We’re in shock, too (where did the year go?!) – but 2023 is right around the corner, and it’s time to start looking ahead and putting your 2023 military marketing strategies in place. While 2022 brought us a year of relative normalcy after several years disrupted by the pandemic, we now have a new set of challenges and opportunities on our hands. The pandemic shifted our societal beliefs, workplace structure, and cultural norms for good – and the world we’re living in now is simply not the one we were living in before.
So when it comes to advertising to the military audience, how can your brand or agency skillfully adapt to the current climate and make an impact on this turnkey audience? As the military advertising experts for over 30 years, we’re here to provide you with a 2023 roadmap for success. Let’s dive into the three key military marketing trends for 2023.
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1. Recession-proof your business with military advertising
We’re not economists – but the buzz about the potential of an impending recession is hard for anyone to ignore. And when it comes to marketing, the phrase, “Hope for the best and prepare for the worst” is a savvy strategy.
Advertising during a recession can feel daunting – but it doesn’t have to be. At Refuel Agency, we’ve been working with and studying the military audience for over 30 years and consider ourselves audience experts. So if you’re looking to do a bit of recession-proofing as the new year approaches – military advertising is the way to do it.
The military audience is highly brand loyal, 100% employed, and wields $1.2 trillion in buying power. Additionally, it’s known that advertising during a recession is a strong play for your business – several reasons. First, the “noise level” in your business category tends to drop as other brands pull back their advertising spend, making it easier to make an impression and win over loyal customers.
Second, when brands cut back on advertising, they automatically lose out on the “share of mind” with consumers. When the recession fades away, their loyalty will have faded out along with it. Additionally, by advertising in slow times, you’re able to project an image of stability, making consumers want to invest in you.
On average, recessions only last 11 months, and it’s in your best interest to play a long game.
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2. Omnichannel marketing create cohesive experiences
At this point in time, customers across the board expect personalized, targeted marketing experiences that speak directly to their needs – and there’s simply no way around that. In 2023, skilled advertisers must be able to expand their perspectives beyond single campaigns and instead focus on long-term and omnichannel marketing efforts.
Single channel and multichannel marketing strategies focus on the interactions that customer have with various marketing channels. The goal of a multichannel marketing approach is to distribute the marketing message through as many channels as possible. The result is often a disjointed customer experience that is difficult for marketers to track.
An omnichannel marketing strategy, on the other hand, places the customer at the center, ensuring a unified shopping experience at every touch point. While a multichannel approach views more marketing channels as more ways to reach the customer, the omnichannel approach views more channels as a way to remove friction and increase consistency – which in turn, builds brand loyalty.
In 2023, successful military advertising campaigns will be created with a long-term and omnichannel approach – creating cohesive experiences and strong relationships with a key audience.
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3. Bringing your brand identity into your marketing
In the past several years, social causes have launched to the forefront of public consciousness and woven their way into the roadmap for a holistic brand identity. Brands are no longer able to exist in a vacuum – they must be willing to exist as a part of popular culture and walk the walk of their mission and values. Consumers expect more from brands, and are showing their loyalty through their purchases.
And members of the military audience are no exception. They’re looking for brands to support causes – especially causes related to the military community. According to Refuel’s most recent Military Explorer Study, 26% more likely to show support to brands that are equally supportive of the military community. And according to a recent study from SheerID, 94% say they have a positive impression of brands that they notice supporting the military.
Not only communicating, but living by your values garners support from your target military consumers.
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Are you ready to get started on your military marketing strategy in 2023? At Refuel Agency, we’ve been working with the military audience for over 30 years, and our combination of proprietary research, omnichannel solutions, and decades of experience make us uniquely qualified to deliver results for your brand or agency. Contact us today to get started.
