s not just campaigns like Ugg’s personalised video initiative that can drive sales for retailers at Christmas time. Social media is for life, not just for Christmas Businesses are increasingly reliant on the seasonal period to drive sales and nowadays this incorporates a growing number of discount days.

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Mike Shapaker, EMEA managing director at ChannelAdvisor, looks at how retailers are increasingly turning to social media as a way of engaging with consumers during the competitive Christmas period, and what can be learned from their efforts.

Mike Shapaker square

You know it’s nearly Christmas when UK retail heavyweight John Lewis unveils its annual TV advert. Over the years we’ve seen Monty the Penguin waddling across our screens and the lonely Man on the Moon, though this year the department store chain opted for a light-hearted TV spot, starring trampolining wonder dog Buster the Boxer. It also upped its social media game, bringing the big screen to our mobile screens with a branded Snapchat filter, enabling users to transform their faces into the ad’s canine star.

John Lewis perfectly timed its TV and social marketing efforts to take effect just before the mad rush of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and it’s not the only brand that has taken advantage of social media to build buzz and drive sales in the run up to Christmas. So how are other brands adopting social channels this Christmas, and what are the considerations for those who want to follow suit?

There’s no such thing as too early
We recently commissioned some research among UK retailers, looking at how they are shaping their marketing strategies to take advantage of Christmas and the flurry of discount days that precede 25 December. Interestingly– and perhaps surprisingly to some – 26 per cent of retailers said Black Friday is the most profitable day in their eCommerce calendar.

Last year, Black Friday generated £1.1bn in online sales in the UK, and Cyber Monday £968m. This year could very well prove to be more profitable. 2016 Thanksgiving sales alone generated $1.9bn (£1.5bn), according to Adobe. It is vital, then, that digital marketing plans are finalised long before the Christmas period, with eCommerce platforms and sales channels optimised for the huge numbers of visitors at…

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