The fine art of holiday marketing in tense times

There’s no doubt these are tense times. Whether consumers are shopping for themselves and family during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday period, or for friends and colleagues after Thanksgiving and in the run-up to Christmas and beyond, there has never been a more-needed time for the advertising industry to step up and deliver good vibes this shopping season.

There are many ways for marketers to address good tidings and cheer, so we turned to members of the Ad Age Amp community on effective holiday marketing trends and themes this season, as well as messages that are not just compelling and effective but also suitable to the times. 

’Tis the season … of stress and anxiety

For much of the past decade, more and more advertisers have been leaning into the holidays, following the lead of U.K. retailer John Lewis and its famous tearjerker ads. But this holiday season, a consensus is building that brands need to go the extra mile to relieve the myriad pressures consumers are feeling due to everything from sociopolitical and economic anxiety to wars and disasters around the world. 

“Love Thismas Not Thatmas,” Mother’s recent ad for British retailer M&S, pokes fun at common holiday stressors from creating decorations to entertaining, culminating in “Ted Lasso” star Hannah Waddingham throwing paper Christmas party hats in a wood chipper and ending with the actress pondering whether to toss in an Elf on the Shelf to the tagline “This Christmas, do only what you love.”

And yet, even a seemingly benign and lighthearted holiday spot like “Love Thismas Not Thatmas” is not immune to the heightened sensitivities caused by global turmoil such as the Israel-Hamas war. On Nov. 2, an M&S tweet on X (formerly Twitter) promoting the ad used an outtake photo from the shoot showing red, green and silver Christmas hats burning in the fire. The BBC reported that the photo drew criticism from social media users who believed the hats represented the colors of the Palestinian flag. M&S deleted the tweet and posted the following apology:

“The holidays come with much cautious anticipation this year due to current events,” said Sam Zises, CEO at [L]earned Media. “Tensions are high and spirits are solemn. As marketers we need to move with sensitivity of tone and grace for all audiences. Whatever their message, brands should lead with heart.” 

Odes to joy and delight

While some recent sales trends predict tepid holiday spending, all brands—but especially retail—can take this season as a time to infuse more joy and delight in the holiday madness.

“The retail brands who will succeed in this tricky time will maximize value while also instilling confidence and excitement, beyond sales and promos,” said Elizabeth Probst, director of brand strategy at OKRP. “This can include creative product bundling to match gifts with stocking stuffers, building intrigue around limited-time products or experiences, or making it easy to shop low-cost, high-value items.

“The strategic advantage will be building a valuable experience that refocuses on confidence, ease and joy in an otherwise stressful time of year,” she said.

Amazon’s in-house ad “Joy Ride,” about three older women connecting via holiday memories past and present to the soundtrack of an instrumental rendition of the Beatles’ “In My Life,” leans into this strategy. (The Fab Four’s new song “Now and Then” and its accompanying video have a similar vibe.)

“The stories we tell serve as a reminder that sometimes the joy you receive from doing something special, for those you love, can uplift us all at this time of year,” said Jo Shoesmith, global chief creative officer at Amazon.

Agencies are making a conscious effort to focus on the things that matter most to people, coming together with communities, gathering around a common goal and giving back to others.

A noted example is lifestyle retailer Anthropologie, which this year is collaborating with its YoungArts “Leading With Creativity” contest winners on a “Making Merry” holiday campaign. The platform is advancing young and emerging talent, and throughout the holiday season the brand will highlight the work of the artists as part of its holiday campaign.

“By doing so, they’re celebrating the season of generosity, all within their brand spirit of creativity, and that’s what Anthropologie is all about. Well done,” Zises said.

The idea of joy and delight can extend both outward and in. At George P. Johnson, the team focuses on strengthening relationships with its teams, clients and communities during the holidays. 

“Leading up to Giving Tuesday, we encourage giving through our employee donation matching program, Project Pledge, which empowers team members to give back where they feel most compelled,” said Erica Wiggins, GPJ director of marketing and communications.

Going into the end of the year, the team finds organizations it can give to collectively, involving activities that bring the office together for a shared purpose. They’ve decorated and packed duffel bags for foster kids, gathered and donated socks to the homeless, and this year will be volunteering at animal shelters and donating needed supplies. 

“External sharing is focused on how others can get involved, so we can share the #GPJoy,” Wiggins said.

Breaking through the noise

A perennial challenge for marketers during the holiday season is the oversaturation of marketing channels. Because there are lots of brands vying for consumer attention, it makes channel selection more important than ever. Some may be unexpectedly productive.

“With everyone competing for holiday sales on bottom-funnel channels, one way to stand out is using channels historically thought to be too top-funnel or out of reach,” said Ally Brito, managing director at Wondersauce. Brito noted that connected TV (CTV) in particular is becoming ever more mature in its targeting capabilities, merging high-impact placements with programmatic. The challenge is to do it in a way that breaks through. 

A solution: very high-end creative.

An example is RPA’s “Wall of Dreams” campaign on behalf of Honda, featuring alternative reality (AR) murals placed in high-impact digital and out-of-home locations, illustrating the automaker’s journey toward zero emissions. RPA hired noted illustrator Paul Shipper (think “Star Wars,” “Star Trek” and more) for the artwork.

“Our goal was to stop people in their tracks amid the hustle and bustle of the holidays, and leave them feeling optimistic about the future of technology,” said Sarah May Bates, VP and creative director at RPA. “If you’ve got an inspiring, true story, what a perfect time to tell it.”

Social shopping

The use of technology this season, whether new or mature, has to include social media. Ampers agreed that we’ll see a big push in social commerce, which they say will significantly change the rules for brands and retailers alike.

