Inflation has squeezed wallets. Consumer confidence has softened. Many shoppers are delaying purchases or trimming extras. Gen Z is spending more cautiously and plans to spend less than previous years.
These shifts are rewriting the rules of holiday marketing. Traditional tactics are resonating less. The brands attracting attention are those that think carefully and adapt to how people actually behave.
Let’s break down what is working, what is failing, and what marketers must understand to perform well this season.
Gen Z Is Setting The Mood For The Entire Season
Younger consumers are shaping holiday marketing at every level. Their cultural influence is strong, and their spending decisions ripple across platforms, trends, and retail strategies.Gen Z is responding to real financial pressure. They approach holiday shopping with intention. Instead of chasing deals endlessly, they look for purchases that feel relevant, useful, or emotionally aligned. Social platforms play a major role in discovery, especially short form video and creator led recommendations.
The holiday story for this audience often centres on shared experience rather than spectacle. Campaigns built around community, humour, and real-life moments feel natural to them. Brands that reflect these values see stronger engagement and more organic sharing.
Emotional Value Is Outperforming Price-Led Messaging
People say they are spending less. At the same time, they still want to celebrate. This tension defines the season.Campaigns focused purely on discounts struggle to cut through. Messages that emphasise meaning, convenience, and usefulness perform better. Shoppers respond to brands that respect their budget while still offering something worth caring about.
Many successful campaigns this year lean into connection rather than urgency. They highlight shared rituals, small wins, and practical joy. This approach builds trust without overwhelming audiences with constant price pressure.
Social Platforms Are Where Holiday Decisions Begin
Social media has become the starting point for holiday discovery. People browse, save, share, and compare long before they commit to buying.Creator content plays a central role here. Recommendations feel personal. Gift ideas feel attainable. Content that blends storytelling with everyday usefulness performs strongly.
This shift reinforces a simple truth. People engage with content that feels human. They ignore content that feels transactional.
AI Is Reshaping Holiday Marketing Quietly And Quickly
Artificial intelligence is influencing holiday marketing in subtle but powerful ways. Many consumers now use AI tools to plan gift ideas, compare options, and narrow choices.This change compresses the discovery phase. Shoppers move from question to shortlist faster than before. For brands, this makes clarity essential. Product information needs to be structured, searchable, and easy to understand.
AI also supports marketing teams behind the scenes. It speeds up content creation, supports personalisation, and helps campaigns adapt in real time. The strongest executions still rely on human judgment. When technology supports creativity rather than replacing it, audiences respond well.
Behaviour Tells A Clearer Story Than Intent
What people say and what people do are not always aligned. Shoppers may express caution while still purchasing items that feel valuable or emotionally relevant.This gap matters. Campaigns built around fear or uncertainty slow momentum. Campaigns grounded in real behaviour perform better.
Holiday marketing works when it reflects how people actually make decisions. Relevance and clarity matter more than grand promises.
Precision Is Beating Volume This Season
The old holiday sprint is giving way to a more thoughtful approach. Brands see better results when they choose focus over excess.Effective campaigns respect attention. They speak clearly. They understand timing and tone. They meet people where they are rather than demanding constant engagement.
This environment rewards insight and restraint. Noise fades quickly. Meaning lingers.
How Marketing Assistants Help Brands Win In A Shifting Holiday Landscape
Holiday marketing today requires adaptability, clarity, and real understanding of audience behaviour. Marketing Assistants helps brands plan and execute campaigns that feel intentional and grounded in how people actually think and spend.We support strategy, content, and performance with a human approach. We help teams stay visible without overwhelming their audience or burning out internally.
If you want holiday marketing that connects, converts, and feels sustainable, Marketing Assistants is ready to support you.
Let’s build seasonal campaigns that work because they make sense.
