Holiday marketing campaigns from top brands can be incredibly creative and memorable. We can mention some of the most iconic holiday campaigns from previous years that have left a lasting impact.
The holiday season typically refers to a specific time of year when several holidays are celebrated in many countries. The exact holidays and their dates can vary by region and culture, but the holiday season commonly includes the following:
- Christmas: Christmas is one of the most widely celebrated holidays during the holiday season. It falls on December 25th and is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. Traditionally, it involves gift-giving, decorations, festive meals, and religious observances.
- Hanukkah: Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a Jewish holiday that usually falls in December. It is an eight-day celebration that involves the lighting of the menorah, the exchange of gifts, and special foods.
- New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day: New Year’s Eve falls on December 31st, and New Year’s Day is on January 1st. These holidays mark the transition from one calendar year to the next and are celebrated with parties, fireworks, and various customs and traditions.
- Thanksgiving: In the United States, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. While it technically falls before the holiday season officially begins, it is often considered the kick-off to the holiday season. It involves giving thanks, family gatherings, and feasting.
- Other Holidays: Depending on cultural and regional variations, other holidays such as Diwali, Eid al-Fitr, and other religious or secular celebrations may also be part of the holiday season.
Let’s look at some of our favorite holiday ad campaigns and why we can’t stop talking about them:
John Lewis’ “Monty the Penguin”
Warby Parker is a direct-to-consumer eyewear company that offers high-quality glasses at affordable prices. The company was founded in 2010 and has since grown to become one of the most popular eyewear brands in the world.
Warby Parker’s holiday book is a beautiful and inspiring coffee table book that features the company’s latest eyewear collection. The book also includes stories about the people behind Warby Parker and the company’s mission to make eyewear more affordable and accessible to everyone.
As part of this marketing campaign, Warby Parker mailed a free copy of the book with every gift card order.
The book is divided into four chapters:
- Chapter 1: The Warby Parker Story This chapter tells the story of Warby Parker’s founding and its mission to make eyewear more affordable and accessible to everyone.
- Chapter 2: The Warby Parker Collection This chapter features Warby Parker’s latest eyewear collection, including new styles and colors for men and women.
- Chapter 3: The Warby Parker Community This chapter features stories about the people behind Warby Parker and the company’s commitment to giving back to the community.
- Chapter 4: The Future of Warby Parker This chapter looks at the future of Warby Parker and the company’s commitment to innovation and design.
The Warby Parker holiday book is a must-have for any fan of the brand. It is a beautiful and inspiring book that is sure to be enjoyed by people of all ages.
IKEA’s Christmas Campaign 2023
IKEA’s Christmas campaign for 2023 is all about making the holidays a time for everyone to come together and celebrate. The campaign, titled “Home Is A Different World,” features a variety of festive ads , Flyers and social media posts that show how IKEA can help people create a welcoming and inviting home for the holidays, no matter their budget or style.
The campaign’s central message is that home is more than just a place to live. It’s a place where we can be ourselves, relax with loved ones, and create cherished memories. IKEA wants to help people make their homes even more special during the holidays, so they can focus on what’s most important: spending time with the people they love.
IKEA knows that the holidays can be expensive, so it’s committed to offering high-quality products at prices that everyone can afford. The campaign features a variety of holiday-themed products, from decorations and furniture to tableware and food, all at affordable prices.
Another key element of IKEA’s Christmas campaign is its focus on sustainability. IKEA is committed to helping people live more sustainable lives, and that includes during the holidays. The campaign features a variety of tips and tricks for reducing waste and decorating your home in a sustainable way.
IKEA’s Christmas campaign is all about creating a warm and inviting home for the holidays, where everyone can feel welcome and loved. With its focus on affordability, sustainability, and togetherness, IKEA is making it easier than ever for people to have a magical holiday season.
Spotify Wrapped Campaign
Spotify Wrapped is an annual campaign and feature offered by Spotify, a popular music streaming platform, typically towards the end of each year. The campaign provides Spotify users with a personalized summary of their music listening habits and preferences over the past year. It has become a highly anticipated and widely shared feature among Spotify’s user base. Here’s how the Spotify Wrapped campaign typically works:
- Personalized Insights: Spotify Wrapped offers users insights into their listening behavior. This includes their most-streamed songs, artists, and genres, as well as the total amount of time they spent listening to music on the platform.
- Custom Playlists: Users receive custom playlists curated based on their listening history. These playlists may include the user’s top songs of the year or a “Your Top Songs” playlist, which compiles their most-played tracks.
