How to Make the Most of Christmas and Year-End Advertising

As we approach the end of 2024, the Christmas and year-end season brings a special energy for both brands and consumers. It’s a time of high consumption, with people crowding shopping malls, main streets, and events to shop, celebrate, and share time with family.

 

In this context, programmatic advertising in DOOH (Digital Out of Home) becomes a powerful tool to capture audiences’ attention in key locations. Programmatic DOOH allows brands to deliver relevant, personalized messages to large audiences, with the ability to adjust content in real time based on location, time, weather, and the audience. How can you maximize this technology during the holiday season?

 

Benefits of programmatic DOOH for holiday campaigns

• Real-time flexibility: Unlike traditional campaigns, programmatic DOOH enables real-time message adjustments based on time of day, weather, or days of the week. During the holiday season, this means brands can launch different promotions or ads tailored to each phase of December, extending through New Year’s (or even Epiphany), encouraging last-minute purchases and specific promotions for peak traffic times.

• Precise segmentation: Programmatic advertising allows targeting specific audiences based on location and context. This is crucial for maximizing the impact of holiday campaigns, where the audience is highly receptive. Brands can display messages near shopping areas, events, or high-traffic zones to reach consumers when they’re most likely to make purchases.

• Real-time measurement and optimization: One of the major advantages of programmatic advertising is the ability to measure campaign performance in real-time and make immediate adjustments. During the holiday season, where competition for attention is intense, this capability is vital to maximize ROI.

 

Creative strategies for programmatic holiday DOOH campaings

• Personalized messages by location and time: Leveraging the flexibility of programmatic DOOH to tailor messages based on location and time of day is key. For example, near shopping areas, brands can display midday-exclusive promotions to attract shoppers taking a break or end-of-day deals for those leaving work.

• Incorporating real-time triggers: A powerful advantage is using triggers like weather or time to further personalize messages. For instance, on a cold day, an ad for a hot drink or sweaters may resonate better with the audience. On a sunny afternoon, the message could focus on outdoor activities or shopping.

• Festive creativity: During this season, consumers respond positively to festive imagery, vibrant colors, and Christmas or New Year’s elements. Ensuring ad creativity captures the holiday spirit will make campaigns more appealing and emotionally engaging for audiences.

 

Practical ideas for programmatic DOOH campaigns this season

• Countdowns to Christmas or New Year: An eye-catching strategy is implementing a countdown showing days, hours, or even minutes until Christmas or New Year. This approach is ideal for limited-time promotions, creating urgency and reminding consumers how little time they have left to take advantage of special offers.

• Last-minute campaigns for late shoppers: Programmatic DOOH enables specific messaging for last-minute shoppers. Campaigns can be scheduled to activate in the days leading up to Christmas, focusing on high-traffic locations and showcasing product messages or special discounts for those seeking last-minute gifts.

• Cross-promotions with QR codes and instant discounts: Incorporating QR codes into DOOH ads is an excellent way to connect offline and online experiences, offering special discounts or promotions. By scanning the QR code, consumers can receive a coupon to use in-store or at a nearby location, boosting real-time visits and purchases. However, not all screens and locations are ideal for QR codes. Consider indoor formats and high-resolution devices, as well as designs that ensure the QR code works correctly.

 

Trends and best practices to maximize success

 

• Traffic-based message automation: Using traffic data from DOOH locations to display ads during peak hours is an excellent practice. This ensures the ads are seen by the largest number of people and allows brands to optimize budgets by focusing ads during high-impact moments.

• Social media integration: Programmatic DOOH can also integrate with social media campaigns, creating an omnichannel experience. For example, brands can invite consumers to share their holiday experiences on social media using a specific hashtag and display them on DOOH screens. This strategy amplifies campaign reach and encourages audience interaction.

• Retargeting to extend online campaigns: After a consumer has been exposed to a DOOH ad, it’s possible to retarget them online through display or video campaigns, reminding them of the promotions or incentives seen on the street. This is an excellent way to increase brand recall and reinforce the message across different channels—and vice versa.

 

In summary, programmatic holiday DOOH campaigns offer an exceptional opportunity to connect with audiences in a relevant and engaging way, leveraging strategic moments and locations to maximize impact. With the strategies mentioned above, programmatic DOOH provides a unique competitive advantage during the season.

By taking advantage of these possibilities, brands can stand out, capture the audience’s attention, and create emotional impact during a key time of year. Audiences are ready to celebrate and consume, and DOOH campaigns through programmatic platforms can help ensure every message reaches the right place at the right time.

 

By Nicolás Maslo, VP Beeyond Media - www.beeyondmedia.com