Navigating Christmas Chaos

Hey, there!

Holiday shopping now kicks off as early as September. Let that sink in—by the time you’re carving pumpkins, brands are already carving up ad budgets to grab your attention.

The official holiday season kicked off on November 1, and consumers didn’t hold back. According to Adobe Analytics, $77.4 billion was spent online between November 1 and November 24—a 9.6% jump from 2023.

This year, 89% of U.S. adults plan to shop for the holidays, and they’ll do so across every imaginable platform: smartphones, tablets, laptops, and in-store, according to DISQO’s data.

It’s a gold rush, but instead of pickaxes, marketers are swinging discounts, free shipping, and “exclusive” deals.

The result? Noise. Ads clogging feeds, emails stuffed with offers, every brand screaming, “Look at me!” Consumers are overwhelmed, tuning out, or hitting “unsubscribe.”

For marketers, the challenge is simple: stand out, build trust, and drive sales—without cheapening your brand. But how?

Let’s break down how both sides can win in this chaotic dance of commerce.

The Christmas Creep: When and Where is it happening?

The Shift in Timing

Holiday shopping isn’t a season—it’s a marathon. 52% of shoppers start buying before November, with 18% kicking off as early as September. This extended timeline reshapes retail, forcing brands to compete earlier each year.

Start too early, and your message misses the mood. Wait too long, and your competitors will claim the budget. By December, early shoppers face “holiday fatigue,” tuning out late campaigns.

The challenge? Stretching your budget to fuel a quarter-long campaign that keeps your brand front and center. Success means sustaining engagement, delivering value, and avoiding redundancy.

Omnichannel Shopping

Welcome to the new normal: consumers blend online and in-store shopping to find the best deals. Gen Z leads the charge—52% plan to shop in-person on Black Friday, more than any other generation. It’s not online or offline; it’s both.

Winning brands nail cross-platform consistency. A shopper sees your TikTok ad, checks reviews online, and buys in-store. If that journey isn’t seamless—broken links, mismatched messaging—you lose the sale and their trust.

Retail giants like Amazon and Walmart get this, dominating online while driving foot traffic. Smaller brands? Get creative with Instagram-worthy pop-ups or localized campaigns to stand out.

What Consumers Want (and Don’t Wan)

Short-Term: Value Wins, Gimmicks Don’t

Shoppers care about one thing during the holiday rush: value. This season, 61% are driven by free shipping, and 51% are chasing budget-friendly deals. Convenience and cost are king, and creativity is far down the list. If your campaign doesn’t scream, “We’ll save you time and money,” you’re out of the game.

Why does this matter? In the short term, these priorities directly influence purchasing decisions. A shopper choosing between two brands will pick the one that delivers the best deal with the least hassle—period.

Marketing fluff, clever slogans, or overly emotional campaigns won’t close the sale unless they’re paired with practical value.

Long-Term: Building Brand Love (Without Forgetting the Basics)

Value gets the sale, but brand loyalty is built on more than discounts. Humor are sentimentality are powerful tools for creating a connection—but only when the basics are covered. For example:

• Humor: A witty ad might spark interest, but it won’t matter if the price isn’t right or the shipping isn’t free.

• Sentimentality: A heartfelt campaign can grab attention, but if the buying process is clunky, those good vibes vanish.

 Closing Thoughts + Call-to-Action

If you found this useful, feel free to share it with friends and colleagues. Insights like these can help us all navigate the chaos of holiday marketing with smarter strategies and better results. Let’s grow the Beyond the Brief community and keep the conversation going!