4 Ways to Add Holiday Cheer to Experiential Marketing Campaigns

You don’t often think of marketing as a source of joy. But it’s usually what ushers in the holiday season when the calendar hits October, and bells suddenly begin jingling in radio and TV spots and social media feeds begin flooding with influencer gift guides and retailer promotions. So, as the calendar ticks closer to the holidays, brands should be ready with their holiday spirit to connect with consumers’ celebrations.

But there’s no need to create an entirely separate experiential marketing campaign for the holiday season. The strategies and objectives you’ve been executing against all year won’t magically change in November and December, so take the campaign executions and tactics that have had the most success and find creative ways to add in some holiday spirit. Here are four simple and creative ways to “decorate” existing campaigns for the season.

4 WAYS TO ADD HOLIDAY CHEER TO YOUR EXPERIENTIAL CAMPAIGNS

1. Make your pop-up, brand activation, or installation shine bright.

For pop-ups, installations, or brand activations, the most straightforward tactic is to add holiday décor to the physical space.  But challenge the instinct to just add tinsel and call it a day. Your brand has been developed to have a tone of voice, personality, and values, so take that persona and think about how it would celebrate the holidays. What would the house look like? How would the presents be wrapped? How would your brand ambassadors welcome holiday guests?

Crafting a sensory-rich themed experience, like a magical winter-wonderland with sparkling lights, artificial snow, and snowflakes, or a unique holiday-themed workshop with festive music, will create an experience that people want to participate in. To add a personal touch, you could offer exclusive holiday products or personalized swag that stir up the warm fuzzies that represent the season. 

2. Let consumers play. 

To elevate your experiential campaign and drive social engagement, offer interactive elements such as holiday-themed games and activities that bring out the kids at heart. Or, consider a VR experience that transports participants on a magical sleigh ride or to the North Pole. A festive photo booth, like a human-size snow globe, paired with a branded hashtag, is super-shareworthy and will generate buzz and excitement for your brand.

3. Let the street teams be merry.

For street teams, similar thinking should be applied. How do you want them to spread holiday cheer as they represent your brand and engage with the public? Is it in the spirit of giving?  Are there volunteer or donation opportunities that align with your brand purpose? Can they surprise and delight with a bit of holiday magic with branded holiday items? Is there a local tradition or annual event that brand teams can participate in?

The campaign message the street team is tasked with delivering doesn’t go away; it’s just wrapped in a different package with a holiday bow. 

4. Carry the cheer through the new year.

The campaign’s call to action can benefit from a little holiday dressing as well. At the next campaign touchpoint, make sure there is a follow-through so there is a cohesive experience and the audience knows you aren’t capitalizing on their holiday spirit for your gain. For example, if you ask your experiential audience to become social media followers or email subscribers, the next content they see should continue the holiday cheer. If there was a volunteer or donation component to the experiential strategy, follow up and share the outcomes of those efforts to maintain relevancy and connection. Or remind them of the joy they and the brand ambassadors experienced together.

Marketing during the holidays should balance putting the audiences’ needs first and presenting the brand in an authentic, relevant way that rises to the holiday occasion. It’s a good strategy for the rest of the year, too. Meeting consumers where they are in the various seasons, with a brand message that adds value to their experience, will create a series of interactions that develop into traditions.

With over 20 years of experience, ATN is your go-to experiential marketing staffing partner. From holiday street teams to festive pop-up events, we can provide top-notch brand ambassadors to spread holiday cheer to your target consumers!