The festive media checklist for marketers

The festive season brings unique opportunities for brands to connect with consumers through tailored campaigns. In the recent panel 'The Festive Media Checklist for Marketers' at Festive Marketing Camp 2024, industry experts from leading organisations came together to discuss the essential elements for a successful festive marketing strategy. 

Panellists:

Session Chair: Unmisha Bhatt, Co Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, Tonic Worldwide

Jahid Ahmed, Senior Vice President and Head of Digital Acquisition/Website/Content & Social Media Marketing, HDFC Bank

Paresh Karan, Marketing Lead, Finolex Industries Limited

Blurring the lines between TV and digital

As media consumption habits shift, marketers are now blending TV and digital in their festive marketing strategies. The ability to integrate both platforms seamlessly has become crucial for maximising reach and ROI during the festive period.

With consumers dividing their time across multiple screens, marketers can no longer afford to treat TV and digital as separate entities. A well-thought-out integrated media mix allows for synchronised messaging, which is critical in creating a consistent brand narrative.

Jahid Ahmed highlighted the importance of an integrated media strategy. He said, "TV and digital, the lines are blurred. There's an interesting mix of integrated approaches for the festive marketing mix."

On how data-driven insights are helping shape this integration. "The search is getting fragmented in different platforms. These platforms are becoming so data-led that we have amazing data cohorts. That's how we are changing the media mix with determinist planning," he added.

More than just sales – building a brand

Festive campaigns are often seen as a chance to boost sales, but brands like HDFC Bank and Finolex Industries view this season as an opportunity to strengthen their brand identity and CSR efforts. Consumers expect more from brands during festivals than just product promotions. Effective festive campaigns focus not only on short-term sales but also on long-term brand loyalty, values, and social responsibility.

Paresh Karan, explained how his brand approaches the festive season. He said, "At Finolex, we particularly focus on brand building during the festive season… Other than sales and brand building, we focus on CSR."

While, Jahid Ahmed emphasised the importance of connecting with consumers during key moments. He said, "We focus on building the brand during the festive season… If I have to enable customers during their passion point, I have to be present when they are deciding their passion point."

Capturing the entire consumer journey

Modern marketing involves more than just pushing products—it’s about understanding and capturing the consumer’s full journey. Brands that track the entire customer path, from research to purchase, are better positioned to connect meaningfully with their audience.

In the age of digital platforms, consumers often begin their journey with research, and brands that successfully integrate themselves into this process gain a competitive edge.

Unmisha Bhatt, stressed the importance of being part of the consumer's entire journey. She said, "One of the constant themes that we keep consulting brands on is capturing the entire consumer journey, right from the research. Going for a consumer's passion point, their behavior and being a part of their entire consumer journey is perfect for a festive calendar."

The power of AI in festive campaigns

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the way marketers approach their campaigns, particularly during high-traffic periods like the festive season. AI-driven insights can help brands optimise their creatives, personalise customer interactions, and amplify their reach.

AI is no longer just a buzzword—it has become a vital tool for marketers to refine their strategies, allowing them to target the right audience with precision and efficiency.

Paresh Karan shared how AI-driven creatives have significantly boosted their engagement. He said, "In a category like ours, we have been leveraging all the media vehicles and tools. We have also started using AI. Using AI for our creatives has given us 3X views and impressions."

Unmisha Bhatt also spoke about AI’s potential for personalisation. She said, "AI can enable personalisation of even the landing page."

A unified strategy

While media and creative strategies have often been considered separate elements of marketing, the festive season calls for a more unified approach. To maximise the impact of campaigns, the creative rendition must be tightly aligned with the media plan.

Pointing out the interdependence of creative and media strategies, Bhatt said, "There is a thin line between creative and media. Both have to go hand in hand."

"The business goal has to be predefined. The role of creative rendition of the platforms has to be thought through. Think end-to-end."

-Jahid Ahmed

The insights shared during the session highlight the importance of personalisation, AI, integrated media strategies, and localisation. By combining these elements, brands can not only achieve higher ROI during the festive season but also build long-term connections with their consumers. By taking these factors into consideration, brands can create meaningful, effective, and memorable festive campaigns that not only drive sales but also build lasting relationships with their audience.