Survey: Emotional Holiday Ads Resonate With Shoppers

Washington, D.C. When asked which retailer has the best holiday TV commercial, consumers ranked Target, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Macy’s and Kohl’s as favorites, according to a survey conducted for the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association (RAMA) by BIGresearch. Other retailers on the Top 10 list include Sears, Kmart, J.C. Penney, Old Navy, and Toys “R” Us.

“Retailers went out of their way this holiday season to connect with shoppers,” said RAMA executive director Mike Gatti. “The advertisements that ultimately won out reached beyond television sets with messages that found their way into shoppers’ hearts and minds.”

According to the survey, nearly one in five consumers (17.5%) were motivated to shop with a retailer once they saw the company’s ad, while 39.0% said they already shopped there. Young adults were more inclined to shop with a retailer after viewing their ad (29.6%), while adults 65 and over were the hardest to sway with only 8.7% saying they were influenced by a retailer’s commercial. Women (19.2%) were more likely to be persuaded by holiday ads than men (15.7%).

While television advertisements caught the attention of shoppers, other tried-and-true marketing tactics also influenced shoppers. According to the survey, 44.6% of consumers said coupons were a factor in determining where to shop this year, up from 35.2% last year. Consumers said they were also swayed by advertising inserts (30.1%), newspaper ads (24.5%), direct mail (18.5%), and e-mail advertisements (15.8%).