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5 Ways to Integrate Your Mascot into Your Holiday Campaign
- December 7, 2020
- By Admin : Hogtown Mascots
- Views : 1614 views
It is that time of year again; you blinked, and the next thing you know, we’re deep into the holiday season.
The holiday season is an opportune time for businesses to generate revenues and for non-profit organisations to make a seasonal push for donations. Companies and charities usually employ holiday campaigns to build brand awareness, relying on a diverse array of strategies to attract extra attention and improve the balance sheet. From greater advertising spending to special offers, there are plenty of tactics to help finish off the year on a high-note!
For entities that have a mascot, it is a great idea to incorporate your brand ambassador into your overall holiday campaign endeavours. For many, the mascot is an important part of your brand identity. By tapping into the increased exposure of your holiday marketing campaign, you’re increasing your audience pool who will come to recognize your mascot (and brand) throughout the year!
But how do you go about integrating your mascot into your holiday marketing initiatives? We have compiled a list of six tried-and-tested ways to use your mascot to amplify your brand awareness during the single busiest retail period of the year.
1. Adding Your Mascot to Seasonal Packaging
Whether or not your mascot is a permanent fixture on your product packaging, giving them a seasonal makeover is a great way to add some holiday appeal to your product. A simple Santa hat paired with classic red, green, and gold hues on your packaging also helps connect and engage with customers looking for Christmas gift ideas.
2. Social Media & Digital Marketing
Whether you are publishing YouTube video advertisements or are purchasing search engine banner ads, why not insert your mascot into the marketing materials? Since it can be hard to get your mascot in public and face-to-face due to coronavirus-related restrictions, you can expose the character to an online audience. With more people at home and on the internet, this is a great way to introduce your mascot character, or share a friendly, identifiable face with your online audience!
Is your organisation active on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram? If so, you are likely laying out various social media marketing campaigns. An easy trick to add another layer and personality to your efforts is to create an account specifically designated for your mascot. Here are some tips to consider:
- Tag your mascot when appropriate to generate traffic to your mascot’s social media account.
- Run contests or promotions through the mascot account to increase activity and exposure.
- Share photos of your mascot doing funny things or utilising your product or service.
- Ensure that your mascot is active on social media and engaging with the audience.
Moreover, try to make your mascot a permanent part of your social media initiative.
3. Walk in the Community
Is face-to-face marketing dead in the COVID-19 era? Perhaps it’s on pause. But that does not mean you cannot take your mascot outside for a walk in the community, while taking the necessary public health precautions, such as wearing masks and socially distancing. Particularly during a time when more people are embracing the safety of outdoor events, get your mascot involved in organized outdoor events, such as drive-through parades, or outdoor Christmas markets.
Besides, at a time when there is so much uncertainty, doom, and gloom, your mascot could bring some much-needed cheer to local communities.
4. Add to the Retail Experience
Are you a small business that offers curbside pickup? Your customers place their orders online or on the phone, schedule a time to pick up the product, arrive to the scene in their vehicles, and leave the scene. While a safe alternative to in-person shopping, the process is formulaic and dull, and certainly takes the thrill out of Christmas shopping. Here is your chance to liven up the event.
In addition to store employees, you can have a mascot participate in the curbside pickup. Or, if your store personally delivers an order without using Canada Post or FedEx, you can always have a mascot take part in the delivery, too.
Indeed, a curbside pickup or delivery may not be a holiday campaign, but it is one more tool in your arsenal to stand apart from your rivals and create a lasting impression on your customers during this busy time of the year.
Who knows? You might generate some media attention in the end, which is always a plus for any business during a highly competitive season.
5. Partner with Influencers
Influencers have become an integral component to ecommerce and digital marketing. Consumers are suffering from deal fatigue, from coupon codes to special promotions. Sometimes, shoppers want an authentic face to “vouch” for the product, and offer some savings. This is especially true when customers are doing the vast majority of their spending online without ever engaging with a person.
Therefore, if you have the budget in your holiday marketing campaign, leverage the power of the all-mighty social media influencer! But take it one step further and have your mascot as part of the influencer-engagement.
Unsure what you can do? Here are some recommendations:
- A Zoom call between the mascot and the influencer using your product.
- In-person photos (socially distanced, of course) promoting your good, service, or cause.
- A shoutout to the mascot in a tweet or Facebook posting, with the mascot replying.
If you have the right mascot attached to your company or non-profit organisation, it can create tremendous value for your holiday campaign. Incorporate them into your seasonal product design, digital marketing efforts, social media campaigns, or ecommerce ventures to increase exposure during the holiday season, and create brand recognition which will last year-round.