Renewed consumer confidence has meant that this ‘golden quarter’ is on course to be the strongest since 2021. Although the period is already underway, there remains an unparalleled opportunity for FMCG brands to reach consumers over the next few months.
Key dates still to come include Halloween, Singles Day, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and, of course, Christmas. Each of these presents opportunities to engage with shoppers and encourage them to spend with the brand.
Though the opportunities are plenty, there are an overwhelming number of marketing messages delivered during the quarter and marketers have to find ways to cut through the noise and stand out. But how can FMCG brands differentiate themselves during the busy, high-spending season?
Precision targeting
Research has found that a quarter of consumers have either already started their Christmas shopping or will do so in the remainder of October. As such, brands can find great success with their Christmas promotions this far out from the day itself.
A powerful way for brands to present their products is through contextual targeting. Previously associated with less sophisticated targeting, technological improvements – such as artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) – have transformed what it means to serve ads contextually.
Advanced contextual enables brands to harness real-time, non-personal data to serve ads based on the preferences indicated by the consumer at that moment, as well as their location, browsing behaviour, and/or the content on the page they’re viewing. The technology can establish a deep understanding of the sentiment and tone of content on a page, and enable the brand to serve hyper-relevant ads.
FMCG brands can trigger location-based offers, product recommendations that align with the consumer’s preferences, or limited-time promotions depending on when the person is browsing, among a number of other possibilities.
These possibilities can be extended even further if the brand has access to a consumer’s first-party data. Combined with advanced contextual data points, consumer browsing or shopping history can be used to recommend products that are not only timely, but directly resonate with preferences the consumer has displayed in the past.
Being able to meet consumers at the right time, in the right places, with the products they are actively interested in, will help FMCG brands elevate themselves above the competition. This is especially critical during peak seasons like Christmas when consumer demand for certain products surges predictably.
Reaching consumers on a personal level
The modern-day consumer craves personalisation as long as it respects their privacy and there are several data points that can be leveraged to create that experience.
Personalised ads create the sense that the brand really knows the consumer, helping that person form a strong emotional connection with the brand because they feel understood and valued. Fortunately, the grocery sector is very well-positioned to provide this level of relevance, as highlighted by research from Epsilon, which named the sector as the most improved vertical for delivering personalised customer experiences.
Nonetheless, this personalisation can’t come at the cost of potentially leaving the consumer vulnerable with irresponsible use of their data. It’s important to understand where the boundaries should be drawn.
Achieving golden quarter success
The golden quarter is in full swing, but there’s still time for FMCG brands to get their marketing strategies right and come out ahead of the competition during the year’s busiest shopping period.
The opportunity is there for brands to not only drive immediate sales on the back of their campaigns, but to foster long-term consumer loyalty. However, to do this, brands must reach consumers with the levels of personalisation they expect.
Leveraging advanced contextual and consented first-party data correctly opens the door to delivering this relevance, and does so in a way that respects the privacy of the consumer. This will, ultimately, lead to deeper engagement with the consumer and a significant sales boost.
FMCG brands that adopt these strategies will ensure a strong performance during the golden quarter, but also set themselves up for success into 2025 and beyond, thanks to the ongoing consumer loyalty garnered through the personalised experience.
Any brands not meeting audiences in the ways – and at the times – they want to be reached will only fall behind the competition, so there’s no better day than today to begin seizing the golden quarter and reaping the rewards.
