NEW YORK (AP) — The Fourth of July is right around the corner, and the travel rush is already heating up.
Millions of Americans are preparing to get out of town sometime in the coming holiday week. That will likely mean busy roads, as well as packed airports and train stations.
Motor club AAA projects that some 70.9 million travelers will head 50 miles (80 kilometers) or more from their homes over a nine-day Independence Day travel period — surpassing pre-pandemic numbers for the U.S. holiday. And the Transportation Security Administration expects to screen over 32 million individuals in airports from this Thursday through July 8, up 5.4% from last year’s numbers.
Are you traveling for the Fourth? Here’s a rundown of what you need to know.
Smooth sailing for travel around any holiday is never a given. But avoiding the most hectic times, when others are rushing out of town, is a good way to start.
If you’re traveling by car for the Fourth of July, it’s best to hit the road in the morning, according to transportation data and insights provider INRIX. Peak traffic congestion varies by location, INRIX data published by AAA shows, but the worst times to drive on, or leading up to, the holiday are generally between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Either way, be prepared for the roads to be jammed.
“Road trips over the holiday week could take up to 67% longer than normal,” Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX, said in a prepared statement.
July Fourth falls on a Thursday this year, and many travelers will likely take Friday July 5th off to extend their trip into a four-day weekend. Drivers in large metro areas can expect the biggest delays on Wednesday July 3 and Sunday July 7 — as travelers leave and return to town, Pishue added.
And if you’re renting a car ahead of July Fourth, the busiest pickup days will be Friday, Saturday and Wednesday before the holiday, AAA notes.
Airports will also likely be packed all week long — but the TSA expects most people will take to the skies on Friday.
It anticipates that it will screen more than 3 million individuals Friday. That would surpass the agency’s current record for most people screened on a single day, which reached just under 3 million last Sunday.
“We expect this summer to be our busiest ever,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said, adding that travel typical peaks around Independence Day.
Last year, the busiest day for Fourth of July air travel was also the Friday ahead of the holiday, TSA data shows. If past trends hold, travel will likely be higher on the days before and after the Fourth — particularly closer to the weekend. In 2023, for example, more than 2 million people were screened on the Fourth, which landed on a Tuesday last year, down from 2.88 million the Friday before.
Flights can be delayed or canceled for an array of reasons — from plane-specific mechanical problems to major storms impacting popular travel paths.
If your flight is canceled, airlines are required to provide refunds for customers, even if the cancellation is due to weather . Delays are trickier, because they typically have to meet certain criteria for relief, such as refunds or compensation — but carriers will often give customers to chance to switch to alternative flights, if available, at no cost.
In April, the Biden administration issued final rules that include requiring airlines to provide automatic cash refunds within a few days for canceled flights and “significant” delays. Those rules are set to take effect over the next two years, but the Department of Transportation has a site that lets consumers see the commitments each airline has made for refunds and covering other expenses when flights are canceled or significantly delayed.
It’s better to be stuck at home than locked in hourslong traffic or stranded in an airport terminal. Before heading out the door this holiday week, do yourself a favor and check the status of your travel plans.
Was your flight, train or bus ride delayed? Are there are traffic incidents set to disrupt your drive? And what about the weather? A quick look through your itinerary — such as trip updates on a carrier’s website — checking weather forecasts and monitoring traffic safety through services like the 511 hotline or your phone’s navigation apps can go a long way toward avoiding travel misery.
Here are a few more tips to keep in mind:
— Leave early: There are more people everywhere during a holiday week, so lines will be longer and roads will be busier. Give yourself more time to get to your destination or to make your way through airport security.
— Keep an eye on the weather — and not just for your destination: Look at the weather for your entire travel path. Even if it’s sunny skies both at home and the place you’re headed, it’s important to keep an eye out for any storms in between. You may need to do some rerouting.
— Be kind: A trip delay or cancellation can be really frustrating — but if you’re running into disruptions, chances are others are too. Customer service agents have a lot on their plate at this time of year, and it’s important to be patient and respectful as they try to help you.
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This week on the Affiliate Marketing Podcast, Lee-Ann is joined by Melissa Feemster, co-founder of Team Bespoke for a conversation about planning for holiday and peak periods in affiliate marketing.
Talking points include:
- The importance of planning and anticipating consumer behavior
- Strategies for leveraging different marketing channels
- Diversifying marketing channels and being prepared to pivot based on competition
Melissa also shares insights on managing coupons and loyalty partners, as well as the future of retail performance marketing, including the role of AI and personalisation.
Listen in here for all the insights….
