Three Ways Brands Can Capitalize on Holidays

In honor of Valentine’s Day and my love affair with the music app Spotify, I thought it only appropriate to write about how impressed I am with their ability to capitalize on the holiday and other events like it. Spotify is a desktop music player and mobile music application that allows users to stream music, create playlists, and listen to user-generated radio stations, all while sharing music choices on Facebook timeline (which I’ve recently found is great for alerting your friends that you’re still alive – and have great taste in music – when metro-ing home late at night).

What I’m particularly digging about this service as of late is that they really know how to take advantage of the season without being in your face with promotions, ads, emails and pop ups. Here’s what they’re doing right:

1. Let your users do the work for you. To compile a list of Valentine’s playlists, Spotify pulled statistics based on which songs were the most streamed on February 14th in recent years. By analyzing what your users are already doing, you are assured to please a greater number of customers without guessing or making assumptions. They also allow users to create playlists that can be publicized. Users like feeling like a part of the process – they trust that they aren’t being sold to, but are creating their own experience. This is the whole idea behind social media marketing and a big reason why brands that use it effectively are thriving.
2. Don’t alienate any member of your audience. While compiling a lovey dovey playlist is fine and wonderful for those celebrating Valentine’s Day this year, why only capitalize on one part of your audience? Spotify does a great job of making sure they are all-inclusive of current and potential customers by creating an equally great anti-valentines playlist. The message here is to not neglect part of your audience if you don’t have to – instead capitalize on it!
3. Keep up with current events. The best way to stay relevant, especially in the digital and social space, is to keep up with and respond to all things current. You can now stream 51 Songs to Pump You Up During the Winter Olympics, 48 Songs to Celebrate the Seahawks’ Super Bowl Victory, and 2014 Grammy Winners. If you have the ability to quickly generate content and messaging based on what people are talking about, then your brand looks more current, informative, and relatable.

I believe other brands can use these tips to help guide messaging in terms of who you are targeting, what is being said, and who is saying it. By keeping your brand current and capitalizing on the season, holidays and events, you are crafting a more trustworthy, modern brand that your audience will be able to relate to.