The Bad Execution

Where businesses go wrong is in reaching for the lowest-hanging fruit in the lazy marketing orchard: tired, overused seasonal puns and metaphors that lost their effectiveness sometime around 1987.

These painfully predictable phrases – “Fall into Savings,” “Sizzling Summer Deals,” “Spring Clean Your Finances,” and “Ice-Cold Winter Prices” – have been recycled so many times that they’ve become marketing white noise. Research from attention analytics firm Lumen found that ads using these common seasonal clichés experienced a 37% lower visual attention rate compared to more creative seasonal messaging.

The problem extends beyond just being ignored. These lazy word salad shortcuts signal to consumers that a brand couldn’t be bothered to invest thought into their communication. According to a 2023 study by the Content Marketing Institute, 64% of consumers report that generic, clichéd marketing language negatively impacts their perception of a brand’s quality and attention to detail.

Even worse, many businesses employ these seasonal clichés for products and services with absolutely no logical seasonal connection. A “Fall into Savings” promotion for accounting software or a “Sizzling Summer Deal” on office furniture creates a cognitive disconnect rather than a compelling reason to buy.

The Aftermath and Fallout

The consequences of seasonal cliché dependency extend beyond mere ineffectiveness. Marketing agencies report that campaigns built around these tired phrases consistently underperform compared to more original approaches.

According to research from marketing performance measurement firm Demand Metric, campaigns featuring obvious seasonal clichés show conversion rates approximately 23% lower than those using more distinctive seasonal messaging. The attention economy is brutal – when consumers mentally filter out your messaging because it sounds like everything else, you’ve wasted your marketing budget.

This failure typically leads to a dangerous cycle. When campaigns underperform, businesses often respond by increasing frequency and volume rather than improving quality, creating a perfect storm of annoying, ineffective marketing that actively damages brand perception. A 2023 consumer sentiment analysis by Sprout Social found that repeated exposure to clichéd seasonal marketing actually decreased purchase intent by 18% among consumers.

Several major retailers have learned this lesson the hard way. After years of diminishing returns on predictable seasonal campaigns, companies like Target and Nordstrom have shifted to more distinctive seasonal approaches, resulting in engagement increases of up to 42% according to internal reporting.

Key Takeaways for Marketers

While it’s easy to point fingers and laugh, there are genuine lessons here for marketers who prefer not to star in future editions of Bad Bad Marketing:

1. Make genuine seasonal connections or don’t make them at all
If your product or service has an authentic seasonal relevance, highlight the specific benefit rather than relying on tired wordplay. Research from marketing psychology firm System1 shows that ads establishing genuine seasonal utility outperform generic seasonal messaging by 47%. Instead of “Fall into Savings,” explain specifically how your product solves an autumn-related problem.

2. Differentiation Trumps Seasonality: Meaningful differentiation should never be sacrificed for seasonal relevance. Research from marketing consultancy Gartner shows that brands with distinctive messaging achieve 3x higher consideration rates than those relying on familiar industry tropes. Instead of “Fall into Savings,” focus on the unique value proposition that makes your offer compelling regardless of season.

3. Test your seasonal messaging against the “Groan Factor”
Before approving any seasonal campaign, subject it to what marketing consultancy Prophet calls the “Groan Factor” test: if your team involuntarily groans when reviewing the concept, consumers will too. Research shows that 76% of marketers can accurately predict consumer fatigue with concepts by measuring their own genuine reactions.

4. Use seasonality for substance, not just style
Rather than superficial seasonal wordplay, focus on substantive seasonal benefits. Marketing effectiveness studies consistently show that campaigns highlighting specific seasonal use cases outperform generic seasonal theming by 32%. Instead of “Sizzling Summer Deals,” demonstrate how your product enhances specific summer activities or solves particular summer challenges. Rather than announcing “Summer Sizzling Deals,” communicate exactly how customers benefit: “Guaranteed Same-Day Shipping All Summer” delivers clarity and actual value.

Bottom Line

Seasonal marketing doesn’t have to be a cliché graveyard. When approached with genuine creativity and authentic connection to consumer needs, seasonal campaigns can be both timely and distinctive. The difference lies in seeing seasons as contexts for meaningful communication rather than excuses for lazy wordplay.

Next time you catch yourself about to write “Spring into Savings” or “Harvest Great Deals This Fall,” remember: your customers deserve better, and your competition is counting on you to remain as forgettable as last year’s seasonal campaign. Break the cycle of seasonal mediocrity.

Bad Bad Marketing analyzes real marketing missteps so you don’t have to make them yourself. Subscribe to our newsletter for examples of what not to do – and how to do better.