Strategies for Diversified (and Successful) Holiday Promotional Planning

In the United States, the holiday season is a significant shopping period, with November and December being the biggest shopping months, according to the National Retail Federation. However, with the American population being more racially and ethnically diverse than ever before, as stated by the U.S. Census Bureau, B2C businesses need to adapt their marketing strategies to cater to a diverse customer base.

An effective and inclusive holiday marketing strategy is essential for brands to reach a wide audience during the holiday season. To achieve this, businesses can incorporate several thoughtful steps that respect various holiday traditions and feelings.

Firstly, it's crucial to account for diverse feelings about the holiday season. Not all customers celebrate the holidays in the same way—some may feel joy, others stress, or may not celebrate at all. Therefore, creating messaging that is neutral and sensitive, avoiding assumptions about universal celebration or traditions, is key.

Secondly, businesses should aim to relieve holiday stress. This can be achieved by offering convenience, easy shopping experiences, and stress-relief rather than pressuring customers to overspend or participate in a "holiday frenzy." This could be through clear, calm messaging and helpful offers.

Thirdly, it's important to spotlight diversity and inclusivity. Reflecting and celebrating a wide range of cultural backgrounds, traditions, and lifestyles in creative assets and communications can help create authentic representation.

Fourthly, businesses can target advertising using data and segmentation. By understanding consumer demographic, behavioral, and lifestyle data, businesses can segment their audience and tailor their messaging, channels, and offers to each segment's preferences and shopping habits.

Fifthly, businesses should think outside traditional holiday norms. Creating campaigns that extend beyond traditional motifs by focusing on themes like community, togetherness, stress relief, or personal milestones can help address different types of celebrations or priorities.

Sixthly, using an omnichannel approach with synchronized messaging can help businesses reach customers across multiple platforms. Tailoring lookalike audiences and messages specific to each channel and integrating data across channels can unify the experience and increase relevance.

Holiday-specific marketing could backfire if assumptions about the audience are incorrect, potentially turning followers off of the brand. Therefore, focusing on themes that everyone may be experiencing during the holiday season, such as cooler weather, extra time with loved ones, and approaching a new year, can help ensure inclusivity.

Online advertising can be used to target holiday-specific marketing messages to the right audience. Approximately 1.2 million people in the U.S. identify as nonbinary, as per a 2021 study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law. A diverse range of holiday traditions are celebrated worldwide, including in the U.S. where every household has unique customs.

To create an inclusive and effective holiday marketing strategy, brands should avoid naming specific holidays in marketing and advertising messages. Instead, they can focus on themes that resonate with a broader audience. Consider relieving stress in your marketing messages by focusing on making them humorous, promoting charitable giving, or offering unique promotions.

Using "we," "us," and "you" as pronouns in marketing copy can help show inclusivity and care for customers' points of view. Traditional holiday advertising is outdated or offensive, and brands can make their target audience's holiday season brighter with messaging that is inclusive, showcases diversity, and provides value.

A content specialist at ClearVoice can help create an inclusive holiday marketing strategy to reach more customers this holiday season. By embracing empathy, representation, and personalization, businesses can build trust and loyalty beyond just the holiday season itself.

Brands can create messaging that resonates with a diverse population by focusing on themes like cooler weather, time with loved ones, and entering a new year, rather than naming specific holidays.
To provide value and showcase diversity during the holiday season, businesses should aim to use humor, promote charitable giving, or offer unique promotions in their marketing messages.
Using inclusive language such as "we," "us," and "you" in marketing copy shows customers that the brand cares about their perspectives and fosters a sense of connection.