Peak periods
Lee-Ann asks Melissa to explain what the big periods are going to be that brands need to be aware of.
Melissa explains, “So, holiday, especially in the United States, traditionally always started with Black Friday and then moved through the Christmas holiday. But now it’s become longer. We really look at the holiday shopping season starting in October. Amazon Prime has moved their Prime Day into October in some years. That’s really kicked off a lot of holiday shopping.
“Singles Day has been very big in the United States, then of course, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and then moving into the key holiday shopping days throughout December. So that’s what we’re talking about when we talk about peak. The five days of Black Friday through Cyber Monday to potentially even Giving Tuesday, Thanksgiving, depending on how you look at it, tend to be the days when many clients make most of their money for the entire year.”
Get proactive
Lee-Ann says, “Let’s try in the rest of this podcast to help people get their plans in place so that when October hits, they’re ready to rumble and all of their partners are ready to rumble with them. Let’s start off with thinking about key economic factors because obviously it’s a peak period. We need to be getting in front of consumers in advance to leverage the offers and the sales that are going to be coming. You obviously need to be thinking about your sales processes.
“But what do we need to consider on the economic scale? Because year-on-year changes when you’re planning for peak, depending on whether we’re in a recessionary year or not. Talk to us about things that we need to be aware of for this year at the moment.”
Melissa replies, “The consumer is still really seeking value right now. So that value can come in the form of a coupon, it can come in the form of loyalty points. They can come in a lot of ways right from the product value itself.
“The election is happening in the United States in November. And so those things definitely tend to change how the consumer feels. When consumers feel uncertain, they don’t buy. So us as folks who are wanting consumers to buy as much as possible are hoping for as much security for the consumer as we can make. Just anticipating those times when they might not be as ready to buy and being ready to give them what they need in the times when they’re going to feel potentially more secure is important.”
Get the timing right
Lee-Ann asks, “Are there things that we should be planning for like three months before we get to the October-November time and what are some of the best ways to do that?”
“Absolutely there are!” Melissa advises, “Start planning for getting into gift guides in August or September. I know that seems super early, but each of the content sites, the media houses start writing those gift guides in August and September. So making sure that you have presence within those is really important. They’re going to start to come out with those in October, which is a great time for people to really go through consideration and learning about the brand. Then the actual purchases will come through, of course, in the actual holiday peak time. So that’s one thing to think about.
“The next thing is to know that Meta is going to get very expensive around that election and beforehand. So October and end of September are going to get super expensive for any retailer who tends to spend quite a bit on any of the Facebook properties. So know that you might not be able to afford it. You’re going to have to think about how to shift your budget differently.”
Listen to find out more about:
- Preparing for Economic Factors
- Managing Coupons and Loyalty Partners
- Nailing It During the Peak Period
- Avoiding Common Mistakes
Key segments of this podcast and where you can tune in to go direct:
[04:32] Understanding Holiday and Peak Periods
[16:15] Contingency at the Ready!
[31:05] The Future of Retail Performance Marketing
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AND….
If you’re struggling to launch, scale and grow your affiliate program – join us this year in London at the ELEVATE Summit 2024 – Where Lead Generation and Affiliate Marketing will collide.
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New Delhi (India), February 16: As we’re moving ahead in 2024, the holiday sales 2023 numbers are here and they are more than just surprising. Falling in line with NRF’s prediction, the annual sales growth during the holiday season stood at 3.8% over 2022 to a record $964.4 billion, even in the backdrop of slow economic growth and inflation concerns.
This growth was driven by the rise of online sales, which demonstrated astonishing growth in the US alone with 7% YoY growth from the previous year. In December 2023, the growth number stood at 11% YoY surpassing the early prediction of 3%.
The question arises – what factors are fueling the expansion of online holiday shopping? Let’s explore this further.
Consumers Time Their High-Ticket Purchase Around Holiday Sales
Inflation of consumer prices has been constant at a 4% increase every year since May 2023, putting a pressure on the consumer household. Although the prices were easing down after July, consumers tend to time their purchases of high-ticket items like electronics, luxury goods, etc. to lucrative holiday sales that offer additional discounts and cashbacks. If we look at the categories that saw the highest growth in sales, grocery, electronics, leisure, and luxury items are leading the trend.
Easing Inflation
Another reason to which higher holiday sales can be attributed to is the pent up demands due to inflation up to July and pent up demands. The holiday sales often served as a strategic time for individuals to fulfill deferred buying decisions, taking advantage of promotional offers and discounts that are prevalent during this period.