The big new kid on the social block is TikTok Shop, a content-first shopping platform driven by influencers, not brands. It enables brands and creators to showcase and sell products directly on TikTok through a suite of in-app shopping touchpoints. So far, over 100,000 creators signed up for the affiliate program and over 200,000 sellers signed up for the shop less than two months after launching in the U.S. 

“TikTok and social content is the new battleground for all brands, regardless of what channel the consumer buys into,” said Tyler Murray, U.S. CEO of VMLY&R Commerce. “TikTok Shop will have a huge impact, providing substantial discounts and competing with retailers like Amazon and Walmart.”

Murray noted that with 150 million TikTok users in the U.S., it’s a myth that only Gen Zers use the platform. Everyone is on it, but winning with social content is the exact opposite of the big TV holiday campaigns we’re all used to, he noted. 

“Brands and retailers should look to generating quantity on social, instead of focusing resources and dollars on one single spot,” he said. “The biggest priority for brands should be executing lots social content, early and often.”

Whether it’s TikTok, Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp, social media increasingly is being driven by influencers, and they promise to have a big say on which brands rise to the top of consumer minds. But they need direction, according to Chris Cardetti, chief strategy officer at Barkley.

“Marketers should consider giving influencers tighter creative briefs,” he said. “Yes, influencers creatively bring their own voice to our brands, but specific briefs, not free-rein assignments, work best for us. Last year, for example, we gave our Planet Fitness influencers a specific brief around the low-energy plague facing Americans and how, as creators, their voice can deliver the unique Planet Fitness boost.”

Meanwhile, apps as a shopping and promotional tool have been flying under the radar for a while, but it may be ready for its closeup this holiday season. Cardetti sees an increased focus on app-based marketing and CRM.

“Maybe it’s a Smoothie King smoothie while holiday shopping or a special offer at Red Lobster,” he said. “The throughline is: We’re focused on messaging that creatively showcases reasons to buy during the holiday season.”

Lastly—or firstly, according to many—is the buzzword of the year, artificial intelligence. AI is showing promise in providing powerful predictive capabilities that make the most of data about each person’s ideal purchase journey. It can include the use of tools that dictate the optimal send-time of an email, or dynamically swapping out content for the right message based on knowledge of consumers’ interests and affinities. 

“Beyond standard promotions, marketers will better meet their customers’ needs by shifting attention towards what people already want,” said Amy Finn, senior VP of strategy at Media.Monks. “This means we must understand individual consumers at scale: what they’re looking at, what’s in their wish list and even where they’re at in their life or even their day. Overall, it’s about being more strategic with how we use the technology available to us to resonate with consumers in a busy, crowded shopping season.”

Telling wonderful stories

The holiday season is a great time for brands to flex their festive muscle. Emotions run hot this time of year, and emotion sells. This gives brands a rich backdrop to show up and connect with people with stories of real people and real sentiment. 

While there’s no one recipe for holiday success, there are some useful things to consider to ensure you don’t disappear into the white Christmas noise. Matt Kingston, chief strategy officer at FCB New Zealand, advised brands and agencies to “know your place.”

“While we all love a good festive Christmas spot, brands that find their own distinct role in the season tend to create work that’s more focused and credible,” Kingston said. He pointed to the 2020 “Xmess” video on behalf of U.K. paper towel company Plenty. Called by some “the grossest” holiday ad ever, it shows the side of family holiday gatherings we never get to see in Christmas ads, yet situations everyone has experienced, like the dog’s surprise donation under the Christmas or the floored turkey.

And of course there’s a paper towel to clean up the mess.

“The brand’s ode to the wonderful messiness of Christmas is a masterpiece in capturing the reality of the season, and elevating the humble paper towel to a higher level,” Kingston said. 

In addition to tentpole holidays like Black Friday, Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s also important to consider other celebrations during this time of year that are just as meaningful to important audiences, said Eileen Zhao, strategy director at Fred & Farid Los Angeles. From Kwanzaa to Hanukkah to Diwali and the Lunar New Year, brands have an opportunity to connect with certain audiences in deeper and more nuanced, cultural ways.

Zhao pointed to the agency’s development of Remy Martin’s Lunar New Year campaigns, championing the blending of tradition with a modern twist shaped by a new generation of Asian Americans celebrating the holiday their way. 

“By taking an interest and a subsequent investment in understanding cultural communities, brands can be an advocate and an ally to communities who might not feel represented during the holiday season,” she said. “By creating a platform with these audiences, we open up more creative opportunities to tell a new narrative that honors tradition without being beholden to it.”

The authenticity of need

A few more ideas from FCB New Zealand’s Kingston to keep in mind in the run-up to the holidays:

• Pick a lane. Emotion works, but know which emotion you’re going for and double-down on it.  if you want people to laugh, aim for hysterics. If you want them to cry, strive for aggressive weeping. Talking to the heart helps to cut through the hard sell.

• Don’t be a Grinch. People have a lot on their minds, and more on their to-do lists. By entertaining people and giving them something to laugh about, you’ll provide a suitable gift for everyone.

• Say the unsaid. Work hard to find that truth everyone recognizes but nobody is saying. Kingston pointed to FCB New Zealand’s work for New Zealand Post, which hilariously plays on the truth that Christmas is the one time of year when “little white lies” are acceptable. 

“Current events, sustainability and tech engagement—AI, social—remain top of mind for consumers this holiday season,” said Michelle O’Grady, CEO and founder of Team Friday. “As audiences become more connected to themselves and the world, marketing narratives and imagery must reflect the authenticity of need.”