Well hello summer 2020. Where did you come from? Things aren’t quite the same this year, are they? And while I don’t want to bang on about “C who shall not be mentioned” and how downright depressing it’s been, the pandemic will undoubtedly impact seasonal marketing. So, what’s the current mood? Are we all gagging to get on a plane or are we happy eating ice-pops in lounge shorts? Summer 2020 Marketing – Join me to check out what’s hot and what not.
Fashion Marketing – Stay Bang on Trend
When it comes to successful marketing, staying on top of trends is a must. As is knowing your audience and thinking about how everyone’s feeling. To keep things simple, let’s take a look at what’s been happening of late. Bike sales have risen by up to 40% due to the Covid pandemic. That’s whopping but shows people are thinking about safety and avoiding public transport. The UK has also promised to invest £2 billion in new walking and cycling routes as people look for ways to get around that comply with social distancing.
Interestingly, the current environment has had a ripple effect on the fashion industry with many brands now promoting loungewear and exercise gear. Check out New Look’s take on the sassy cycling short look. Animal print exercise shorts? Awesome!
While picnics and BBQs boost supermarket sales as lockdown rules ease, gingham has also found its way back into the spotlight with brands such as Topshop pushing that all-important ‘picnic perfect’ look. With popular summer clubbing spots still trying to revive after the pandemic, pushing outdoor wear rather than disco dresses and sky-high heels seems to be the angle of many fashion houses.
Topshop even took the whole ‘trend’ thing one step further by reminding us just how hot Tiger King was during lockdown. Numbers estimated by Nielsen show that the Tiger King drew a huge 34.3 million unique viewers in its first ten days, making it one of Netflix’s most popular original shows.
Top tips for marketers
- Focus on current trends and push your most-relevant products
- Link to the relevant shopping pages to move people along the sales funnel
- Accompany your social media posts with witty taglines and bright imagery to catch the attention of your followers
While we’re on the subject of fashion. Let’s discuss the elephant in the room. Lockdown weight gain. Indeed, a recent study by King’s College London and Ipsos MORI surveyed 2,254 people, with 48% of respondents saying they have put on weight during the lockdown period. So, what can you do during this period that will help people relax and enjoy your brand?
- Represent all body shapes where possible. If you’re catering to a wide audience such as Ashley Graham’s Swimsuits for All, make sure you reflect your brand in your marketing. This means including models of all different shapes and ethnicities for inclusivity.
- Work with popular influencers of all different sizes to showcase your diversity and product flexibility. Tagging an influencer relative to your industry will help boost brand awareness and hopefully sales.
- Add a personalised element to the shopping experience to make people feel valued and appreciated no matter what style they like or size they are. Often people simply need some guidance to look and feel great. So, providing this can set you apart as a go-to brand this summer.
- Don’t forget to make relevant posts shoppable. Jacamo UK has a Wears category on Instagram Stories, linking to the products they post.
Travel Marketing – Be Useful and Relevant
Sorry travel marketers. We know you’ve had a difficult time of late what with the airport closures and lockdown scenario. Tough times indeed. But summer tourism season is not dead. In fact, things are starting to look slightly rosier with many countries opening their borders once again. So, what’s going on in the travel world and how are marketers responding?
Staycation boom
According to Booking.com, there’s been a sharp increase in domestic travel planning, with 71% of Americans wish-listing domestic locations, up from 58% last year. What’s more, a new survey by The Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) revealed how 62% of consumers will be looking to shun air travel in favour of hopping in their car with road trips up by 72% since last summer. A whopping 46% will even drive more than 5 hours to reach a vacation place safely.
So, it’s a good idea to:
- Flaunt those stay at home trips. Come on guys, it’s not all about heading to the far corners of the world, right? Not right now anyway.
- Know when you’re needed. Sure, Jeep’s not a travel brand. But they’re leaping right on the adventure promo trail and showcasing the Jeep brand in style. The seamless promotion of their app is a nice touch too.
Social distancing
Yes, social distancing is still a thing. So, if you’re looking to drum up interest in your travel brand, you must.
- Promote health and safety efforts while still maintaining your appeal as a holiday hotspot. Check out the Fairmont Ajman’s Instagram account for some inspiration. I particularly liked this post showcasing a safe way to soak up the sun.
- Promote high standards of cleanliness. There’s nothing quite like a spray bottle of disinfectant and a mask to get people excited right now. Sad, but probably more than true given the current climate.
Honest marketing – Making a Comeback
If you struggled during the peak of the covid-19 pandemic, you’re not alone. Popular brands such as Marmite were also swept off their feet as pub closures led to a scarcity of brewer’s yeast. Crazy? We know right. But the brand did several things to put things right.
Firstly, they were honest about what happened – in true Marmite style.
Why we like this:
- It’s honest and informative
- It’s humorous and on-brand yet reassuring and to-the-point
- It combines their trademark #LoveItOrHateIt hashtag
Secondly, they came back with a bang promoting the “world’s first social distancing deo” – that’s deodorant to you and I. Yes, that’s right, Marmite has officially teamed up with Lynx to deliver a product designed to “keep haters away and lovers close(ish)”, a reference to the immortal “love it or hate it” Marmite marketing campaign. The new fragrance contains “aromatic notes of lavandin, white moss, and green herbs, along with woody profiles of creamy sandalwood and cedarwood – unexpectedly met with a salty punch of Marmite.”
Mad? Yes! Needed? Probably. Hats off for getting our attention.
Top tip for marketers:
- Stay in the limelight by pushing boundaries.
- Keep consumers updated with any exciting news from your brand.
- Post regularly to maintain brand interest.
If you want to go down the more traditional route of a giveaway, that’s OK too. Everyone loves a freebie. So, why not take a leaf out of 7-Eleven’s marketing book. Covid-19 threw a spanner in the works of 7-Eleven-Day, but they didn’t let it dampen the mood.
Summer competitions and giveaways are great for:
- Keeping people interested and active on your social media channels
- Promoting feel good brand awareness
- Launching new products and services
Summer 2020 Marketing – What Not To Do
We’ve talked a bit about marketing tips and ideas, but what shouldn’t you do?Here’s a quick rundown of the definite nos for summer 2020 marketing.
- Don’t Guilt Trip – Don’t make consumers feel bad for not taking a holiday, spending money on retail or subscribing to your service. Instead try to understand the current barriers to sale.
- Don’t Generalise – Some people are wearing masks, some aren’t. Some feel great about traveling, some don’t. Avoid alienating a segment of your clients by generalising, making assumptions or judgments.
- Don’t Make False Promises – Be very clear about your shipping times, refund procedures and any guarantees. Now is not the time to garner bad publicity because you’ve over promised and under delivered.
- Don’t Ignore Customer Questions – Right now the social media channels are buzzing with confusion, questions and consumers needing assistance. Make sure you have your best people (or agency!) on the job to answer them swiftly.
Want help with your summer 2020 marketing? Send me a message and let’s talk. Now, where are those ice pops …?