Yes-2019年假日营销指南报告（英文）-2019.9-32页_7mb

2019 Holiday Marketing Guide Summary

Core Content Overview

This document provides insights and strategies for marketers to optimize their holiday campaigns for the 2019 season, based on data from the 2018 holiday period. It highlights changes in consumer behavior, the performance of themed campaigns, and offers recommendations for more effective engagement.

Key Findings from 2018

• Holiday Spending Growth: Holiday sales increased by 2.9% YoY, but fell short of the National Retail Federation's forecast of 4.3%–4.8%.
• Consumer Behavior Shifts:
  • Shopping started earlier in the season, with November campaigns showing double the conversion rate of December ones.
  • Cyber Monday became the dominant shopping day, with a 57% YoY increase in conversion rates.
• Themed Campaign Performance:
  • 56.4% of marketers used a general holiday/winter theme, making it the most widely adopted theme.
  • Green Monday had the lowest adoption (6.9%) and was the least utilized theme.
  • Most themed campaigns underperformed compared to standard (BAU) emails in terms of open rates, click rates, and conversion rates.
• Consumer Preferences:
  • 74% of Americans prefer experiences over products.
  • Conscious consumerism is on the rise, leading to a preference for quality over price.
  • Emails emphasizing rock-bottom prices saw lower engagement, suggesting a need for more value-driven messaging.

Key Takeaways for 2019

1. Columbus Day

• Adoption Rate: Increased to 9.9% in 2018 from 7.9% in 2017.
• Engagement: Open rate rose by 7.7% YoY, but conversion rate dropped significantly to 1.4%.
• Recommendations:
  • Assess relevance to the audience before using Columbus Day as a theme.
  • Consider alternative events in late September to early October for creative messaging.

2. Halloween

• Adoption Rate: Increased to 43.6% in 2018 from 38.9% in 2017.
• Engagement: Open rate rose by 19% YoY, but unique click rate increased by 75% YoY.
• Conversion Rate: Declined to 2.4%, a 56% drop YoY.
• Recommendations:
  • Use the holiday as a platform for creative, non-sales content.
  • Create messages with helpful content (e.g., party ideas, recipes) and build anticipation with urgency tactics.

3. Thanksgiving

• Adoption Rate: Increased by 12% YoY to 34.7%.
• Engagement: Open and click rates increased slightly, but still below BAU.
• Conversion Rate: Remained stable at 3.7%, but still lower than BAU's 4.9%.
• Recommendations:
  • Focus on gratitude and appreciation to build brand loyalty.
  • Use “% off” offers in subject lines for better conversion.
  • Position the brand as a solution to consumer stress during holiday preparations.

4. Black Friday

• Adoption Rate: Increased by 27% YoY to 47.5%.
• Engagement: Open rate was 12.0%, slightly below BAU, but unique click and CTO rates outperformed standard emails.
• Conversion Rate: Rose by 37.5% YoY to 8.8%, almost double BAU's 4.9%.
• Recommendations:
  • Test early sends to build anticipation.
  • Use early promotions to encourage sign-ups for loyalty programs or social media follow.
  • Save the best offers for Black Friday itself to maximize conversions.

5. Cyber Monday

• Adoption Rate: Increased by 25% YoY to 36.6%.
• Engagement: Open rate dropped by 10% YoY to 10.8%, and CTO rate dropped by 17% YoY.
• Conversion Rate: Rose by 57% YoY to 14.0%, almost triple BAU's 4.9%.
• Recommendations:
  • Leverage free shipping as a secondary offer to capture attention.
  • Test free shipping as a standalone offer versus combined discounts.
  • Use limited-time offers and urgency elements to drive conversions.

Best Practices for 2019 Holiday Campaigns

• Avoid Overuse of Themed Campaigns: Themed emails, especially those not aligned with the brand or audience, can be seen as inauthentic.
• Focus on Relevance and Value: Align messaging with consumer values and needs rather than just pushing sales.
• Test Offer Types: Experiment with different incentives such as free shipping, % off, and $ off to determine what resonates best with your audience.
• Leverage Timing and Anticipation: Early sends can help build interest, while late sends should focus on urgency and limited availability.
• Create Engaging and Creative Content: Use visuals, storytelling, and unique angles to differentiate from competitors and capture attention.

Creative Examples

• Lands' End: Used a creative and unconventional approach with Halloween-themed visuals.
• Burger King: Launched a viral video campaign with a “Scary Clown Night” theme.
• Sephora: Offered sneak peeks of Black Friday deals on social media and then followed up with email campaigns.
• Spirit Airlines: Used a bold subject line and animated GIFs to highlight their savings.
• National Geographic Store: Combined compelling imagery with a clear CTA and limited-time offer to drive sales.

Conclusion

The 2018 holiday season showed that themed campaigns, while popular, often underperformed compared to standard emails. Marketers should focus on relevance, value, and creative engagement to make the most of the 2019 season. Testing different strategies and offer types is essential to understanding what resonates with the audience and adapting accordingly.