This post was created in partnership with Roundel
Holiday shopping allows brands to surprise and delight consumers. And there’s a huge opportunity to turn those seasonal moments into lasting relationships.
During an ADWEEK House Advertising HQ fireside chat co-hosted with Roundel, Liz Kneebone, VP of community programs and development at ADWEEK, spoke with Jenny Holleran, VP of partner solutions group at Roundel, and Meredith Diehn, SVP of marketing at Goodwipes, about creating joyful consumer experiences across channels and throughout the year.
Meeting shoppers in the moment
Holleran kicked off the discussion with a familiar scenario. You walk into Target for one thing and leave with a Christmas tree, a few unexpected purchases, and a $300 bill.
Since shoppers don’t follow a linear path from inspiration to purchase, Target and Roundel’s goal is to make those unplanned discoveries enjoyable. That means finding ways to inspire shoppers digitally and in stores that add to their experience rather than disrupt it.
For Diehn, joy starts with understanding consumer pain points. Goodwipes, a flushable wipe brand, shows up at events like marathons, where bathrooms can be less than ideal, and uses luxe packaging to make the product experience feel a little more special.
“For us, it’s understanding what those pain points are, and how can a booty wipe, as simple as that, provide a little bit of fun and joy?” Diehn said.
During the holidays, Goodwipes also considers the needs of people hosting family and friends. “It’s a time of stress for people that are hosting,” Diehn pointed out. Goodwipes looks for ways to make hosting easier and help people create a better bathroom experience for their guests.
Building continuity beyond the tentpole
Both speakers saw seasonal moments as opportunities to introduce consumers to a brand and build relationships that continue throughout the year. Diehn pointed to nostalgia, as consumers think about the traditions they grew up with and the new ones they want to pass on to their kids.
And Holleran emphasized the importance of staying in front of consumers beyond major advertising tentpole moments like the holidays, the Super Bowl, and back to school.
According to Holleran, it’s important to consider this question: “How are you showing up and reminding consumers to purchase your product, because they had that joy during that big seasonal introductory moment, and continuing that through until it becomes routine?”
Diehn added that brands should also pay attention to other inflection points on a consumer’s personal calendar, such as training for a marathon or packing a postpartum hospital bag. These everyday personal moments can create opportunities to connect with consumers when they have a specific need, alongside the bigger seasonal occasions.
For their final advice, Holleran urged marketers to start with the guest rather than the media channel or KPI. Diehn emphasized delighting existing communities. She gave the example of Goodwipes DMing followers to offer care packages as a thank you.
“That kind of joy, of feeling like a brand that you love loves you right back, is something that you can’t replicate,” Diehn said.
