Seasonal slowdowns can be interpreted as a signal to reduce marketing investment. But declining category demand doesn't always mean shoppers have stopped looking. In many cases, purchase intent remains strong, even as overall sales soften. The challenge is ensuring your brand continues to appear when those shoppers are ready to buy.

A leading consumer healthcare brand faced this exact challenge. While its category was entering a seasonal downturn, the brand wanted to continue driving online sales without sacrificing efficiency or market share.

To understand where opportunities still existed, Loblaw Advance^TM analyzed shopper search behaviour on PC Express^TM, examining both search trends and purchasing patterns.

The analysis revealed an important insight. Even during the seasonal slowdown, shoppers were actively searching for the brand's products. This indicated that demand hadn't disappeared. Instead, there was an opportunity to improve discoverability by expanding the brand's search presence.

The analysis also found that maintaining a strong sponsored search presence helped increase organic, non-paid sales, creating additional value beyond paid performance alone.

Armed with these insights, Loblaw Advance^TM launched a targeted Search & Rescue campaign on PC Express^TM.

Rather than scaling back investment during the slower season, the strategy focused on expanding the brand's reach by:

• Doubling sponsored search investment from Q1 to Q2.

• Introducing 846 new keywords to capture additional shopper searches.

• Expanding visibility across 305 new products.

• Prioritizing high-potential search terms to increase product discoverability and defend market share.

The objective wasn't simply to drive incremental sales. It was also to ensure the brand remained visible whenever shoppers expressed purchase intent, even during a softer market.

Seasonality changes purchasing volume, but it doesn't eliminate shopper intent. By expanding keyword coverage and increasing product visibility, the campaign captured shoppers who were already searching but may not have encountered the brand through its existing sponsored search strategy.

The broader keyword portfolio also strengthened the brand's presence across more shopping occasions, while increased sponsored visibility supported organic discovery and helped maintain performance beyond paid placements.

Seasonal slowdowns don't mean shopper demand has disappeared. They simply change how and when shoppers discover products. Brands that continue investing strategically in sponsored search can uncover hidden demand, strengthen visibility, and capture shoppers with high purchase intent, even when the broader category slows. When competitors pull back, search becomes more than a growth channel. It becomes a competitive advantage that protects market share today while building momentum for tomorrow.

Discover how Loblaw Advance^TM uses shopper intelligence and sponsored search solutions to help brands capture more high-intent shoppers, maximize online performance, and stay competitive in every season.