Council Post: How Food Brands Should Speak To Parents This Holiday Season

President and Chief Executive Officer of Sun-Maid Growers of California.

Covid-19 has changed consumer behavior in many ways — one example being the trend of cooking and baking at home. This trend will continue this holiday season. An Ipsos study shows consumers have become more comfortable with the culinary arts, and some are even trying to recreate restaurant-level meals at home.

As we head into the holiday season, according to an IRI survey, 65% of consumers are eating at home more often than going to restaurants. That’s good news for brands (like us) that want to reach today’s consumer who may not consider themselves a traditional baker but who has become much more skilled in the kitchen. 

Even though many have gained kitchen confidence over the last few months, there are still those who are looking for simple recipes, inspiration and culinary ideas that will help to make the holiday season extra special. Whether you’re a brand that lives in the kitchen or not, consider these tips to make sure your holiday campaign messaging resonates, especially among moms and dads: 

Tastefully lean into comfort and nostalgia.

Holidays are all about comfort, tradition and reminiscing on past times. Now more than ever, this messaging will hit home if done right. Legacy brands have an advantage if they can rightfully lean into sentimental memories from when parents were their children’s age. 

Dig deep into the archives to see what resonated — whether it’s an old TV spot, print ad, recipe or baking tradition — to find ways to reflect but also to bring the messaging into the modern age. When executed correctly, nostalgia can help make an extremely powerful connection with parents, which should result in bringing back former consumers who may have drifted away over time as well as new ones longing to make connections.

The key is striking the right balance in your communications and word choices so that you make a notable lasting impression without coming across as outdated and tone-deaf. 

Help champion stressed-out parents. 

Consumers are more anxious about the holidays this year: They’re thinking about them earlier with more apprehension than in years past. There is no doubt that festive stress is real, and brands need to ensure that they are offering solutions for parents that are quick, easy and efficient.  

We know that consumers actively scour the internet for culinary ideas over Pinterest and Instagram and lean into popular influencers for ideas and inspiration. For food brands promoting holiday recipes, each should be cost-efficient (budgets are tight this year!), easy to prepare (i.e., few ingredients) and require minimal effort to help pull off the holiday season. If parents are going to put in the extra effort to prepare something from scratch, it should truly be worth the investment in time versus buying something already premade. 

Remember, the goal is to keep parents motivated and feeling accomplished. Be sure that whatever you plan to offer as a solution leaves them feeling empowered, whether it’s holiday round-up recipes, cooking/baking advice or any culinary creation. If your holiday campaign is able to incorporate their little ones into a fun and memorable experience, then you’re truly set up for a higher success rate that could lead to future traditions. 

Know your barriers and overcome them. 

The financial impact of the pandemic will continue to affect consumer behavior in the coming months and throughout the holiday timeframe. Now more than ever, parents are looking for value, and research shows consumers are shifting their dollars to multi-serve items to save money. These greater value offerings are perfect for recipes, all-day snacking and in-home sharing. If possible, adjust your offering to cater to families who are looking to buy in bulk. 

More importantly, don’t get lost in the aisle. These days, moms and dads are planning shopping trips in advance with an already-curated list to get in and out of the store quickly. At the same time, they will likely do most of their shopping online, removing the possibility of happening upon any brand or product not already on the list. Because of this, it’s imperative that your marketing campaigns reach them when they’re making the shopping list, so your strategy should incorporate various ways to reach them during the pre-shop path to purchase. 

If there was ever a time to help parents create new culinary holiday traditions, 2020 is certainly the year. The best recipe for holiday marketing communication success is equal parts nostalgia and comfort, evoking the right emotions and overcoming path to purchase barriers — all while ensuring moms and dads are set up for success.

This holiday season will undoubtedly look different, which is why food brands have a unique opportunity to reconnect with parents in ways that truly resonate to ensure their products can be a part of holiday meals and a staple on the family dinner table for years to come. 


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