- Year in Review: Spotify Wrapped often provides a summary of the user’s music journey throughout the year, highlighting significant milestones such as the first song listened to in the year or the number of minutes spent listening.
- Shareable Content: One of the key aspects of Spotify Wrapped is its shareability. Users are encouraged to share their Wrapped results on social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, often using the hashtag #SpotifyWrapped. This turns it into a viral campaign as users compare their music tastes with friends and followers.
- Artist Wrapped: In addition to user-focused Wrapped experiences, Spotify also provides insights and highlights to artists, showcasing their achievements on the platform, including the number of streams and listeners.
- Global Insights: Spotify often releases aggregated statistics, showcasing global trends in music for the year. This includes information on the most-streamed songs, artists, and genres worldwide.
- Wrapped Merchandise: Spotify sometimes offers Wrapped-themed merchandise, allowing users to purchase physical items related to their music listening habits.
- Partnerships and Collaborations: Spotify may partner with brands, artists, and influencers to promote the Wrapped campaign, which can include exclusive content and promotions.
Google’s Home Alone Again campaign
The “Home Alone Again” campaign by Google is a marketing initiative that was launched in 2018 parody to promote Google Assistant, a virtual assistant powered by artificial intelligence. The campaign capitalizes on the enduring popularity of the classic holiday movie “Home Alone,” released in 1990, starring Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister.
Here’s an overview of Google’s “Home Alone Again” campaign:
- Nostalgia Factor: The campaign leverages the nostalgia associated with “Home Alone,” a beloved holiday film that many people grew up watching. It taps into the warm and festive feelings associated with the movie.
- Macaulay Culkin Reprises Role: The highlight of the campaign is the participation of Macaulay Culkin, who reprises his role as Kevin McCallister from the original “Home Alone” movie. This inclusion is a major draw for fans of the film.
- Modern Twist: Google uses this nostalgic setup to showcase how Google Assistant can assist Kevin McCallister in his modern-day home. The campaign depicts Kevin using Google Assistant to set reminders, control smart devices, order pizza, and perform other tasks to recreate the iconic scenes from the movie with a contemporary touch.
- Iconic Scenes Reimagined: The campaign features reimagined versions of several famous scenes from “Home Alone,” such as Kevin jumping on the bed and talking to his cardboard cutout of Michael Jordan. Google incorporates these scenes to demonstrate the convenience and capabilities of Google Assistant.
- YouTube Ad: The campaign was primarily promoted through a YouTube advertisement titled “Home Alone Again with the Google Assistant.” The ad quickly went viral and garnered millions of views.
- Social Media Engagement: Google encouraged social media engagement by creating promotional content and encouraging users to share their own holiday tips and experiences with the hashtag #HeyGoogle.
Interactive Google Assistant Experience: Users could interact with Google Assistant by saying, “Hey Google, how much do I owe you?” or “Hey Google, begin Operation Kevin” to access unique responses related to the “Home Alone” theme.
Macy’s “Believe” campaign
Macy’s “Believe” campaign is an annual holiday campaign that encourages customers to write letters to Santa Claus and donate to Make-A-Wish. For every letter received, Macy’s donates $1 to Make-A-Wish, up to $1 million.
The campaign was launched in 2007 and has since raised over $142 million for Make-A-Wish. It is one of the largest corporate fundraising campaigns for the organization.
The “Believe” campaign is a popular tradition for many families. Children love to write letters to Santa and parents appreciate the opportunity to support a worthy cause. The campaign also helps to raise awareness of Make-A-Wish by using festive Stationery and the important work that the organization does.
Here are some of the ways that Macy’s promotes the “Believe” campaign:
- In-store signage: Macy’s stores feature signage promoting the “Believe” campaign throughout the holiday season.
- Website: Macy’s website includes a dedicated page for the “Believe” campaign, where customers can learn more about the campaign, write a letter to Santa, and make a donation to Make-A-Wish.
- Social media: Macy’s uses social media to promote the “Believe” campaign, using the hashtag #MacysBelieve.
- Partnerships: Macy’s partners with other organizations, such as Make-A-Wish, to promote the “Believe” campaign. For example, Macy’s has partnered with Make-A-Wish to host events where children can meet Santa and write letters to him.
The Macy’s “Believe” campaign is a successful marketing campaign because it is:
- Engaging: The campaign encourages customers to participate by writing letters to Santa.
- Charitable: The campaign supports a worthy cause, Make-A-Wish.
- Holiday-themed: The campaign is relevant to the holiday season.
