3 Keys to Branding Christmas
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Trees go up and the lights come on, but a lot of churches fail to leverage the Christmas season to their advantage. Things are either half-way done or not done at all. Boards think it’s just the season and not all that important. And worship ministers across the US slap up a few decorations and call it good. That’s not effective Christmas branding. So… what is?
How do you effectively brand Christmas, when everything around during the season screams marketing? First, let us give you a three examples of effective Christmas branding examples, then roll out the three keys.
- Coke – Everyone loves the Polar Bears at Christmas.
- Starbucks – People wait expectantly every year for those red cups.
- Macy’s – Their Christmas village and BELIEVE campaign involves kids and parents in writing letters to Santa.
Design teams and churches can learn a lot from these three giants, in how to effectively brand and market Christmas. Here are three keys to effectively brand Christmas.
- Be you. If your church is simple in nature, don’t go all out. Roll it into your overall brand, and keep it subtle. The key is to stick with what you are good at, and not try to do something that just doesn’t fit.
- Be traditional. People love the season and have fond memories of it. Make them remember their experiences. If you can bring in the tree and presents, or have Santa visit a kid’s class, it will go a long way.
- Be comprehensive. Brand everything from your parking lot, to your presentation screens and invitation cards. Everything should scream Christmas, yet in a subtle way, bringing them into the Christmas “spirit”, from beginning to end.
These three keys can help your team, from design team to pastoral staff and congregation, be united in the Christmas season moving forward. But it’s not just about the season. These keys can help you throughout the year. Keep them in your back pocket, as you sit down and plan out the calendar year as a team focused on continuing to be good news to the neighborhood.