Ben Shaw, MullenLowe’s CSO and other industry experts share how to navigate the post-Christmas slump in order to keep customers engaged after the festive season. In the article they discuss strategies for brands to maintain customer engagement during the typically quiet period following the holiday rush.
One way to do this is by embracing the realities of January and the calmness consumers crave once the hectic Christmas period is over. As Ben Shaw, chief strategy officer at MullenLowe, suggests:"January marks a shift from pleasure to pressure Eat this. Do this. Start this. Stop this. Suddenly, it's all function and no fun, as businesses try and shed the dregs of the previous season (hello, January sales) and hop from one minor 'calendar moment' to another, rather than really connecting with the complex emotions of a difficult season." Shaw argues that brands should"embrace the slump" by leaning into "cosy mode" or even"goblin mode", celebrating the downtime and offering comforting, relatable content. "I'd love to see more brands embrace the slump and enter cosy mode; I'm thinking Domino's recovery channel," he adds.
Instead of focusing on productivity and resolutions, brands can create campaigns that resonate emotionally with consumers feeling the weight of the post-holiday period. Humour, in particular, is a powerful tool. Shaw highlights campaigns like Surreal's "Can't be bothered?" which tap into the collective mood of relaxation and recovery.
