It’s safe to say since 2018 when the last world cup took place, a lot has changed. Our behaviours, our consumption and importantly, our approach to how we plan campaigns and comprehend the advertising sector.
Whilst this event has caused much controversy, it is still expected to reach a vast audience – “This World Cup in Qatar will be watched by five billion people, way above half of the world’s population.” – especially after the success of the 2018 world cup. Hosted in Qatar, this world cup will differ from past matches which typically took place in the Summer, we are going to enjoy this sporting event during this upcoming Winter.
This change of season will impact the advertising sector as we will see the market becoming extremely crowded. From now onwards, we are going to expect the Christmas festivities to begin and its worth noting how audiences might respond to this.
Like many years before, people tend to receive their Christmas mailings, invest in the Christmas Radio Times magazine (recently selling at “just shy of 2 million copies”) and watch Christmas specials of beloved television shows, we know that the festivities are a familiar occurrence in the home. But with the world cup taking place during this time too, it would be no surprise to see audiences feeling overwhelmed.
Both occasions are fuelled to be enjoyed by many, coming together to celebrate, and having two things so grand at once may become a lot for some people – perhaps so much so, they being to ignore any ads that come their way as they don’t want to be bombarded with a range of messages.
Whilst we can help bring this large volume of media broadcasting to light, it’s our role as a media agency that has been and continues to advise clients on how best to plan and budget their media campaigns, to ensure their KPIs are me. It’s important we ensure the vast range of individuals in multiple demographics are less inclined to be affected by such media surplus – we don’t want them to begin to shun the content presented to them.
Another thing to mention is how budgeting and planning during this time is more crucial than ever. Not only with the current economic situation of the recession and cost-of-living, but also spending to have a voice during the holiday season and the World Cup has proven to be extortionate in comparison to usual advertising spend during this quarter – “Historically, the tournament is a bonanza for ITV, with advertisers clamouring to pay up to £500,000 for a 30-second slot in a high-profile England game.”. For more clarity on how we’ve explored marketing during a recession, refer to our pieces below:
Yes, the opportunity to advertise during both Christmas and the World Cup is exciting, but it’s not cost efficient for all brands and their consumer base. It’s not always wise to let potential reward distract you from achieving realistic objectives for a campaign – unless you’ve planned with data and have client/consumer confidence, the likelihood of making such an investment might not produce the results you forecast and/or aspire to attain.
We strongly advocate planning your media send in advance, especially during typically busy times in year. Being mindful of who you are advertising to and the objectives that can realistically be achieved during the threshold of a campaign is crucial also. Sometimes less is more.
If you’re interested in how the Join the Dots team plan media campaigns effectively, either refer to our case studies or get in touch.