Better & Predictable Supply Chains
In 2023, the surge in holiday sales amid inflation challenges can be attributed to the implementation of better and more predictable supply chains. Companies have increasingly invested in enhancing their logistical strategies, adopting advanced technologies, and fortifying inventory management systems. This proactive approach ensures a seamless flow of goods, minimizing disruptions caused by inflation-related uncertainties.
Healthy Labor Market & Wage Improvement
Payroll employment adding 2.7 million jobs in 2023, leading to a healthy labor market and subsequent wage improvement. By the second half of 2023, the job market in the US improved significantly, thereby boosting consumer spending from 15343.55 USD Billion in Q2 2023 to 15461.38 USD Billion in Q3 2023. Although the numbers are lukewarm if placed next to historical data going back to the pre-pandemic time, the spending index was more than just satisfactory as opposed to the initial projections.
Retailers Going Creative & All-Out in Discounts
Retailers took a smart move in 2023 holiday season by putting more emphasis on discounts and value-addition. As consumers were wary of rising prices, discounts were the best way to draw them to the checkout page and that’s what retailers cashed in. As per the data by Adobe Analytics, discounts peaked at 31% of the listed price in the electronics category, making it the most lucrative shopping category for the last season. (Read Full Report)
Aside from the discounts, consumers were also drawn toward completing the sale by Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) options. As per the recent data, $16.6 billion of online sales were driven by BNPL, 14% up from 2022 holiday season.
Also, retailers tweaked their marketing strategies from 2022 by putting the spotlight on the value proposition of the product/service. They invested in creative marketing campaigns like virtual product visualizations, shoppable TV series on Netflix, and shoppable TikTok ads to reduce friction in the customer journey, allowing them to make a purchase without actually visiting the product website.
The Road Ahead for Holiday Marketing 2024
Drawing inspiration from the 2023 holiday season, here are a few valuable lessons to glean.
- Mobile-first approach:Most shoppers in 2023 didn’t want to interrupt their scrolling journey on their phone to shop. Therefore, most of them preferred to shop for their holiday season via smartphone itself. This implies that retailers now have to focus more on mobile-friendly and social media-friendly campaigns instead of web.
- Don’t just sell the product, sell value:Shoppers see the product and they might’ve seen it countless times before. But what draws them to hit the ‘buy’ button is the value the brand is offering. The value includes the benefits as well as the price point of the product – whether it’s reasonable, if not, is it available on a discount.
- Get creative in advertising: Make use of social commerce, if you haven’t yet. Given the success of TikTok Shop and Shoppable Ads, it’s evident that 2024 marketing trends will be ruled by social media. Set some budget aside to set your TikTok shop and invest in shoppable content and ads to directly connect with your audience.
Commenting on 2023 Holiday Sales Report Card, Udit Verma, CMO and Co-Founder of Trackier said, “After the dismal predictions, these results are a positive push for the retailers, filling them with optimism and vigor for the year ahead. These numbers are more than just surprise package, but a lesson that we cannot underestimate the dynamic nature of consumer preferences and behaviors, reminding businesses that staying attuned to the evolving needs and expectations of customers is paramount. Retailers and marketers who evolved with the changing face of consumer sentiment were welcomed into 2024 with smiling figures and a valuable lesson to continuously adapt, innovate, and prioritize consumer-centric strategies.”
Third-Party Cookies Are Going Away! What’s Next?
It’s official! 2024 will be the year when we’ll have to let go of third-party cookies. This transition isn’t going to be easy. Moving on is easier said than done, but isn’t entirely impossible.
According to the data, 78% of retail programmatic targeting still rely on 3P. But 2024 has an opportunity for retailers to invest in data partnership and first-party (& zero-party) data offered up by consumers directly. Aside from this, many advertisers and brands are coming up with innovative ways to plug this hole. This includes acquiring data with consumer consent, offering value in return, and making a commitment to uphold their privacy.
Having said that, 2024 is definitely going to be an interesting year in terms of advertising. Let’s see how brands and advertisers fare in terms of personalization and targeting in the absence of their ultimate weapon – 3PC.
Disclaimer: This article is part of sponsored content programme. The Tribune is not responsible for the content including the data in the text and has no role in its selection.
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Founder and CEO of JSA+Partners, a strategic communications firm working with consumer tech, digital media and gaming companies.
For many consumer brands, the holiday season can make or break yearly revenue targets. One of the most cost-effective ways to help boost sales is to drive awareness with editorial placements in holiday gift guides. For the average consumer, gift guides from trusted experts and tastemakers have always served as convenient sources of inspiration, making guide placement a no-brainer for brands hoping to cash in on the most lucrative season of the year.
