I’ve been watching more than a bit of NHL hockey lately. (The Oilers are on fire! 🔥)
Like any marketer, I pay attention to the ads. And there’s an intriguing play being made with Sephora’s holiday campaign.
During breaks in the action, they’re running spots about:
- An older man choosing a gift for his longtime husband (who’s seen admiring his own flowing hair in the oven’s reflection)
- A teenage girl planning what to buy for her jet-setting aunt “who lives out of a chic carry-on”
My 14-year-old daughter asked the smart question: “Why target gay men and teenage girls during hockey games? Isn’t the audience mostly straight adult men?”
Exactly. And that’s WHY it’s brilliant.
Sephora is already massively popular with my daughter’s female friends. Maybe the most popular brand in their demographic.
But with that level of saturation, where do you grow?
By reaching the gift-buying partners, parents, and relatives of your devoted customers. The ones who have no idea (yet) what you offer, but need to buy presents.
In addition to assisting their core customers, Sephora’s making a power play for an entirely new audience.
In I Need That, I talk about how the dog brain connects with emotional storytelling. These ads don’t explain products — they show relatable gift-giving scenarios. The anxiety of choosing the perfect present. The relief of finding JUST the right thing.
It’s a strategy that only makes sense for established brands. If you’re a startup, advertising to an off-target audience usually means wasting precious budget.
You need to build your core market first.
But for Sephora? Those hockey fans aren’t off-target at all. They’re exactly who needs help buying beauty and haircare gifts right now.
With the accuracy of Draisaitl finding top corner, they’re sniping exactly the right audience at precisely the right time.
* This is why you‘re glad I don’t write a lot of sports-related posts! 😩 *
Action for today: Look at YOUR target audience. Who influences their buying decisions? Who buys gifts for them? Sometimes your best prospects aren’t your end users — especially this time of year.
What hidden audiences might your product be missing?
Laurier
P.S. Research shows men typically spend 39% more on holiday gifts than women. Maybe those hockey game ad spots aren’t so surprising after all, when you think about it.