Widely promoted: Macy’s promotes the campaign through a variety of channels, including in-store signage, its website, social media, and partnerships.
Nordstrom’s “#MakeMerry” campaign
Nordstrom’s “#MakeMerry” campaign is a holiday campaign that encourages customers to celebrate the holiday season in their own unique way. The campaign features a variety of festive content, including videos, photos, and blog posts, that showcase different ways to make the holidays merry.
Nordstrom aimed #MakeMerry campaign is designed to be inclusive and inspiring. Nordstrom wants to help people celebrate the holidays in a way that is meaningful to them, no matter their traditions or budget.
Here are some of the key elements of the Nordstrom #MakeMerry campaign:
- Focus on individuality: The campaign encourages customers to celebrate the holidays in their own unique way. There is no right or wrong way to make merry.
- Emphasis on family and friends: The campaign is all about spending time with the people you love. The content features families and friends celebrating the holidays together in fun and festive ways.
- Affordability: The campaign is designed to be affordable for everyone. Nordstrom offers a variety of affordable holiday products and services.
- Sustainability: The campaign is committed to sustainability. Nordstrom offers a variety of sustainable holiday products and tips for celebrating the holidays in a more sustainable way.
Aperol Spritz’s “Merry Spritzmas Cards”
Aperol Spritz is a popular Italian aperitif cocktail made with prosecco, Aperol liqueur, and club soda. It is known for its bright orange color and refreshing taste.
For the 2023 holiday season, Aperol Spritz is launching a new campaign called “Merry Spritzmas Cards.” The campaign features a series of festive greeting cards that customers can download and print or send electronically. The cards are all designed to be fun and festive, and they feature images of Aperol Spritz cocktails, holiday decorations, and winter scenes.
Aperol Spritz is also partnering with select retailers to offer customers free “Merry Spritzmas Cards” with their purchase of an Aperol Spritz cocktail kit. The kits include everything customers need to make their own Aperol Spritz cocktails at home, including a bottle of Aperol liqueur, a bottle of prosecco, and a bottle of club soda.
The “Merry Spritzmas Cards” campaign is a great way for Aperol Spritz to connect with its customers and promote its brand during the holiday season. The campaign is also a fun and festive way for customers to celebrate the holidays with their friends and family.
Heathrow Airport’s “Heathrow Bears”
Heathrow Airport’s “Heathrow Bears” are a family of animated bears who have starred in a series of Christmas commercials for the airport. The bears, Edward and Doris, are a loving couple who have been together for over 50 years. They live in a cozy cottage at Heathrow Airport and love to travel the world.
The Heathrow Bears commercials are known for their heartwarming stories and festive atmosphere. The commercials typically feature Edward and Doris preparing for Christmas at Heathrow Airport and helping other passengers get into the holiday spirit
ELEMIS’ “Skincare Stories” campaign
LEMIS is a British luxury skincare brand that is known for its high-quality products and innovative formulas. The brand’s “Skincare Stories” campaign is a celebration of the unique skincare journeys of its customers.
The campaign features a series of short films that tell the stories of real ELEMIS customers. The films share how ELEMIS products have helped these customers to achieve their skincare goals and improve their confidence.
The “Skincare Stories” campaign is a powerful way for ELEMIS to connect with its customers on a personal level. The films show that ELEMIS is more than just a skincare brand. It is a community of people who are passionate about taking care of their skin and looking their best.
The campaign is also a great way for ELEMIS to promote its products and services. The films showcase the real-world benefits of using ELEMIS products, which can help persuade potential customers to try the brand for themselves.
Cadbury’s Secret Santa Postal Service
Cadbury’s Secret Santa Postal Service is a holiday marketing campaign that allows people to send a free chocolate bar to a friend or loved one anonymously. The campaign was first launched in 2022 and was an instant success, with over 150,000 chocolate bars sent.
The campaign works by placing posters and digital screens in public places, such as bus stops and train stations. The posters and screens have QR codes that people can scan with their phones to visit the Cadbury Secret Santa Postal Service website. On the website, people can choose a Cadbury chocolate bar and enter the name and address of the person they want to send it to. Cadbury will then ship the chocolate bar to the recipient anonymously.
The Cadbury Secret Santa Postal Service is a clever marketing campaign that achieves a number of goals. First, it is a great way to generate goodwill and positive brand awareness for Cadbury. Second, it is a way to promote Cadbury’s chocolate products. Third, it is a fun and engaging way for people to interact with the Cadbury brand.