Occasion-Based Marketing: How to Position Your Product for Success
As a consumer, have you ever wondered which product best fits a particular occasion?
Many consumers seek products that suit their needs for a specific event or moment. This is where occasion-based marketing comes in and can be a valuable tool for consumer-packaged goods (CPG) products. This post will explore how positioning products around an occasion can benefit CPG brands and give examples of its success.
“Occasion-based marketing is about creating moments that matter for your customers, not just trying to sell them something.” – Seth Godin, Marketing Expert and Author
The Value of Occasion-Based Marketing for CPG Brands
Occasion-based marketing is positioning products around a specific occasion or event. This can include holidays, seasons, time of day, life moments, special events, or even everyday experiences like breakfast or lunch.
Brands can help consumers understand how and when to use their products, making them more relevant and valuable in the consumer’s mind.
By tying a product to a specific occasion, brands can differentiate themselves from their competitors and create a unique selling proposition (USP) that resonates with consumers.
This can help to increase brand awareness, loyalty, and, ultimately, sales. In short – this is a secret to making a little magic happen.
Examples of Occasion-Based Marketing
Crave Hot Dogs and BBQ – Fourth of July
Crave Hot Dogs, and BBQ is a smaller fast-casual chain that offers hot dogs, BBQ, and other American-style food. They are positioning their brand around the Fourth of July holiday with a “Red, White, and BBQ” promotion. This includes special menu items like “The Freedom Dog” and “Patriot Fries” and a patriotic-themed dining experience.
Starface – Self-Care
Starface is a skincare brand that positions its products around self-care occasions. Their signature product is a hydrocolloid pimple patch, which they promote as a fun and cute way to care for your skin. They also sell various skincare accessories, like stickers and headbands, to make the self-care experience more enjoyable.
Vina Robles Vineyards & Winery – Christmas
Vina Robles Vineyards & Winery, a small winery in Paso Robles, California, positions its products around the Christmas holiday. They offer a variety of holiday-themed wine packages, including a “12 Wines of Christmas” bundle and a “Holiday Cheer” pack. They also host a holiday market and tasting event at their winery.
Yumble – Back to School
Yumble is a meal delivery service for kids that positions its products around the back-to-school occasion. Their meals are designed to be kid-friendly and nutritious, making them the perfect option for busy parents during the school year. They also offer a “Back to School” promotion, with discounts on their meal plans during August and September.
These smaller brands use occasion-based marketing to differentiate themselves from their competitors and offer unique value propositions to their customers. By positioning their products around specific occasions, they can make their brands more relevant and valuable in the minds of consumers.
“Occasion-based marketing is all about timing. You need to understand the customer’s mindset at a specific moment and tailor your messaging accordingly.” – Ann Handley, Chief Content Officer at MarketingProfs
“Occasion-based marketing is not about selling a product, it’s about creating an emotional connection with your customers.” – Neil Patel, Co-founder of Crazy Egg and Hello Bar
Perfect for Lunch – Lean Cuisine Frozen Meals
Lean Cuisine Frozen Meals are the perfect choice for a quick and easy lunch at work. Targeting this occasion can provide a solution for consumers looking for a convenient and healthy meal option during their busy workday.
Help You Look Great for That Second Date – Crest 3D White Toothpaste.
Crest 3D White Toothpaste is marketed as a product that is positioned how it can help you look your best for a special occasion, such as a second date. By positioning their toothpaste in this way, they can tap into the consumer’s desire to look and feel their best for important events. The emotions contained in a second date can help the brand stand out from a crowded section.
“The beauty of occasion-based marketing is that it allows you to be relevant and timely in a way that other types of marketing cannot.” – Jay Baer, Founder of Convince & Convert
“Occasion-based marketing is about creating a sense of urgency and tapping into the customer’s desire for instant gratification.” – Michael Brenner, CEO of Marketing Insider Group
Back to School Snacks – Annie’s Homegrown Snacks
Annie’s Homegrown Snacks targets the back-to-school occasion by positioning its products as the perfect snacks for kids to take to school. By calling out this specific occasion, they can offer a solution for parents looking for healthy and convenient snack options for their children. These products positioned “in their lunch box snack” has become a significant business.
Occasion-based marketing is a valuable tool for consumer-packaged goods (CPG) products as it positions them around a specific event or moment, helping consumers understand how and when to use them. By choosing to “own” a moment, holiday, event, time of day, activity, or emotion, a brand can become one for consumers who crave that experience.
Occasion-based marketing signals that you are perfect for something specific. By tying a product to a particular occasion, brands can differentiate themselves from their competitors, create a unique selling proposition that resonates with consumers, and increase brand awareness, loyalty, and sales.
“Occasion-based marketing is about being where your customers are, when they are there, with a message that resonates.” – Heidi Cohen, Chief Content Officer at Actionable Marketing Guide
Don’t position yourself as for everybody and every moment. Find an occasion to celebrate. Your customers will thank you.
Why hasn’t anyone made a snack to consume while reading marketing blogs?
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