Christmas and Social Media
For more and more businesses, Christmas is being powered by social media. Social media is affecting consumer holiday buying decisions. These days, the most popular online activity is social networking as nearly a quarter of all time spent on the internet is spent on channels like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
Nutella
Here are 3 examples of how companies have and are currently using social media at Christmas: Nutella Last year Ferro, the company that sells Nutella, the sweet chocolate hazelnut spread, used Facebook ads in combination with TV spots in Germany. The results were that Nutella attributed 14% of its sales to its Facebook ads. In terms of ROI, the ads on Facebook outperformed the money spend on TV advertising. Nutella was out to increase awareness and sales from December 1st through the 24th. It used Facebook ReachBlock ads to encourage people to become fans of the Nutella Deutschland page and to try its ‘Advent Calender’ app that allowed them to open a calendar door each day for the chance to win prizes. Nutella reported that the brand reached 30% of all internet users in Germany throughout December via its ReachBlock campaign. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this case study is that Nutella found that 2.8 million people that saw the ad on Facebook had not seen the TV campaign, providing them with a 29% reach. This clearly shows how important including a social media element is to a big Christmas campaign as Nutella was able to ‘sweeten’ its sales considerably. After all, chocolate has always been one of favorites for Christmas gift ideas.
IKEA
IKEA Sweden-based furniture retail giant IKEA just announced last week that its United States division will unveil its first interactive seasonal catalog. The 31-page catalog titled Celebrate Brilliantly, can be read and watched on the IKEA U.S. website. The catalog features video clips and provides users with the opportunity to share products they like with family and friends on social media channels including Facebook and Pinterest. A user can click on any item to ‘like’ it on Facebook and to “pin” it on Pinterest. Brownstein Group, a Philadelphia-based brand communication firm, collaborated with IKEA in building the clever catalog which is designed to help consumers prepare for the holiday season by enhancing their homes.
Toys-R-Us
Toys-R-Us Toys-R-Us has raised over $23 million and collected more than 3 million toys during its seven-year partnership with Toys for Tots. That program sees to it that underprivileged children wake up on Christmas morning with gifts under the tree. For the past three years, NBA champ Shaquille O’Neal has added some star appeal to the campaign which runs for the six weeks leading up to Christmas Eve. Customers of the retail store are encouraged to drop off new, unwrapped toys and to make cash donations both in Toys-R-Us stores and on the web. The hugely successful campaign is heavily advertised on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. The campaign has helped the brand establish a strong online presence and has also assisted in making Toys-R-Us look ‘more human’ as no ever thinks it’s a bad idea to help kids in need.
Conclusion
Christmas time is when we all connect with each other more. It is also the season we shop gifts for our loved ones whether you’re looking for Christmas wreaths or window shades. The holidays are when charities see the biggest rise in donations and it’s also the biggest marketing time of the entire year. This makes the Christmas season the perfect time for social media and not just for individuals but for businesses of all types who wish to reach out and communicate with existing and prospective customers alike. If executed with success, social media campaigns can breathe life into brands, helping them gain more visibility while driving sales.