Brits are officially ‘over’ Christmas marketing efforts by 27th November, according to the latest research from Twilio, the customer engagement platform that drives real-time, personalised experiences for today’s leading brands.

The survey of 2,000 UK consumers suggests that festive fatigue is in part caused by the fact that almost half (48%) are regularly targeted with irrelevant gift ideas in the run up to the Christmas period. 

Sam Richardson, CX Consultant at Twilio, comments: “With Christmas marketing often in full swing for weeks or even months before the big day, it’s no surprise that consumers are turning off before December even starts – especially if the ads they are being bombarded with are irrelevant. That’s not to say Christmas is cancelled, and there is still an opportunity for brands to reverse this festive fatigue by making their communications hyper-targeted and engaging.”

The brand opportunity to engage 

This Christmas, consumers expect brands to personalise content according to who they are and who they’re buying for. In fact, nearly four in ten (38%) said they need more help this year in finding relevant and creative gifts for their loved ones, with over half (51%) hoping that brands can assist them with this. 

Consumers recognise the potential that AI has to better personalise the engagements they have with brands, with over half (52%) going as far to say that they would like AI to aid them with their Christmas shopping this year. Specifically, 23% want to receive real-time recommendations for products that are in stock. 

One in five (18%) would welcome specific recommendations for everyone on their gift giving list, 14% would like a virtual shopping assistant to be on hand, and 13% want high performing chatbots to help with any and all customer enquiries. 

Positive Christmas experiences could turn into year-long loyalty 

Creating a personalised customer engagement experience this festive season could turn into year-long loyalty, with over half (53%) saying this could convert them to being permanent customers.  

At the same time, brands need to get the balance right between personalisation and all the other elements that make for compelling customer experiences - as three quarters (79%) of consumers stated that a bad experience could make them shop elsewhere in the future, while 59% say they feel frustrated when targeted with adverts that are no longer relevant post-Christmas  

Richardson adds: “A standout customer experience over the coming weeks could help companies win repeat business and drive long-term revenues. As this research shows, there’s a real scarcity of organisations that are going the extra mile and providing creative and relevant gift ideas, so there’s a big opportunity here for brands to meet this demand and build long-term loyalty. 

“Brands should make use of the first-party data that customers are giving to them as they interact directly to ensure they truly understand their shopping needs, and turn that insight into relevant, hyper-personalised, and real-time recommendations. The more seamless and convenient brands can make a shopping experience for customers, the better.

“Go for quality over quantity rather than potentially bombarding customers with irrelevant marketing emails, and start to think about how emerging technologies could help your brand stand out from the crowd during the busy Christmas period. It’s also worth being cognizant of your customers’ needs and preferences - including accommodating those who may not be celebrating Christmas, or may be going through a difficult time amidst the cost of living crisis. 

“Being mindful and empathetic as a brand is an opportunity to show you truly care and value them as customers. It’s from these foundations that they can start to build the kind of customer trust and loyalty that will deliver value over the long-term, and not just in the brief run up to the Christmas period.”