If your fiscal year ends in December, you might be feeling the pressure to allocate your leftover budget for 2024. The "use it or lose it" dilemma is real - but throwing money at last-minute expenses that won’t drive meaningful results isn’t the best move either.
Instead of scrambling, why not invest what’s left in consumer research to inform your decisions both now and in 2025? Whether you’re looking to get a jumpstart on Q1 or close out the year strong, these six research ideas can help you gain valuable insights, while making the most of your leftover budget.
Topics to wrap-up your 2024 research 🎁
- In-situ Christmas shelf displays. Holiday décor is already sneaking onto store shelves, meaning it’s the perfect time to gauge consumer reactions to in-store displays. Capture real-time photos and videos from shoppers to see how your products fare amid the holiday chaos. These insights will help you fine-tune your in-store strategy just in time for the festive rush.
- Holiday gifting trends. Where are consumers heads at with holiday gifting this year? When will they start shopping or have they already? Which categories are on the wish-lists of different segments? Are they after the latest smartwatch, a 12-step skincare routine, or maybe it’s cash or an experience they’d prefer? Understanding these trends gives you a leg up on your holiday marketing strategy. A quick dive into expected gifting trends can reveal valuable insights to help you position your products to the right audience for maximum appeal, either this year or next.
- Festive ad testing. The festive season puts brand advertising under the microscope, making it essential to ensure your messaging, visuals, and narrative resonate with your audience before launch. Running tests now on your digital campaigns can give you valuable feedback to fine-tune your creative and make it truly shine! While this year’s major TV holiday ads will have already been in the making’s for months, why not gather some insights on how they’re received to help guide your comms strategy in the new year?
Topics to spark your strategy for 2025 💡
- What’s set to trend in 2025? Looking ahead to the new year, consumer priorities are shifting. What are people expecting from 2025? Will they focus on indulgence or go back to basics? What will their top priorities be - travel, exercise, eating out? Do they plan on splurging or saving? This type of research can uncover emerging trends and whitespace opportunities to help you tailor your product and marketing strategies to align with consumer expectations in the year ahead.
- Who’s set to trend in 2025? Digital marketing strategies are increasingly centred around influencer partnerships. Early insights can give you a competitive edge and help you align your campaigns with the right voices in 2025.
- Key moment campaigns. Q1 of 2025 is packed with key moments, from Lunar New Year to Valentine’s Day, from Easter to Ramadan, from sporting fixtures like the Superbowl to the Six Nations. Planning research around these events now can help you stay ahead of the curve, ensuring your campaigns hit the mark for each key moment.
Still unsure how to spend your leftover budget? No need to panic! You don’t have to lock in your plans just yet. Instead of ‘using it’ or ‘losing it’, you can ‘snooze it’. With a flexible research platform like SBX, you can allocate your budget now and use it whenever you're ready—whether it's for an upcoming campaign in Q1 next year, a trend report in 2025, or a segmentation study next summer. You can keep it in your back pocket for the moment you need it most.
Ready to invest in valuable demand, innovation and brand insights to achieve maximum ROI with your leftover budget? Get in touch today.
