Time is the one thing in life over which we rarely have complete control. We plan our days around certain events, giving ourselves ample time to do everything we need to do. We struggle with waking in the morning and planning dinner to make sure everything gets to the table at the same time. We talk about how time goes by, as if it’s something that we can stop or even try to understand.
Time has a different effect on all of us. My Facebook feed is littered with posts from friends who can’t believe time has gone by so fast. I’m guilty of asking where the time has gone, and especially when I turn the calendar from October to November. It seems 2016 just began, but here we are—at the end of the year. And I still wonder where the time went, even in an eventful year.
Through the (seemingly endless) political news, the Rio Olympics, the mass shootings, and other events, time alternately moves at the speed of light or feels like swimming through molasses. And November and December promise to fly by at a velocity similar to the other 10 months.
At the start of the year, we were engrossed by a political season that promised to be like none other in history. The candidates and their soundbites left us shaking our heads, leading some to Google “What is it like to live in another country?” Depending on your political leanings, this presidential cycle has either been incredibly frustrating, too comical to believe, or both.
The impact that the election has had on advertising has been just as frustrating. It took forever for the candidates’ parties to enter the television landscape with hard-hitting ads. Many of us enjoyed a summer of open inventory, waiting for the other shoe to drop. But when that shoe drops, it falls hard. The final weeks of the campaigns brought in ads to support not only the presidential hopefuls, but also any and all contested state and local races. All of summer’s lost time was crammed into a last-ditch, two-week period of political commercials on repeat.
Worse still, we’re already fully entrenched in the 2016 holiday season. While I love this time of year almost as much as I love my birthday, the holidays start way too early. By the time you read these words, we will have seen holiday ads for a full month, overlooking Thanksgiving and the joys it brings. That Thursday is the one day a year where it’s completely acceptable to overeat, sit on the couch, and watch television.
Thanksgiving is one day when brands and products shouldn’t worry about people avoiding TV. They are definitely watching, and there are a few broadcasts whose ratings have not suffered over the years. First is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade; every year, millions tune in to see television personalities fake-smile and give thanks. The authenticity is almost at the level of that cranberry sauce served indented with lines from the can.
After the feast, though, we are allowed to move back to the couch for some NFL football as we wait for the tryptophan to kick in, only waking in time for dessert and the second half of the game. These games are among the most-watched of the season, with expanded commercial breaks to accommodate increased advertising. Most of the month is reserved for retail advertising, however, making inventory tougher to come by.
December continues the good feelings that November left us with, as the holiday season is in full swing. The month is dominated by holiday specials and movies, which brings us to the unsung hero of the month: The Hallmark Channel. Hallmark runs Christmas-themed movies all month long, delivering its biggest audiences of the year.
The network’s numbers are on par with some of the biggest numbers seen on cable all year, and they present an opportunity for any brand or product interested in generating return on investment. The numbers and response are so positive, in fact, that the thought of overpaying won’t enter your mind; it’s definitely the most wonderful time of the year.
Time is not on our side, but we can’t slow it down or speed it up. All we can do is sit back and enjoy the ride—and November and December are definitely the time to do just that.