Do you like Soca Parang? There is a large chance that even if you don’t like it, that you can tolerate it around Christmas time. The whole genre is quite amazing. Imagine something that I can’t listen to for 11 months of the year, becomes one of my favourite things for 31 days. This made me think about artistes who focus on the genre, like Scrunter. I wondered what he did for the other eleven months of the year. I didn’t find out but I’m sure that despite him not having a new song in years, I can guarantee that every Christmas he is totally booked out. And that is the magic of the Christmas.

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Christmas is just one of those nostalgic seasons, where we try to recreate feelings from the years before. The smell of fresh paint, the spirit of sharing and camaraderie, the social pressures to buy gifts for your loved ones... it’s the best time of the year. These elements help us to remember the feeling of a “perfect” Christmas. This feeling is what we try to replicate every year when we play Scrunter’s music while cleaning the house with the ham in the oven. We already know that this season is known for increased consumerism. People buy more food and drinks, random products that will be used as gifts, wrapping paper and so much more. Obviously businesses are happy to benefit around this season, but many businesses are so focused on sales, that they are missing out on an important opportunity to position their brand as being a part of the tradition. So instead of being a random vendor, your brand could get the opportunity to be associated with Christmas. This approach is a long-term strategy, to position your brand to have loyal customers over the years.

Before we move forward, let me clarify my intentions. My goal is not to help you manipulate the masses to trick them into buying from you. It’s a fact that Christmas is one of the most active time for consumers. I just believe that many business owners need to shift their mindset from just making a quick dollar, to strengthening their brand presence by actually becoming a part of the tradition. This is a mutually beneficial tactic, as it enriches the consumer experience and helps businesses to gain customer loyalty in the long run. With that being said, this advice may not suit every business. However, if you believe that your business shares some values that can be incorporated with Christmas, by all means go forth and strategize.

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Can we proceed now? Thank you. We can safely say that as a result of this high level of consumerism there is a spike in Christmas-themed advertising material flooding our channels during the season. Christmas Sales Flyers, Parang-based radio ads, Commercials and even social media ads which mainly surround the message: “buy my product for Christmas.” They all highlight what they have available and some contact info, but there is one main problem here. The quantity of these ads causes an overwhelming amount of information, that largely focuses on each store and their products. This means that unless the product is truly special or costs much lower than the competition, the message will be lost in a sea of ads. Don’t get me wrong though, you should use every avenue possible to reach your audience, but for ads with generic content like these you will have a hard time standing out.

The Solution: Story Driven Content

So the bottom line is that businesses need to produce content and ads around Christmas just to stay relevant. But if you want a chance to become a part of the tradition, firstly they will need to stand out by using story-driven ads, commercials or content that tug on your audience's heart strings. Here are the reasons why this works:

1. You WILL stand out

Your message will be very different from what 99% of the market is saying. This puts your brand to be in a pole position to stand out from the rest. Instead of just saying “shop at our store,” your brand might say “spread love to your fellow man,” through a story about generosity at Christmas.

2. Truly Connect with your audience.

You get a chance to connect with your audience on an emotional level, by highlighting a topic that truly matters. Let’s be honest, the consumerism is mainly a result of the spirit of the season, which is rooted in good will and spirituality for the most part. A brand sharing these beliefs with their audience, will live in the hearts and minds of the audience for all the right reasons.

3. Makes you more relatable

Doing content like this shows that you’re human too. The spirit of family and camaraderie is strongest at Christmas time. People want to connect with people that share the same values and feel like they are a part of the family. Seeing you create content like this makes you feel like a part of the family..

4. Your very own Christmas story

Who doesn’t love Christmas movies? So imagine having one that surrounds your brand. As mentioned before, Christmas traditions have a way of living on for generations to come. Your ad might be the ‘Home Alone’ for the next generation. This gives your content natural longevity and potential virality.

5. Good Karma

This one may be a little left field but hear me out. Christmas-themed content has the potential to give hope to an audience, it can inspire generosity and promote good will. Sharing a powerful and positive message can only help bring positive energy back to you and your business.

Check out this example of a great Christmas ad.

The bottom line is that at the time I am writing this, we are 90 days away from 2020, and the innovation that we are experiencing is unlike any other. It’s only fair that we improve our marketing efforts as well. Funny enough, storytelling is nothing new and is even used by some of the more popular companies such as JMMB, Bmobile and Unit Trust. It has been popularized by agencies in the US, which is renowned for having some of the most dynamic advertising agencies in the world. It just seems that the majority of businesses in Trinidad and Tobago, don’t seem to get it and would prefer settle with traditional marketing methods over something different. As mentioned before, nothing is wrong with doing both, but if there was ever a time to utilize the power of emotive storytelling, it’s during this Christmas season. Especially as we launch into 2020, with new ideas and new strategies. Let us move closer to our audiences with the tools we have available.

If you are thinking of doing some Christmas themed content, you can email us at connect@paperclipmedia.co or call +1(868)298-0768. You can beat the Christmas rush by setting up an appointment today.