‘Twas the week before Thanksgiving, when all thru the mail, the catalogs were flying, setting the stage for retail!
Black Friday is the traditional start to the Christmas shopping season and as the big day nears, the holiday buzz is brewing with festive direct mail. Take a look at the trends we’re seeing.
Black Friday is Now!
Outerknown, Tovala, Made In, Burrow, Dunning and Modani were among the brands that committed to a Black Friday start day long ago when direct mail files were due. Therefore, the sale message for these brands has the strength of being consistent across all their promotional channels.
Deck Their Halls…and Yours, too!
Home brands are embracing the holidays with direct mail pieces that capture the warmth and beauty of the season. They’re positioning themselves as gift destinations and also appealing to those who want to create a festive home for the holidays.
Get Ready for Gifting
Gift brands enter their busiest time of the year by showcasing holiday gifts front and center, many offering discounts of 10%-20%. The spirit of giving sets a good mood for the holidays—and a good mood leads to open wallets.
Winter Fashion is in Fashion
In a twist on November catalogs, many apparel brands opted to focus on winter fashion without holiday propping and environments.
Famous Faces Come to Direct Mail
The stars are shining in catalog land! Gisele Bündchen is the new face of Frame, featured on their winter cover. Gigi Hadid is the cover model for her one-year-old Guest In Residence cashmere brand.
The Beauty Buzz
Whether for stuffing stockings or looking ahead to a “new year and a new you,” beauty brands have consumers covered with everything from travel-size treats to gift sets filled with all the glam.
It’s a White Out!
Three brands that outfit outdoor enthusiasts, Black Diamond, Stio and Aether, appealed to their customers’ sense of adventure with epic winter scenes on their direct mail covers. Consumers are still spending on experiences. When they need new gear to take along, these brands will be top-of-mind.
Put Some Bling on It!
Beaming models on Helzberg, Monica Rich Kosann and Noemi covers suggests that jewelry would be on the top of her gift list, while Aurate and Foundrae took more graphic product-centric creative approaches.
Create a Merry Mix!
Many brands leverage multiple formats as part of their direct marketing strategy. The goals in doing this are two-fold:
- The change in formats and creative keeps the brand fresh in front of both customers and prospects
- The use of cost-effective small formats to compliment the more expensive full-size catalogs helps to improve overall ROAS
We’re noticing many formats in the mail during the important holiday season.
The Holiday Countdown is Just Getting Started…
Always look to Belardi Wong for the latest insights on holiday creative. We’ll have more coming your way as the season progresses!
