Strictly come shopping: finale fever boosts online spending

Brands should prepare for a surge in Strictly inspired spending up until Christmas, as fans of the hit show watched the series finale last weekend and ahead of the upcoming festive special.

Brands should prepare for a surge in Strictly inspired spending up until Christmas, 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.

Figures from 2020 show that on the day of last year’s final, searches for ‘strictly’ and ‘ballroom’ increased 30 percent and 23 percent respectively compared to the day before. Meanwhile, during last year’s Christmas special, searches for ‘strictly’ also rose 22 percent. And demonstrating that Strictly fever is still going strong this season, eBay Ads saw searches for ‘strictly’ jump 104 percent on the day of this year’s first live show (25th September 2021) compared to the day before, with searches for ‘ballroom’ rising 94 percent in the same timeframe.

Dual screening is the ultimate duet for brands

The new insights 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 percent 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 percent 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 percent 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 percent in the same timeframe.

Harmony Murphy, GM Advertising UK at eBay, says: “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 percent 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 percent and 28 percent 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 percent compared to the day before - compared to a 44 percent increase amongst female shoppers. And during this year’s opening show, searches for ‘tap shoes’ by male shoppers increased 173 percent compared to the day before, close to double the 95 percent 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.”