Why You Are Going to Start Seeing Christmas Ads Already

Harvard Business Review reports:

Kmart has launched the season’s first holiday ad. Santas are on display at Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores and Costco... Toys “R” Us, Walmart, and Target have released their lists of the hottest holiday toys...

Early holiday launches aren’t that new, yet we continue to gnash our teeth. If we hate them so much, why do they persist? Because they make good business sense. Enough customers and retailers value them to moot the inevitable criticism. National Retail Federation surveys, for example, show that 20% of consumers have started their holiday buying in September and 40% by Halloween.

Last week we conducted our own survey of 621 American adults. Nearly two-thirds affirm they’ve already seen holiday displays. Overall, one-third claim that early launches drive them crazy, one-third are largely indifferent or find the displays “a little” annoying, and one-third say they love or like early holiday promotions...

The positive responders report that early holiday marketing puts them in a good mood, helps them to avoid procrastination, and gives them helpful ideas. Those most likely to appreciate early promotions include shoppers under 45, those with children in their households, and those with annual incomes under $20,000, who may welcome the chance to spread holiday spending over longer periods.