It’s not too late to add an epic Christmas brand experience to your 2023 wishlist
With a cost of living crisis hitting nearly every pocket across the country, this year has been - to put it mildly - rough. And as we head towards the shopping event of the year we ask ourselves: how are people feeling about it? Well, in terms of spending, Retail Economics reports that 38% of consumers feel financially distressed, 28% feel squeezed and 22% feel extra cautious. Only 12% of folks are basking in the joy of feeling “financially immune”. In non-statistical terms this translates as: people are not feeling very merry.
BUT! We call it “the most wonderful time of the year” for a reason. Because Christmas is a time to leave the heavy stuff aside for a bit while we drape our lives in tinsel. It’s a time for kindness towards others, indulgence for ourselves, and escapism for everyone.
What role can a brand play this Christmas?
Pouring millions into a competitively heart-warming Christmas TV ad when people are struggling, might feel a bit out of touch. Instead, brands should consider creating an experience to help raise spirits and give shoppers good value for money.
Whether it’s a cleverly placed sampling opp, an inspiring product demo, a feel-good charitable drive, or an immersive pop-up - Haygarth have seen firsthand how a brand experience at this time of year has the power to help their brand earn a spot on people’s wishlists, under their trees, on their plates, or in their hearts. The proof is in the (christmas) pudding. So, take a little look at a few of the Christmas brand experiences Haygarth has run over the last few years and the wonderful impact they’ve had.
Vodafone #ReBoxingDay
Vodafone wanted to boost their charitable initiative encouraging people to donate old devices for Vodafone to refurbish and re-gift to those in digital poverty. Research showed that witnessing people donate more than doubled the chance that others would too. So we created a walk-in gift box installation using custom-built, transparent LED panels as the hub for #ReBoxing day. This brand new tech let us seamlessly transition between displays of vibrant messaging to attract pledgers, into displays heroing those pledging within - an essential sight to motivate others to donate too. And it worked! 16k devices were donated, 127k people experiencing digital poverty were reconnected, and another 22.3m were reached via owned and earned media. Plus, anyone shopping for tech at Christmas got to see Vodafone as a brand that truly cares.
Coca Cola Christmas Truck
Nothing says “holidays are coming” quite like the iconic sight of the Coca-Cola Christmas Truck. Haygarth was lucky enough to take the real deal on a nationwide sampling tour. Pulling up in 52 lucky locations, we sampled 280k Santa-worthy serves and reinforced in the minds of shoppers young and old - that Christmas just isn’t Christmas without Coca-Cola.
Ferrero Rocher Behind The Layers
To avoid Ferrero Rocher’s popularity and familiarity making the chocolate not feel as special as it is, the brand wanted to do something to reignite people's excitement. Using innovative 360-degree projection technology we created a multi-sensorial tasting experience that inspired shoppers to see every little golden sphere with brand new eyes. We delivered an immersive taste experience for 2,500 guests, lured in a footfall of over 37k, earned 173 PR pieces, and once UGC and word spread we reached 3.6m people in total.
Wrapping up for the year?
Hold your reindeer, it’s not too late to activate.
Fancy one last opportunity for your brand to connect face-to-face with consumers in 2023? Get in touch to see how Haygarth can create a budget and time savvy Christmas brand experience for you.
“From pinpointing the perfect audience insights, to developing killer concepts, through to producing, staffing and running it all - at Haygarth we’re brand experience experts. For Brand Managers that makes us your one-stop-shop for a brand experience that’s as emotionally-powerful as it is commercially-effective. So, if you’re interested, let’s set up a free hour-long brand experience workshop with a team of our planners, creatives and BX leaders. Together, we can help your brand end the year on a high note.”
Simon McGrath, Head of Brand Experience
simon.mcgrath@haygarth.co.uk