Merry Holidays
By Nathan Rome

We’ve all heard it by now. Wal-Mart has returned to acknowledging its patrons with a hearty “Merry Christmas.” Wal-Mart will be joined in this effort by merchants such as Macy’s, Kohl’s and Walgreens. While this seems to be the trend, many stores, including electronic media giant Best Buy, will continue to wish their customers “Happy Holidays.” Even though the mainstream media and Bill O’Reilly would like you to believe this is a moral crusade, in truth, it’s nothing more than good old-fashioned marketing.

Each of these stores has a target market, a target market that believes in certain principles. Stores such as Wal-Mart, Kohl’s, Walgreens and, even to a degree, Macy’s, all envelop the stereotypical All-American Christian family image. Not to mention these are high retail points for Christmas decorations and Christmas in general. Then you go into the other spectrum: the stores not saying “Merry Christmas.” Best Buy, along with retailers such as Target, will be using “Happy Holidays” this season. In an effort to minimize the amount of people offended, these stores have chosen this all-encompassing phrase to signal their good wishes to customers of all beliefs.

So which saying is proper marketing etiquette? Not to be too Socratic, but it depends on your research. It is safe to assume that all of the aforementioned companies perform exhaustive research to determine their industry target markets, what they practice and what they prefer. That’s not to say that non-Christians don’t go to Wal-Mart, but it is saying that Wal-Mart’s research and marketing team decided that “Merry Christmas” would be a better way to approach the public this year. Sure, they may offend some people, but apparently their research predicted the positive impressions would outweigh the negative ones. Best Buy’s research, on the other hand, must have confirmed that most people who go to Best Buy aren’t as heavily influenced by the religious significance of Christmas. Sure, they might be buying presents for the upcoming holidays, but, with the exception of Wayne Newton’s “Christmas Hits Volume 50,” nothing directly relates to Christmas or the holidays. Therefore, it was in Best Buy’s interest to use “Happy Holidays.” Looking at the situation, Best Buy probably determined that most of their Christian patrons won’t feel alienated with the expression, and the retailer won’t risk offending non-Christians.

Additionally, market position may have played a key factor in each of these decisions. Wal-Mart is pretty much the dominating force in its industry. There are very few competitors to the super chain; therefore, they can afford to alienate a few consumers for the “greater good.” Best Buy, however, is in a much more competitive market. While many may regard Best Buy as an industry leader, there is much more competition, especially around the holiday season. They may not be able to afford, or at least to risk, alienating a few customers because, unlike Wal-Mart consumers, these customers have countless options that are easily accessible.

Image is another factor that was most likely crucial in debating which holiday expression to use. It would appear that Target shares a market with Wal-Mart. They both have similar items and cater to a similar audience. So why would Target choose “Happy Holidays” over “Merry Christmas?”

It’s my opinion that it all boils down to marketing research. Target has spent an incredible amount of time and energy developing a marketing plan that appeals to a certain crowd: the hip. They want people to stray away from the social stigma that once was Target-branded clothing and items, and become invigorated by their latest lines and products. They have partnered with major designers and incorporated household products from different cultures. They have researched which designers would generate interest, which wouldn’t, how to market these new designers, how to write and design advertisements, where to send press releases, what publications to target, etc. By doing their homework, lots and lots of homework, the people at Target have made solid choices that have set the store’s image apart from that of Wal-Mart. One of these decisions had to be how to phrase their holiday greeting. “Happy Holidays” is a modern, more worldly expression for a diverse audience, compared to Wal-Mart’s “Merry Christmas.” Exactly what Target wished for this holiday season.

It’s funny that two simple words require so much research, but that should be true for just about everything a company says or does. Every time you write something for a publication, every time you are quoted, and every time you send a holiday card, you are making a marketing statement. Understanding your market, as well as your competition’s, can lead to an insurmountable amount of success when creating a marketing strategy and can be achieved only through proper research and planning. In short, the more you know about your market, the better.

Happy Marketing,
Nathan Rome

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