In addition to getting ready for the CHRISTMAS rush, we are about to enter SUPER SALE season. Previously thought of primarily as a US or China based marketing idea, these sales now present opportunities around the globe to cash in on bargain hunters and the hype associated with each event. The smarter brands have labels and packaging that are not only themed but also branded. Check out the coming sales to see if your brand or products could take advantage of them.
halloween (31st oct) | ||
 | Halloween is not only the single biggest selling day for candy in the world, it is also a time when many brands are using black and orange (as well as other ghoulish designs) to promote the ‘Trick or Treat’ concept. Everything from food and beverage to cosmetics and other household goods. It is about giving and sharing and by using pumpkins, witches and other ghostly themes you can have a lot of fun with promotional labels and packaging. | |
singles day (11th nov) | ||
 | Celebrating ‘singledom’ was originally about making bachelors feel ok. Now everyone not in a relationship (and arguably many who are) are cashing in on the bargains offered for Singles Day. It is officially the world’s largest e-commerce event. BUT, these singles are smart, so your bargains and brands need to appeal with quality and great deals or they will look elsewhere. Adding product sleeves and pop-up labels can remind consumers that being single is not only ok – it’s awesome! | |
black friday (25th nov) | ||
 | Black Friday (held on the day after Thanksgiving in the US) is a retailer’s opportunity to get ‘back in the black’. With metaphors of prosperity and profitability, the best sales events for Black Friday use scarcity and urgency to create hype and interest in their sales and products. Starting at midnight, limited quantities or having a small window of opportunity are some of the ways you can achieve this. Making labels and packaging black is also a cool way to show that someone ‘got a bargain’. Online works as well as retail, so don’t forget to include click or collect as an option. | |
| cyber monday (28th nov) | ||
 | The Monday after Black Friday, Cyber Monday used to be about getting a great deal for computers and electronic equipment online. Particularly popular are mobile phones, TVs and personal electronics, but many brands are now using the ‘e-commerce’ sale idea to include a wider range of products. Adding cyber images to product sleeves or boxes seems to make this ok. Using this day as a ‘release date’, ‘final day’ for limited editions or late model sell-outs are all popular ways to create excitement and interest. Adding a timer to the sale is also very popular. | |
| super saturday (17th dec) (saturday before christmas) | ||
 | Don’t panic – but panic! Finding that perfect Christmas gift is getting harder and harder and yes people leave things to the last minute (you are either one or the other). This year Super Saturday has an extra week before Christmas so it will work equally as well for retail and online orders. Capitalise on emotions of giving and try not to make people feel bad about leaving it to the last minute. Last minute shoppers are less concerned about price and more concerned with time and delivery. | |
christmas & boxing day sales (26th dec) | ||
 | What was once the premier sale in Australia and many other countries, Boxing Day is associated with creating chaotic scenes in retail stores as they opened. Despite much more competition, there is still a dedicated group of followers who see this sale as the perfect opportunity to get a bargain for the things that didn’t sell prior to Christmas. Smart retailers offload off-season items and create super bargains to clear the shelves ready for the new year ahead. | |
| lunar new year (22nd jan 2023) | ||
 | 2023 is a combination of the Year of the Rabbit for Chinese New Year, while in Vietnam it will be the Year of the Cat. The Year of the Rabbit is symbolised by mercy, elegance and beauty. Rabbits are wonderful to use in design as they can be created in ways that show silliness, shyness or high spiritedness. Year of the Cat designs are sensual and delicate combined with beauty and harmony. Like the rabbit, cats also have a playful, strong and sneaky personality. The use of Lunar New imagery for labels, products and packaging has become incredibly popular as both gifts to take home and increasingly as gifts to send home if you are unable to make it. Overall designs usually reflect gold, red and some modern combinations to present a calmness and peacefulness. | |
