The holiday season has arrived, bringing the enchantment of sparkling lights, festive decorations, and a deluge of holiday-themed commercials. Q4 is the peak season for consumer spending. And it’s a crucial time for advertisers to drive purchase intent and brand affinity via holiday streaming content.
Despite economic uncertainties, audiences are anticipated to open their wallets generously during the holidays this year, with the average shopper planning to spend $875+ on gifts, decorations, food, and other holiday items, according to an NRF study.
Across connected TV (CTV), the holiday season is the perfect time for advertisers and publishers to engage audiences through unique holiday content, smart targeting, and high-quality, unique advertising.
The Universal Appeal of Holiday Content
Holiday content transcends the boundaries of platforms, apps, and publishers, captivating audiences worldwide. Publishers looking to capitalize on the surge in audience interest have been investing in new holiday-themed content or securing licenses for beloved timeless classics. Moreover, the appeal of holiday-inspired content extends across different verticals and genres, like cooking, crafting, and travel, emphasizing the need to understand its total impact on audience satisfaction.
With all of the unique holiday content available, audience engagement peaks with increases in viewership and attention during the holiday months, reaching the highest points in December and into January. But audiences aren’t just passively watching – an analysis conducted by Playground XYZ revealed a nearly 50% increase in the average Attention Time for holiday-themed content. Co-viewing has also become a noticeable trend, with 60% of families watching at least one holiday movie together, as reported by Statista. With holiday content across nearly every streaming service, there is no shortage of opportunities to get your message out to consumers while they are leaned in.
Smart Strategies for Holiday Advertising
CTV provides the ideal platform for delivering your brand message, with nearly 100% completion rates, sound-on engagement, and the advantage of the largest screen in the household. Layered on top are the advantages of programmatic technologies, which allow advertisers to flex their messaging and approach as the holiday season goes on.
The flexibility of programmatic CTV can be a game-changer for both national and local brands, offering an array of publishers to deliver against and providing speed against optimization of messaging, targeting, and approach, ensuring campaigns remain agile and effective.
Increasing ad frequency during the holidays can break through the clutter of the season. However, monitoring performance is critical to avoid overwhelming viewers with the same message too many times.
As the season carries on, performance-driven creative is crucial to achieving optimal results. Aligning to contextually relevant content like food or lifestyle, can increase performance, depending on the type of advertiser. Additionally, creative supplementations, like QR codes, can add value to the viewer experience, encouraging audiences to take action.
Conclusion
The holiday season offers a golden opportunity for advertisers to engage their target audience, increase brand visibility, and drive sales across CTV. Advertisers of all scales can make the most of the season by embracing holiday content and thoughtful strategies.
To make your holiday campaign ring in the new year, check out TripleLift’s easy-to-activate CTV Holiday Bundle inside our Holiday Hub.