Grabbing attention in such sought-after space, however, requires a strong pitch and product, and a thoughtful and proactive strategy to match.
1. Early bird gets the round-up.
While PR has built a reputation for its incredibly real-time pace, holiday pitching breaks the norm. Unlike the rapid breaking news cycle, holiday shopping content is produced seasonally and cyclically, which offers the luxury of time to plan and execute.
Depending on the opportunity and lead time, many journalists begin sourcing and reviewing products months in advance, and PR teams should start the pitching process as soon as July.
Why start so early? In many cases, reporters want to test, review or audit products before suggesting them to readers. This applies to gift guides with thoughtfully curated recommendations that project a focus on quality over quantity. Even for reputable brands considered household names, getting a product in journalists’ hands significantly increases the chances of being included in gift guides and shopping round-ups.
Considering that top journalists can receive upward of a thousand pitches per day, it’s crucial to allow ample time for product testing and familiarization. Brands must earn reporter loyalty in the same way they do with any customer, and their PR teams need to build trusted relationships with those reporters in order to compete for editorial placements.
2. Be a trend forecaster, not a trend follower.
Success in PR is often contingent on an awareness of trends, but landing longer-lead holiday placements requires an even greater knack for thinking ahead. While Gen-Z’s love of baggy denim and ’90s revival fashion might dictate their spending habits today, who’s to say those trends will last the next six months?
Rather than relying on what’s “of the moment” to determine the products and themes within your pitch, pay attention to expert predictions on what will be trending by the time holiday coverage rolls in.
There are countless resources readily available, from consumer surveys to industry-specific forecasts that predict consumer spending patterns. For example, the US Holiday 2022 Review and Holiday 2023 Preview from Insider Intelligence predicted value-oriented spending this year, which means mainstream media will likely prioritize value-first products when compiling their shopping guides and gift recommendations. This insight can help you determine which products to pitch, what specs and features to highlight, and the best language to use when describing them.
Trend forecasts also offer predictions by specific demographic and category. Since holiday gift guides are often segmented—think “best new games for teens” or “practical gifts for busy dads”—PR should structure pitches accordingly.
3. Don’t knock ‘the other’ shopping seasons.
While winter holiday gift guides are considered the Holy Grail of earned media, it’s important to remember other key seasonal opportunities. Even if Mother’s Day and graduation aren’t the most lucrative moments for a brand, they can act as vital touch points that help them stay top-of-mind with journalists.
Relationship-building is a cardinal practice for PR pros, and consistently pitching editorial stakeholders can serve you well, assuming your pitches are relevant and add value. Sourcing products is a full-time job for market and commerce editors, and they’re looking for any timely opportunity that motivates readers to click, share and repeat.
The National Retail Federation predicts back-to-college shopping will reach record highs this year at $94 billion, about a $20 billion increase from 2022. Beyond offering a sales bump, landing placements for back-to-school and other gifting holidays can ladder up to more editorial coverage during the winter holidays, since those placements will have contributed to the brand’s overall exposure and resulting popularity.
Furthermore, the reporters compiling gift round-ups for Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day are typically the same people for the winter holidays, so fostering those relationships throughout the year will make your pitches stand out.
4. Optimize marketing and retail strategies to support your efforts.
Even if a PR pro has the strongest reporter relationships, the wittiest pitches and the best strategy, there are factors within the broader business and marketing mix that play vital roles in determining which products are awarded spots in holiday gift guides. Though a PR department or agency only has so much control over these external variables, there are certain recommendations that can improve the success of the business and your gift guide outreach.
Beyond the obvious marketing essentials like high-quality photography and a robust digital presence, brands that join affiliate networks can widen the net of outlets willing to include their product in holiday gift guides. In light of a steady decline in ad sales, many major publishers are seeking alternative revenue sources.
Affiliate programs offer a commission for each sale generated from a publisher’s article or round-up, and as a result, many major publishers have opted to feature affiliate products exclusively. That rule is then mandated to the journalists who curate products for editorial gift guides, meaning brands that fail to participate in commission-based programs are left out entirely.
A brand’s retail strategy can also work to their advantage when vying for placements in top-tier gift guides. The biggest mainstream outlets often prioritize products available to purchase from Amazon, big-box retailers and major department stores. Diversifying retail strategy beyond direct-to-consumer can significantly increase earned media potential.
While their content may be inherently superficial compared to a feature story or analytical piece, holiday gift guides are a crucial piece of the puzzle for consumer brands looking to drive awareness, traffic and, ultimately, sales. As is the case for all areas of communications, a solid, specialized strategy is the only surefire path to success.
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