Christmas carols on the radio…
Don’t know about you…but, to me, the Christmas carols appear to have started playing 24 hours around the clock…around mid-October. The Halloween clearance aisles weren’t even clearance aisles, and the Christmas decorations were making their way to the department store floors. Every year, it seems like the holiday season is being advertised closer and closer to the closeout sales of our summer months’ beach balls, suntan lotion, and grill accessories.
Why did this happen?
Everyone wants to get the jump on the competition…that’s why.
Many of the big box stores…competing against each other for those precious holiday shoppers. Sad…but, a reality of getting a jump on the other guy requires advertising just a bit earlier…than the other guy.
And, now…we see there is no rest for the weary. A lot of these stores will all be open on our day of giving thanks. Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Kohl’s, Macy’s, JC Penney, Toys ‘R’ Us, Target, and many others will open up Thanksgiving evening…perfect idea for those of us who tend to overeat throughout the day.
There are outlets, however, that will refuse to concede to the pressures of holiday sales. They include familiar stores like Dillard’s, Home Depot, T.J. Maxx, and Ross. Will there be enough foot traffic during this pre-Black Friday opening to make this a success and force these outlets to conform to next year’s pressures? Quite possibly.
We won’t know until Thanksgiving Day 2013 has come and gone whether or not the advertising paid off…whether or not Thanksgiving revelers came out to purchase that new PS4…or, whether or not the jump on the competition actually worked.
Not sure about you, but I am kind of looking forward to watching the Cowboys-Raiders game…through my eyelids! Shopping…on Thanksgiving Day? Nahhh…
Then again, heading over to Target on Thanksgiving evening…what a wonderful way to walk off the turkey, stuffing, and pie…oh, and that second helping.
As we put this competition awareness into context with our agency’s place in our individual markets… the question is: when is the best time to start advertising your agency…or, to start competing?
The answer is: never.
And…the answer is: always.
There is never a good time to start an advertising campaign and always a good time to keep your agency’s name at the top of everyone’s list. Thing is, you need to compete…to advertise…all year long. Not just for a particular day or season. It is a constant in-your-face ‘remember me’ campaign.
The Christmas carols are streaming through our car radios…the tree decorations are donning the back corner aisles of Target…and we haven’t even had one slice of our Butterball turkey. This early holiday advertising reminds us that competition is fierce out there, and everyone wants a piece of the pie. How you advertise your agency ahead of the competition in 2014 will be the key to your success this coming year.
Be creative.
Be unique.
Be memorable.
Be the insurance leader.
And, don’t wait for pre-Black Friday to come to do anything about it.
May your stuffing be tasty,
May your turkey be plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!
~Anonymous
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!