Brands should prepare for a surge in Strictly inspired spending from this Saturday up until Christmas, as fans of the hit show settle down for both the series finale and festive special. That’s according to new data insights from eBay Ads UK, which finds that Strictly Come Dancing prompts viewers to shop for what they’ve seen on TV – whether for their favourite looks or gear for their new dancing career.
With the 2021 final set to air this Saturday, figures from 2020 show that on the day of last year’s final, searches for ‘strictly’ and ‘ballroom’ increased 30% and 23% respectively compared to the day before. Meanwhile, during last year’s Christmas special, searches for ‘strictly’ also rose 22%. And demonstrating that Strictly fever is still going strong this season, eBay Ads saw searches for ‘strictly’ jump 104% on the day of this year’s first live show (25th September 2021) compared to the day before, with searches for ‘ballroom’ rising 94% in the same timeframe.
Dual screening is the ultimate duet for brands
The new insights from eBay Ads UK reveal an opportunity for agile brands to cash in on second screening – as viewers shop from the sofa on second devices. The style of glamorous host Tess Daly in particular inspires shoppers in the moment. When Tess wore a black halterneck jumpsuit during last year’s second live show on 31st October 2020, searches for ‘jumpsuit’ shot up 28% at 8pm compared to the previous hour. And during the series semi-final (12th December 2020), Tess’s pink floor-length gown prompted searches for ‘pink dress’ to surge 161% at 7pm compared to the hour before.
But it’s not only the presenters that get the nation shopping. When The Wanted singer Max George performed his movie week routine dressed as Homer Simpson on 3rd November 2020, searches for ‘Simpsons’ jumped 38% from 6 to 8pm. And focusing on slightly more conventional attire, when singer HRVY wore a gold tuxedo during the quarter final (5th December 2020), searches for ‘tuxedo’ soared 73% in the same timeframe.
Harmony Murphy, GM Advertising UK at eBay, comments: “Strictly Come Dancing continues to be one of Britain’s most loved television shows, and our data demonstrates that fans are online-and-inspired while each episode and dance is aired – presenting a great opportunity for brands to tap into this Strictly fever. As we approach this year’s final and Christmas special - the final hurrahs of the series - brands should harness the freshest, real-time data insights that allow them to reach a nation of Strictly fans while they’re in the mood to dance, and shop.”
Shoppers get their dancing shoes on
Beyond outfit inspiration, the insights from eBay Ads UK suggest that Strictly also inspires people to get dancing and invest in dance gear of their own. On the day of last year’s final (19th December 2020), searches for ‘ballroom dress’ increased 75% compared to the day before, and ‘tap shoes’ rose 31% in the same time frame. Meanwhile, as Strictly kicked off with its first live show this year, searches for ‘tap shoes’ and ‘leotard’ jumped 96% and 28% respectively, compared to the day before.
And brands mustn’t forget that dancing is for everyone. During last year’s semi-final, searches for ‘ballet shoes’ by male shoppers surged 75% compared to the day before - compared to a 44% increase amongst female shoppers. And during this year’s opening show, searches for ‘tap shoes’ by male shoppers increased 173% compared to the day before, close to double the 95% increase in searches made by females. This demonstrates a clear need for brands to consider all demographics when it comes to reaching those caught up in the magic of Strictly.
Harmony Murphy, GM Advertising UK at eBay, adds: “With shows such as Strictly Come Dancing firmly embedded into British pop culture, marketers must realise that their annual occurrences have become retail events in their own right. Brands must consider how they can map shows such as Strictly into their yearly campaigns and engage a nation of fans inspired to shop – whether for glamorous outfits or their own dance gear.”