Opinion - Generation Media

Ensure campaign success this Q4

This month, Jonathan offers marketers advice on ensuring the necessary building blocks are in place to ensure success in the run-up to Christmas and beyond.

Ongoing production and shipping challenges, the cost-of-living crisis, the collapse of TV audiences – Q4 2022 is already shaping up one of the most demanding on record (even taking into account the challenges of the past couple of years).

To that end, advertising budgets will need to work harder than ever to deliver retail success. Here, we share our top recommendations for navigating the remainder of the marketing year, as well as establishing firm foundations for further gain in 2023.

Establish what constitutes success

With the myriad of options available to modern marketers, there is always the temptation to try new media channels or platforms without considering whether they are best placed to meet your overall objectives. Work with your agency to determine clear KPIs and align the channel selection to these.

Whilst the digital evolution in media should theoretically give us greater accountability, in reality this isn’t the case. Retailers currently provide limited information on conversion data, which will always pose a problem. And let’s not forget that our core audience - children - do not technically exist online. Whilst we have a much clearer identification path for parents and gift givers, this is only set to become harder as Google abolishes third-party cookies. We need to use Q4 to design futureproof KPIs that focus on engagement as a means of identifying audience and intent.

1st party data

Whilst the removal of third-party cookies from Google has the potential to make targeting parents and gift givers trickier, they will not be phased out until late 2023 (based on the latest market intelligence). There are a host of options available to combat this, not least contextual targeting (which the toy market is arguably the most well equipped for, based on this being our primary means of reaching children). However, the collation of first party data is as vital as it has ever been. Building a clear picture of who your current consumers are, and how best to reach them, will be critical not only for above the line marketing activity, but crucially for direct-toconsumer commerce which is becoming increasingly important for many brands.

Invest in creative

In the age of privacy and restriction, ad avoidance is higher than ever, so creative cut through has never been more important. The explosion in the number of channels and formats available to advertisers means traditional techniques such as reconstituting TV creatives are becoming less effective. Wherever possible, look to build creatives which are bespoke to your chosen platforms, and look to build multiple versions for A/B effectiveness testing. If this doesn’t appear feasible within your budget, then enter negotiations with your chosen media suppliers – increasingly, suppliers are offering creative solutions as part of the overall budget proposal.

Cross-promote product ranges

Whilst hyper targeting is now possible both online and offline, many of the most cost-effective media channels still provide a great opportunity to reach dual audiences. For these channels, consider how best to make use of the space being bought in terms of messaging. Are there key educational messages that would be relevant to parents? Is there a range extension you can showcase to an older or younger sibling? The media landscape is more competitive than ever, so make sure you are maximizing your time with your audiences.

Invest in research

Arguably the most important point of all, make sure you have a strong understanding of your target audience and how best to reach and engage with them. Whilst many online platforms provide copious amounts of data on adult audiences, the same is not possible for children’s audiences due to data regulations. As also outlined previously, the removal of third-party cookies will also reduce the volume of data points available when targeting parents and gift givers, so investing in unique research will act as further future proofing.

The choices that you make now regarding your Q4 2022 advertising will have far reaching effects on the future of your brand portfolio. Therefore, ensuring that the necessary building blocks are in place is fundamental to future success.

Jonathan Chambers Director of AV Investment, Generation Media. Tel: 0207 307 7906 Jonathan.Chambers@generationmedia.co.uk