Christmas music plays a pivotal role in setting the stage for the most wonderful time of year. According to our most recent listener survey, nearly 86% of our mid-Missouri listeners tune their dials to 98.3 specifically for Christmas music. That’s great news for both listeners and advertisers alike! Here’s why…
The Feels
The main reason is that listening to it just simply makes us feel good! Recent research by McGill University proved that when people listen to happy, upbeat music, they can recall happy memories within a shorter amount of time. That’s never truer than with the warm and joy-filled memories from our childhood over the holidays. In fact, part of the reason Christmas music is so popular is not just the music itself, but the nostalgia associated with it. Songs like Jingle Bell Rock, Frosty the Snowman, and A Holly Jolly Christmas trigger a sweet spot in our brains that affects us both physically and psychologically. The positive vibes we get from Christmas carols are anchored to prior experiences with those songs – those memories trigger a host of warm and pleasant emotions, which then affect our outlook on life and our interactions with others. We sing along. We smile more. We feel better.
Buying isn’t just about commercialism. Holiday shopping sometimes gets a bad rap. When you look at the reasons why people run to the stores…the purpose behind the purchase is to think of others, to let someone know in a tangible way what they mean to you. And psychologically, gift-giving releases endorphins that make the giver feel better – a drug-free anti-depressant! Christmas is a set-aside opportunity to buy gifts for others to show them that you care, and the act of giving makes both the giver and the receiver feel good – a win-win, if you ask us!
Common Ground
Christmas music has a way of bringing people together. For about 30 days, it doesn’t matter your age or your music preference…people come together over the holidays. All demographics sing along when it comes to Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. During the rest of the year, your jam may be ACDC or Garth Brooks or Ariana Grande and Post Malone…but when Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” comes on, we all collectively turn to mush. Why? Because it brings back positive memories of holidays past, warm reminders of dear friends and loved family members, and it instills a sense of hope for the future. It reminds us of the joy, love, and sense of community the season inspires.
That’s something we all can share.
And it happens to all of us, regardless of age. According to Nielsen, listeners between the ages of 18-34 account for over a third of all Christmas music fans, with another 30% are listeners between the ages of 35-54. It seems that Millennials have emerged as the generation most enamored with Christmas music.
Advertising during the holidays on 98.3FM The Dove…a station that intentionally leans into the joy of the season…will expose your business to a large and diverse audience – significantly more so than during the rest of the year. In fact, the stations across the country that play Christmas music from about Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day experience, on average, a 90% rating spike during workday listening and a 130% increase in the evenings. On Christmas Eve, ratings shoot up to nearly 600%. If ever there was a time to brand your business, Q4 is definitely it.
Gift Giving
It makes sense, then, to advertise your business where people intentionally go to get into the holiday mood. Christmas music is about showing special people in your life how much they mean to you through gifts. And they WILL be buying. According to our recent listener survey, the top items that the DOVE audience will be looking to purchase this holiday season are:
- 70% – Experiences – things like trips, activities, etc.
- 68% – Gift Cards – what better way to know that you’re getting somebody something they really want – let THEM pick it out.
- 48% – Clothing
- 34% – Electronics
- 21% – Other*
- 18% – Jewelry
*For “other,” respondents could write in additional items they planned to purchase. Here are some of the responses:
- Cooking equipment
- Money
- Baby items/kid toys
- Art
- Things for kids to go to college
- Auto Accessories
- Outdoor accessories
- Handmade/Homemade gifts
For consumers, the allure of holiday purchasing is a habit not likely to be broken anytime soon. People will be shopping…the only question is where. We asked listeners to tell us what would motivate them to purchase from a particular business. It’s probably no surprise that the #1 thing people said would prompt them to buy from a particular business was the discount offered. Beyond that, people prioritized buying locally and handmade or unique gifts. Next on the list was speed – how quickly they could get it, take it home, and wrap it – the magic of brightly colored presents piled under the tree.
For businesses and advertisers, the relentless Christmas music on 98.3FM provides a prime opportunity to connect with customers. Shoppers are in the spirit of giving and celebration, making them more inclined to make purchases and try new products and services. Wise advertisers who partner with The Dove this season can expect a significant boost in engagement and sales.
Bottom line…Santa delivers. And we LOVE listening and singing along in our offices, in stores while we’re shopping, in our cars, and in our homes. Tune your dial to 98.3FM and tell your friends! It’s another reason to LOVE the Dove.
Interested in advertising your business on the happiest station this Christmas? Click here or on the link below!
