Q4 is almost upon us, meaning both publishers and advertisers are gearing up for what is often the highest advertising quarter of the year. Marketers will want to ensure that their ad spend isn’t going to waste, while media sellers will be looking for ways to capture those advertising dollars.
One way to stay on top of Q4 is to get familiar with the upcoming RFPs. Last quarter we gave a preview of these upcoming RFPs and would like to do the same for Q4. You can also check out our RFP Predictor, which will give you a detailed breakdown for all of Q4’s top brands.
Top RFPs for Q4
Taken altogether, we expect over 600 RFPs in Q4. This almost — but not quite — reaches the previous quarter’s number with 700 brands issuing RFPs. We expect November to be the busiest month, accounting for over half of the RFPs for the whole next quarter.
Two of the three top product categories issuing RFPs in Q4 will remain consistent when compared to the previous quarter. In Q3, the top categories were retail, home furnishings and travel. For this next quarter, only travel will be edged out by apparel.
Despite the top categories, two out of three of the top issuing companies will be food related. The three top companies issuing RFPs will be:
Kraft Heinz: Still going strong from the merger in 2015, Kraft Heinz places ads for its host of food and snack-related businesses. Expanding beyond boxed dinners and Capri Sun, the food giant recently acquired paleo-friendly Primal Kitchen and has invested in a vegan mozzarella startup.
JAB Holdings: Known for its moves on coffee staples like Krispy Kreme and Keurig, the German conglomerate has the unique challenge of differentiating each of its holdings from a branding perspective. Peet’s Coffee, for example, is being positioned as a coffeehouse with history, while Keurig is using automated testing to explore which blends land best.
Estee Lauder: With brands like MAC and Clinique, Estee Lauder is a mainstay for many print publications as well as luxury-focused digital properties. Our RFP predictor tool that allows you to look ahead in every quarter. You can see when RFPs are coming out and how your publication is positioned for each brand specifically.
