5 things brands must avoid this festive season

Even though Indian festivals have existed for thousands of years, ways of celebrations have evolved and continue to change with the year. Globalisation has strengthened roots, and family structures are different.

People today are not bound by geographical limitations to celebrate with their loved ones. Virtual celebrations and e-commerce purchases have become crucial for people to join the festivities irrespective of where they are and make their loved ones feel special.

Brands must pay attention to the needs of their audiences and tweak their lens accordingly — to ensure they fit into the lives of their consumers.

Here are 5 things brands must avoid.

Having a region-specific strategy

Brands must go beyond geographical targeting with festive campaigns. Leveraging precise targeting to reach all those who follow the culture is a better approach.

Since culture and language are intrinsically related, amplifying the brand message among those comfortable with the language, irrespective of where they live, would help the brand increase the campaign’s impact.

A language-first strategy is thus an excellent way for brands to attain results that surpass their campaign goals.

Translating the same creative in multiple languages

Several festivals in India are celebrated across the country, albeit following different customs and rituals. For brands to wish the various communities with the same message, translated into several languages, is not an effective strategy today.

Brands must divide the audiences into finer segments and create unique narratives for each relevant set. In the next step, they can leverage precise targeting and language-first communication to enhance the effectiveness of their strategy.

Focussing on just the tentpole days

While wishing consumers on big festivals is key, brands must have a sustained presence through the festive season.

Creating campaigns that start well before the festival day and stay on for a while after the high-decibel excitement has slowed is crucial for building long-term relationships with consumers. Such campaigns can help increase brand awareness and top-of-mind recall, allowing brands to become a part of their consumers’ lives.

Following the time-tested strategy

Marketers associated with legacy brands likely have time-tested festive strategies up their sleeves. They have the experience of crafting several successful campaigns over the years, almost a blueprint for success.

However, today, brands must go beyond these strategies and experiment. Audiences have changed, and so have the channels to reach them effectively. Marketers must tailor their festive plans according to their customers’ current and specific needs.

Ignoring mobile-first consumers

India has* over 1.2 billion mobile phone users and 600 million smartphone users. Brands must invest their resources to create impactful mobile-first narratives.

Tapping into ShareChat & Moj’s mobile native ad solutions like Studio Ads, ShareChat Branded Shares, and Instant Pages can go a long way in helping brands enter the everyday conversations of Indic language-first users.

Contact us today to access your brand’s roadmap to success with custom ad solutions to reach your intended audience and turn them into repeat customers.

*Data source:

1. LiveMint