While Australians are tightening their purse strings, retailers are holding out hope sales will improve heading into the festive season and donning their stores with all things Christmas.
However, brand tracking platform, Tracksuit has asked the big question: ‘is it too early for brands to start advertising their Christmas range?’
Two in five Australians (41%) think brands should hold out until at least November to launch Christmas marketing and advertising campaigns, while 29% think it’s acceptable to start advertising in October and 12% think as early as September is acceptable. Meanwhile, 13% think brands should hold off until December.
When it comes to thinking about Christmas, almost one-third (31%) say they only start to think about Christmas as soon as Halloween is over, but 21% think about it six months in advance, planning from around June. Further, 16% think of Christmas as soon as Black Friday comes around, with deals front of mind and 12% delay planning until Christmas Eve.
Tracksuit head of marketing, Mikayla Hopkins said the Christmas season is marked on a lot of people’s calendars but none more than retailers.
“It’s a time when shop owners look to equip their shops with Christmas decor and maximise their profits to finish the year off strong. This creates a competitive environment where retailers are forced to try and stand out from the crowd – often resulting in Christmas ads popping up earlier than some would expect. But is starting earlier always the better strategy?
“Our Tracksuit data indicates two-fifths (41%) of Australians prefer not seeing festive advertising until at least November, meaning there’s no one-size-fits-all answer regarding when brands should start donning their storefront with red and green.
“Instead, what determines the so-called ‘correct’ time to start advertising is dependent on your brand, your products and your target audience. For example, if Halloween is a significant sales period for your business, promoting Christmas products or sales in October is not optimal. On the flip side if Christmas is a primary revenue driver, launching campaigns in October is an option worth considering.
“To determine the best time to start your Christmas advertising campaign, brands should consider whether they’re reaching a broad audience or a specific niche. If your target market is large, you have more flexibility in your advertising approach. However, if your target audience is smaller, marketing through channels that align with their specific interests is a wise strategy.”