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Why is everyone dropping the C-bomb? The festive one, don’t worry 🤪 It’s still over 2 months away! Plus you’re skipping over the good stuff… Halloween, bonfire night, my birthday (the most important IMO), and thanksgiving (for our American friends). Why am I seeing festive adverts on tv already?! Why are mince pies being sold in supermarkets? Is our capitalist society just doubling down on the autumnal blues and trying to convince us that it’s all we have to look forward to? This winds me up every single year, without fail. I will actively avoid going to shops (more so than usual) because of the music that starts getting played. I avoid watching any tv channels with adverts. I always mute ads and look away anyway because I find them too loud. I shut down people who even start to talk about it. My family know this well so constantly refer to ‘not mentioning the C-word’. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no Scrooge. When December 1st roles around, I’ll be right there. But not a day before… Can we all take a pause and enjoy Autumn? It’s beautiful out there with all the gorgeous colours and golden light. How do other people feel about this? Is it just me? #Festive #Autumn #Neurodivergent #Halloween P.S. if you’ve already started buying gifts, I don’t think we can be friends. Especially if you did this during the January sales 🤣.

All we want to hear for Christmas is you, Mariah… up to a point! Stats show listeners change their tune as Christmas comes around…. Yet again, Mariah Carey’s “All I want for Christmas is You” and Wham!’s “Last Christmas” stand above all the rest as the most streamed Christmas songs this year. It’s no surprise: They’re both major ear worms, and as a guilty pleasure, good fun too. All the way through late October and November, as pre-Christmas streaming ramps up, the two leading songs’ streams stay pretty much in line. But, as soon as December (W4) hits, “Last Christmas” st(r)eams ahead! “Is this a Christmas allegory for something related to marketing?”, we hear you sing. We're glad you brought it up! We’ve got my Christmas cracker shoehorn at the ready. In the right-hand chart, it shows that “All I want for Christmas is You” is stacked with xmas references – so let’s say this is comparable to pure performance marketing – it’s full of Christmas key words! On the other hand, “Last Christmas” has more than half the number of festive key words, so could be seen as a healthy mix of brand and performance marketing. It’s a relatable story of Christmas heartbreak💔 We do agree that George does say “Christmas” a lot – but we can start to build a picture of what’s happening. 💡Wham!’s wallowing winter tail of woe is able to maximise it’s Christmas streaming performance because of its brand and storytelling elements. It’s less of a Christmas overload and comes out on top because of it. Which song do you prefer?

Christmas is ON. 🎄The decorations are coming out. I’ve been Whamageddon-ed by a rogue Apple Music playlist. And those Christmas ads? They’ve well and truly hit the feed. Big names. Big voices. Big festive feels. ✨ So let’s talk about who’s smashing it this year in the Christmas ad game. Here’s my Good, Better, Best: 3. Le Chameau 🥾 The French wellie brand that no one saw coming. They’ve ditched the cookie-cutter Christmas clichés and delivered an emotional, unconventional tale that feels niche but hits hard. Hats—or boots—off to them. https://lnkd.in/ev2RbvRg 2. Waitrose & Partners 🥂 Sharp, slick, and early to the party. A Knives Out-style Christmas whodunit with a cast of characters, chaos, and even a scene-stealing cat. It’s crackers—but utterly brilliant. https://lnkd.in/eVqJBtHw 1. Tesco 🍪 They win it for me. Real, raw, and heartbreakingly relatable. Their story digs into grief, connection, and those we’ve loved and lost—especially at Christmas. It’s not just an ad; it’s a gut punch of reality wrapped in gingerbread. Now, every time I see a gingerbread house, I think of this campaign. Tesco’s done something remarkable: they’ve made Christmas ads human again. https://lnkd.in/eFghc7wA Who’s your favourite this year? Let’s compare notes. 🎅✨ #ChristmasAds #FestiveCampaigns #Marketing

All we want to hear for Christmas is you, Mariah… up to a point! Stats show listeners change their tune as Christmas comes around…. Yet again, Mariah Carey’s “All I want for Christmas is You” and Wham!’s “Last Christmas” stand above all the rest as the most streamed Christmas songs this year. It’s no surprise: They’re both major ear worms, and as a guilty pleasure, good fun too. All the way through late October and November, as pre-Christmas streaming ramps up, the two leading songs’ streams stay pretty much in line. But, as soon as December (W4) hits, “Last Christmas” st(r)eams ahead! “Is this a Christmas allegory for something related to marketing?”, we hear you sing. We're glad you brought it up! We’ve got my Christmas cracker shoehorn at the ready. In the right-hand chart, it shows that “All I want for Christmas is You” is stacked with xmas references – so let’s say this is comparable to pure performance marketing – it’s full of Christmas key words! On the other hand, “Last Christmas” has more than half the number of festive key words, so could be seen as a healthy mix of brand and performance marketing. It’s a relatable story of Christmas heartbreak💔 We do agree that George does say “Christmas” a lot – but we can start to build a picture of what’s happening. 💡Wham!’s wallowing winter tail of woe is able to maximise it’s Christmas streaming performance because of its brand and storytelling elements. It’s less of a Christmas overload and comes out on top because of it. Which song do you prefer?

