Day 4: Oh come all ye Semiotics
Err.. one more time? What does this mean? How does it relate to Christmas and where on earth does it fit into the hospitality industry? It’s more simple than you’d think. It actually plays a key role in determining the success or failure of a marketing campaign – particularly good for this time of year.
Let’s keep it simple:
semiotics
/ˌsiːmɪˈɒtɪks,ˌsɛmɪˈɒtɪks/
noun
the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation.
Essentially semiotics tries to understand how meaning is created and communicated. The best way to do this is to create relatable, emotional advertising which evokes a reaction. Concept + Interpretation → Connection
We’ll help you get started. Cast your mind back to Coca Cola’s 2016 Christmas advert. You know the one: A Coke for Christmas → In a nutshell it celebrates the joy of giving over the festive period by featuring a young boy who gifts Coca-Cola to those who are making Christmas a reality. Why do we all look forward to these sorts of adverts at Christmas? It’s because they trigger a visceral reaction – whether joy or sadness, they’ve nailed down the emotional connections we have with people, animals and even objects.
The hospitality industry has the ability to capture human experiences – perhaps it’s time we started implementing these tactics. When you’re thinking about creating your next Christmas campaign take the time to consider what connection you want to make with your guest.
We appreciate that most hotels don’t have the budgets as some of these big brands, but all it takes is a bit of creative thinking to find an innovative solution without breaking the bank. A great example of this in action is from The Killarney Park Hotel.
Ideas to consider for Christmas 2019:
- A cleverly edited video
- A storyboard approach to your Christmas microsite
- Links to social and/or PPC campaigns
Go on, we challenge you. Be innovative with your 2019 campaigns!