January blues

Andy Ball, managing director of Balls2 Marketing, talks leveraging trends and annual events in marketing campaigns.

2020 has already seen some pretty impressive marketing campaigns delivered, with many of them taking advantage of big lifestyle trends. As is the norm for January, after months of being encouraged to indulge, we’re hit from all directions with diet and fitness products and messages.

Even more prominent this year has been the wave of brands launching new vegan food ranges for Veganuary; from KFC to the Co-Op and more alcohol brands pushing non-alcoholic alternatives, so those struggling through Dry January don’t need to miss that night out.

It shows that these brands have a real understanding of their customer base. Their messages talk directly to the people they are trying to sell to and that is key to any effective marketing strategy.

There are a few tips that we can take from this; number one is do your customer research. Find out who you need to be talking to and what they want. You also need to look at what platform you are sending messages on. Social media is a fantastic tool, but if your audience reads the trade press, it’s not where you need to be.

Of course, it’s not normally that black and white, and in B2B marketing, where there’s a real mix of ages and backgrounds, a multi-channel approach is usually the best way to go.

Another is to look at other issues, trends and events in the wider world and see how your product and service can make a connection with your potential customers. Environmental issues aren’t going away anytime soon and more consumers will be looking closely at how their buying habits are affecting the world around them – this includes home improvement products.

On a lighter note, there are some excellent sporting events coming up this year with the Euros and Olympics – why not look at how you can work one of your campaigns this year around the Lions or Team GB?