Owning the Entire Consumer Journey: From Festive to Everyday

They know how to maximise Black Friday, create emotional pull during the festive season, and drive short bursts of attention. But once the moment passes, the strategy often does too. Campaigns end, results are reported, and the consumer journey resets.

That was the challenge we addressed with Proudly South African through the Start and End with Local campaign.

For Proudly South African, the goal was not only to win attention during the festive season, but to encourage a long-term habit of buying local. Achieving that required more than a single campaign moment. It required a connected journey that could carry the message beyond peak shopping periods and into everyday life.

One journey, not separate campaigns

Rather than treating Black Friday, Christmas, New Year, and back to school as standalone initiatives, Start and End with Local was designed as one continuous journey.

The festive period focused on discovery and pride in local products. Black Friday reinforced value, challenging the perception that buying local comes at a premium. New Year messaging positioned buying local as a conscious reset, while back to school grounded the idea in routine, showing how local choices fit into daily family decisions.

Each phase built on the one before it, using consistent language, cues, and values so the story evolved instead of restarting.

Why continuity mattered

Proudly South African’s audience does not stop making purchasing decisions when December ends. Families continue to shop, budget, and choose products throughout the year.

Continuity allowed the message to remain present without becoming repetitive. By evolving the same core idea across moments, the campaign helped shift buying local from a seasonal sentiment into a practical, repeatable behaviour.

This approach also made the work more efficient. Each touchpoint reinforced the last, reducing the need to reintroduce the message at every stage.

Full funnel thinking in action

From the outset, Start and End with Local was built with full funnel thinking.

Awareness content introduced the value of buying local. Consideration messaging addressed accessibility, quality, and price. Conversion moments were supported with clear calls to action.

Crucially, the journey did not stop there. Each phase was designed to support what came next, ensuring momentum carried forward beyond the festive window.

Designing for long-term impact

For us at Bohemian, this project reinforced the importance of owning continuity.

Designing work that connects high-attention moments with everyday relevance, and supports behaviour change over time.

Because when a campaign is designed to start and end with local, it does not really end at all. It continues in the everyday choices people make long after the festive season fades.