The holiday season is in full swing with Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday in the rear view, and Christmas coming up. But just because those holidays gave us 5 day weekends doesn’t mean that building your brand can take a day off. In fact, using the warmth and meaning of the holidays can enhance your brand, if you play it right.
Consumers associate brands with memories, and there’s very few memories that are more powerful than the holiday season. From Santa Claus to family gatherings, there’s many positive associations. Sports are already full of emotions. Combine that with this winter season and you have a powerful 1-2 punch. Here are some tips to make the holidays work for your sports brand:
Set a Giving Mood – while Black Friday is associated with consumerism, the holidays are a giving time. Set the tone through donations. Cash is the most common, but there are other ways of giving back, from clothing drives to can food drives. Let’s face it – most of us have too much stuff we never use. Now is the time to make something of it.
Use Holiday Colors – as in the first point, you want to set the TONE of the holidays. Christmas is associated with red and green – you can change the colors of your website, Twitter and Facebook AV, even email contact info. Colors give off a sense of familiarity that is key for people to connect with your brand. It’s a subtle, but important change.
SHOW – the holidays are a visual time. From turkey on the dinner table, to a decorated Christmas tree, it’s a great opportunity for people to connect with your brand visually. The key here isn’t to innovate – it’s to give your own twist on holiday classics.
Examples: The NFL associates with the holiday season as well as any sports league. It begins with the Thanksgiving football game featuring the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions, an annual tradition that dates back to 1934. The winter weather also plays a big part of the NFL playoffs – think of all the memorable games played out in the snow.
The NBA’s Christmas day games are also becoming an annual tradition, as the league trots out heavy hitters like the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers to the forefront of the league.
By having a plan and putting thought into your content, the holidays are a great opportunity to expand your sports brand.
