Easter 2022: Brand Engagement Strategies

Virtual Hunts Hold Strong

Chocolate brands continue to leverage the reach of virtual egg hunts that proliferated during lockdown (see Easter 2021: Brand Engagement Tactics). This year, with support from the instant panoramic vision of Google Street View technology, they’re promising more meaningful gifts and prizes, or the opportunity to support a charity.

Eat-Ster Retail: Culinary Activations

Aiming to embed themselves into consumers’ focus on Easter feasts, other brands are offering culinary experiences including cooking workshops, ‘grocerant’ (supermarket-restaurant fusion) dining, and recipe-sharing for those wanting to upgrade at-home celebrations.

Edutainment Easter: Parent-Supporting Strategies

Echoing how brands showed their support for parents mid-lockdown with initiatives filling the edutainment gap (see The Brief) – from downloadable activity sheets to in-store egg hunts and workshops – empathetic retailers are turning into micro-service providers and helping parents keep children occupied during holiday time.

DIY Decorating: Engaging The (Budget-Savvy) Craft Core

With the Covid-accelerated craft boom looking set to continue (see also New Google Tool Reveals Popular Pandemic Pastimes), several brands have focused their engagement strategies on low-level upskilling initiatives grounded in do-it-yourself decorating, including both in-person workshops and online tutorials. Several astutely talk to an increasing budget-conscious mindset, ­detailed in Reframing Frugality. 

Easter’s Branded Botanical Connection

Trading on an increased reverence for nature as a source of mental and physical healing post-pandemic (see Biophilia-Based Brand Engagement and Nature Nurture in our Look Ahead 2022 Overview), both Lego and chocolate brand Milka’s Austria divisions are leveraging botanical-themed Easter strategies to connect with consumers this year.

Diversifying Easter Traditions

Other brands are expanding Easter rituals and celebrations to engage a broader range of audiences, pushing beyond classic visual tropes and stereotypes. Big-box behemoth Target is focussing on Latinx audiences in the US (acknowledging a demographic for whom Easter is hugely popular), while Australian mall group Westfield is highlighting Swedish folklore.