2021 Holiday Advertising Trends

With Thanksgiving ad campaigns already underway, Black Friday and Cyber Monday only days away, and the holidays around the corner, it’s time to be thinking about this year’s holiday advertising trends. Holiday advertising trends are great for holiday ad campaigns because of the competitive advantage of getting the jump on your competitors or grabbing market share before others can.

It is projected that the average household will spend an average of $1,463 this holiday season, an increase of 5% compared to 2020 (Redman, 2021). You can kill two birds with one stone with effective Holiday ad campaigns by targeting the right audience to achieve your business goals and taking advantage of the estimated increase in spending this year.

Advertisement and sales will start early

Like last year, it is predicted that consumers will begin shopping early for the holidays. “55% of consumers will start shopping for holidays before Thanksgiving, and 31% of those have done so before Halloween” (6 creative holiday marketing ideas for 2021, 2021).

This can be seen as a result of shortage demands, earlier sale dates, and higher eCommerce activity. A lot of brands are not waiting until Black Friday or Cyber Monday to release their deals, some have already released them to encourage consumers to buy now and not later.

If you’re not early, you’re late. Start planning for your holiday consumers as soon as possible.

Social Media and eCommerce will be major sellers

57% percent of United States consumers intend to complete all or most of their holiday shopping online, while only 43% will be shopping in stores (Tighe, 2021). Many do not want to wait in long lines in crowded retail shops. It is important that your business has an eCommerce option, whether through websites or social media stores.

In 2020, Cyber Monday was the heaviest online spending day in history. It rose by 15.1% from previous years and pulled in $10.8 billion (Repko & Thomas, 2020). Instagram has rolled out a feature to allow businesses to easily shop a brand’s photos and videos all across Instagram.

A picture sells a thousand words, so make sure you’re taking advantage of all the available features to help your business.

Express gratitude this season

With the holidays being a season of giving, it’s also an opportunity to connect with customers and the community on a more emotional level. People are thinking about their loved ones, the future, and the current societal moment. By tapping into this emotion, it can create more intimacy between you and your audience.

Today, we’re so fast-paced and sometimes we forget to stop and remember the little things. It’s easy for us to feel stressed and frustrated about what we don’t have or can’t do, but it’s important that we find the time to express gratitude towards those around us. Make sure to show gratitude towards customers, staff, and your support system to humanize your business and show that you’re not just a product or service.

Customer-centered advertising is essential

Focusing on customers’ needs and desires will be an overall sales tactic amplified by the holidays. This is because consumers want to see the value that your products or services will bring them. The holiday season is hectic and the majority of people have a lot of things going on, meaning they do not have time to read lengthy sales pitches that tell how great you or your company is. You want to make sure that your advertising strategies are becoming increasingly focused on concrete ways your products help customers feel, rather than just listing the features they have.