With “Last Christmas” and Mariah Carey back on the airwaves, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. But while many marketers may be feeling uncertain as economic pressures take their toll, there is still reason for cheer as recent forecasts predict a peak of £88.3bn in Christmas sales.
Indeed, Brits can be trusted to look for those spontaneous and magical moments – whether that’s adding a last-minute item to the festive spread, picking up snacks for the office party, or finishing the home decorations.
For instance, holiday data collated by Uber found that, in 2023, snacks experienced a massive 627% increase in share of basket from November to December, while the sweets, cookies, and chocolate categories were up 576%. This also shows that activity ramps up in December, with Uber Eats orders up by 15% on 1st December. But it doesn’t stop there. We see the surge in orders increase over the entire run-up to Christmas – from Halloween right through to Bonfire Night, Black Friday and beyond the big day to New Year’s Eve.
This also means that we’re already well into the festive period, and brands should be acting now. But as marketing noise reaches its yearly peak, how can brands ensure they stand out and reach consumers before their competitors do?
The festive rush
While out and about shopping for gifts, or in the midst of their celebrations, many customers will be looking to make these purchases on the move and in the moment. Quick bites, last-minute orders and shop runs offer extremely short consideration windows. Marketers need to ensure that their campaigns are reaching consumers during these moments in a way that is convenient and complements their immediate interests, intentions and emotions. However, this requires a deep understanding of consumers, the products that may be of interest to them and their purchasing moments. At Uber, we see this in our rich contextual first-party data.
Being able to accurately target an audience will only get a brand’s message so far; it’s the creativity of the ad that will ultimately grab their attention. On Uber, this creative can be delivered through impactful ad formats, such as interactive polls, quizzes, and immersive video, that elevate campaigns to another level and encourage engagement from the consumer.
For example, L’Oréal wanted to maximise awareness for its products among those making Christmas getaways, which according to Uber data peak in mid-December. It served Uber riders travelling to London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports with contextually relevant ads that anticipated a purchase opportunity for the cosmetic group’s products at those airports’ duty-free locations.
The results of pairing this contextual layer with those festive travellers were impressive. The campaign achieved an average view time of 342 seconds against a benchmark of 90-100 seconds, a swipe rate of 7.68% (2.5-3% benchmark) and a click-through rate of 4.76% (2.5-3% benchmark).
Enjoying the busiest of holidays
This period has long been the biggest revenue driver for brands, making it the merriest, but also the most competitive time of the year. As consumers dive into the holiday spirit, FMCG brands must don their own festive garb, crafting captivating ads that resonate with the joy and excitement of the season.
‘Tis the season for brands to tap into the pulse of their audience, delivering relevant and timely content that captures the magic of the holidays.
