Rapid Response: Amazon’s Prime Day. Drive brand growth and sales

This LinkedIn newsletter provides exclusive insight into OMD's internal Rapid Response series. This month’s edition covers Amazon’s Prime Day, written by guest authors OMD EMEA's Parweez Mulbocus, with expert insight from Omnicom Commerce's Konrad Żmuda-Trzebiatowski and Flywheel's Tim Watkinson. 

A new summer sales season for brands 

Amazon Prime Day, which falls on the 16th and 17th of July this year, is now one of the most anticipated retail events worldwide and has transformed shopping habits.  

Prime Day has become a cornerstone of the retail calendar and is expected to generate $13.41 billion in global sales this year, a 6.8% increase from 2023. Marketing departments are increasingly strategizing around Prime Day to maximize brand opportunities. 

Shoppers carefully research Prime Day purchases 

Leaving little room for impulse buys, Prime members plan to research their purchases carefully before shopping, suggesting that brands may have limited ability to influence decisions at the point of purchase. Last year, 80% of shoppers reported knowing what they planned to buy beforehand. 

While general merchandise categories typically dominate total Prime Day dollar spend, CPG categories saw a significant increase in shopper penetration YoY. There is an anticipation of a continued uptick in CPG purchases, with subscribe-and-save promotions being a potential source of growth. Brands hoping to turn the rise in consumer interest in CPG categories into recurring revenues focusing on subscribe-and-save promotions for replenishable items. 

This presents an opportunity for brands to reach new audiences with their brand story, engage consumers, and drive value during Prime Day. 

• Leading up to Prime Day: Join the excitement to build anticipation and get your brand noticed. 

• During Prime Day: Position your brand in front of millions of new and existing shoppers and encourage them to add your products to their carts. 

• Post Prime Day: Leverage insights gained to continue building your brand throughout the year is crucial. This will empower you to make informed decisions and drive your brand's growth. 

Optimizing Amazon content for Prime Day 

Konrad Zmuda-Trzebiatowski, Global eCommerce Strategy Director at Omnicom Commerce – Molecular, shares his top three tips on optimizing Amazon content for Prime Day. 

1. Prime Day Teaser Campaign: Amazon Posts are a vital tool in your Prime Day Teaser Campaign to show brand participation and announce upcoming deals. With shoppers planning their spending for Prime Day, ensure your brand is front of mind. 

2. Ensure your brand’s content is up-to-date and optimized: Start with copy. Product titles must be 150+ characters and contain crucial data to increase listing positioning. Use tools like Helium 10 to identify keywords and search queries. Use your product reviews to see the areas that customers pay the most attention to.  

3. Use other channels to drive traffic to your offers: Amazon’s algorithm loves external traffic. Brands can benefit from driving users from Google, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok into product cards and brand stores on Amazon.  

Enhancing Prime Day marketing strategies 

Tim Watkinson, Head of Data Strategy and ad tech at Flywheel, shares his top three tips for improving Prime Day marketing strategies.  

1. Control frequency during Prime Day traffic peaks: To maximize efficiency during Prime Day, we recommend setting a campaign frequency cap.  

2. The path to purchase changes during Prime Day: Purchase cycles during Prime Day change; we recommend lead-up, Prime Day, and lead-out tactics. 

3. Loyal vs. repeat customers to drive long-term value: Loyal customers will be looking for a deal to stock up, subscribe, and save, or for gifting; use Amazon audiences and campaign tactics to separate these audiences during Prime Day. 

Amazon Prime's global reach is substantial, with over 200 million members in 23 countries. The allure of next-day free shipping motivates 90% of sign-ups, leading to an average annual spend of $1,400 per member. Shoppers must be Amazon Prime members to access these sales. Amazon Prime Day is an ideal time to boost your brand’s visibility and drive significant sales. 

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