All I want to hear for Christmas is you, Mariah… up to a point! Stats show listeners change their tune as Christmas comes around…. Yet again, Mariah Carey’s “All I want for Christmas is You” and Wham!’s “Last Christmas” stand above all the rest as the most streamed Christmas songs this year. It’s no surprise: They’re both major ear worms, and as a guilty pleasure, good fun too. All the way through late October and November, as pre-Christmas streaming ramps up, the two leading songs’ streams stay pretty much in line. But, as soon as December (W4) hits, “Last Christmas” st(r)eams ahead! “Is this a Christmas allegory for something related to marketing?”, I hear you sing. I’m glad you brought it up! I’ve got my Christmas cracker shoehorn at the ready. In the right-hand chart, it shows that “All I want for Christmas is You” is stacked with xmas references – so let’s say this is comparable to pure performance marketing – it’s full of Christmas key words! On the other hand, “Last Christmas” has more than half the number of festive key words, so could be seen as a healthy mix of brand and performance marketing. It’s a relatable story of Christmas heartbreak💔 I do agree that George does say “Christmas” a lot – but we can start to build a picture of what’s happening. 💡Wham!’s wallowing winter tail of woe is able to maximise it’s Christmas streaming performance because of its brand and storytelling elements. It’s less of a Christmas overload and comes out on top because of it. Which song do you prefer?

Mariah Carey is coming... Have you ever stopped and thought about why we listen to the same Christmas songs every single year? It's a powerful combination of familiarity, seasonality and nostalgia. Businesses take advantage of this too. All it takes is one absolute banger Christmas campaign to happen annually, and your customers will always keep coming back for more, and more... and more. What are you doing this Christmas to promote your products and services? And are you doing it every single year? What's your Mariah Carey Christmas classic? #Marketing #MarketingCampaigns #DigitalMarketing #Christmas

Will you be sharing this gift with anyone? It's the most meaningful and it doesn't cost a single penny. 🏃♀️ In between the wrapping paper, chocolates, TV, last-minute shopping (my husband is an absolute pro in knowing which shops do 24hr delivery into Christmas Eve)... 💡 Amongst all the hustle and bustle is an opportunity to give something truly unforgettable: Your Attention. 💛 In just 60 seconds, you can make someone feel genuinely heard. They will feel it immediately and they won't forget it either. It's deep and joyous. Here's how: 1️⃣ Pause distractions - PUT THE PHONE DOWN. Turn away from the other screens too. 2️⃣ Stay curious - listen to understand only. 3️⃣ Acknowledge - show you are fully present with a simple smile, warm eye contact or a brief reflective comment. 🌟 It's not complicated but it's powerful. 🤩 The ripple effect of feeling heard can lift spirits and create moments of deep connection that will last well beyond the festive season. 🎁 Who will you give the gift of attention to today?

Me? Going on about Christmas campaigns?! You know it! If you've spent any time chatting marketing with me, you know I'm a Christmas planner and the earlier the better but life doesn't always work like that. There's 10 weeks until Christmas and you can still get great results even if you're still in early planing mode. Check the link below for my tips or feel free to slide into my DMs for a chat about how the team at RKH can help!

This year I've only seen a single pumpkin emoji in my promotions inbox so far. With a more precise search, I can find… 2020: 51 🎃 2021: 43 🎃 2022: 26 🎃 2023: 20 🎃 2024: 1 🎃 (so far) (…purely from music software companies) It's possible that more people are A/B-ing subject lines and finding that yet another pumpkin doesn't move people to do anything. Or it could be a decline in the numer of companies running sales over halloween altogether. Results for "halloween" over the same period (again just from the inbox): 2020: 71 2021: 90 2022: 62 2023: 83 2024: 31 (so far) …so possibly not. Perhaps it's more likely that people are more likely to hold back over the end of October, knowing that people will start getting whipped up during November as every year. Whatever the reason, it's nicer to see some unique ideas rather than the previous glut of pumpkins that will compost in the inbox for the next few years. (All results are back of the envelope, of course) (Thanks to Joe Rossitter for old-school pumpkin gripes)

🎃 Halloween Bonuses Are Here! 🎃 The spooky season has arrived, bringing with it a treat-filled event for our incredible advertisers! We’re thrilled to celebrate Halloween with the motivated, driven partners who make our platform such an exciting place to be. Working with you is a true inspiration, and we want to give back to our community with some truly spooktacular bonuses! 🍬✨ We’re holding a Halloween bonus draw for advertisers who increase their spending by 25% or more from October 31 to November 7. Here’s what’s up for grabs: Prizes: 🎃 1st place - $500 👻 2nd place - $300 🕯 3rd place - $200 🕸 4th place - $100 💀 5th place - $50 To participate, follow these steps: Increase your spending by at least 25% between October 31 and November 7 compared to the period from October 23 to October 30. Spend a minimum of $300 during the promotion period. New advertisers or those who did not spend from October 23 to October 30 can still join by spending over $300 from October 31 to November 7. Send an email with the subject “Halloween Bonus” to support@evadav.com. Your account manager will assign you a unique nickname for the draw and send it to you by email. Be sure to keep it safe! If you haven’t received your nickname by 11:00 CET on November 8, please reach out to support@evadav.com. We’ll select the winners at random on November 11. 🎉 Learn more on the blog: https://lnkd.in/eEEaVd76 🕸 Don’t miss your chance to grab these Halloween treats and boost your earnings! 🕸