Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
For brands, the holiday season is more than just a shopping rush. It's a time to connect with their audience in a way that feels relevant and memorable. And with competition heating up, you need to be creative and think of new ways to stand out and capture the magic of the season.
With that in mind, here are seven innovative holiday marketing ideas to help your brand stand out and create moments that stick with customers beyond the holidays.
Related: Ho-Ho-Holiday Marketing For Brands — 8 Strategies to Make Your Brand the Star of the Season
1. Themed content campaigns
Themed content is the spirit of the season and can help your brand be present in a warm and festive way across multiple channels.
Create a holiday-themed video series:
One great way to display your brand's personality and connect with audiences is through short, engaging videos. These videos can make your brand feel approachable and fun, whether you're sharing holiday tips, showing how your team celebrates or even creating mini tutorials. You can keep audiences coming back for more by sharing them on social media or including them in email newsletters.
Blog posts with holiday tips:
Seasonal tips in holiday blog posts are a win-win: You offer useful content, and you keep your products in the spotlight.
For example, a food brand might post something like “Top 10 Holiday Recipes,” and a home decor business might share “Holiday Decorating Tips.” This kind of content isn't just informative; it makes your brand a helpful part of your customers' holiday experience.
2. Social media specials
Festive energy is what social media is all about, and it is the perfect place to launch interactive holiday campaigns that will grab people's attention and reward engagement.
12 days of giveaways:
Think about doing a “12 Days of Giveaways” campaign in the days leading up to Christmas, giving away a new product or service each day.
This not only increases engagement but also gets people to follow your account for updates and builds buzz for your brand. Each day's prize can be different and give an opportunity to highlight different offerings of your business in a fun and interactive way.
Holiday countdown:
Another idea is to do a holiday countdown and post daily content up until Christmas or New Year's Eve. Add urgency by including limited-time flash sales or promotions during the countdown.
This strategy keeps your followers engaged and excited to see what's coming next, making every day an opportunity to create excitement and drive sales.
3. Personalized email marketing
The holidays are a great time to use email marketing to do more than just promote; you can make your customers feel valued and appreciated.
Seasonal newsletters:
Seasonal newsletters with personalized messages, special discounts or gift ideas based on past purchases make your emails more relevant and compelling. Add in holiday greetings, product recommendations or last-minute gift guides to let customers know you know what they're looking for this holiday season.
Holiday cards:
A thoughtful touch can be a digital or physical holiday card to your loyal customers with a personalized thank you message. A nice bonus, including a discount or coupon for their next purchase, is a sign of appreciation that encourages repeat purchases.
4. Interactive website features
As a digital storefront, why not make your website feel as festive as the season?
Holiday-themed website overhaul:
Updating your website with holiday graphics, a special logo or animated snow will put the holiday cheer right on customers' screens. These small touches can truly keep your site feeling fresh and engaging, enticing customers to browse and truly get into the holiday spirit.
Advent calendar on website:
An online advent calendar is a great interactive feature to drive traffic on a daily basis. Each day, customers could open each “door” to see what new product, discount code or exclusive content they could find.
This feature generates a feeling of anticipation and excitement, making visitors want to come back daily to see the next reveal.
Related: The Holiday Marketing Guide for Small Businesses
5. Event-driven promotions
Events are a great way to interact directly with customers while building memorable experiences that will both increase brand loyalty and attract new followers.
Virtual holiday event:
A virtual holiday event is a great way for brands with an online presence to connect with audiences. Host a live product demo, holiday cooking class or a virtual meet and greet with founders, influencers or special guests.
These are interactive events and can be streamed across social platforms to customers near and far. It's a chance to present your products in a festive, engaging format that will stick with people.
In-store experiences:
If you have a physical location, have exclusive holiday shopping events. Give visitors something to do by offering live music, free gift wrapping or a holiday-themed photo booth. They give the shopping experience a bit of a unique and festive feel that will encourage foot traffic and make your business more likely to be one of your customers' repeat stops.
6. Partnerships and collaborations
Collaborations with other businesses or influencers who align with your brand values and target audience can expand your reach and bring fresh energy to holiday campaigns.
Collaborate with other businesses:
Working with complementary brands can lead to exciting bundled deals, co-hosted events or joint promotions.
For example, a bakery could team up with a local coffee shop to offer holiday-themed treats or bundled discounts. Not only does this benefit both brands, but it also creates added value for customers, helping everyone get more into the holiday spirit while expanding brand exposure.
Influencer marketing:
Teaming up with influencers during the holidays is an excellent way to tap into new audiences. Influencers can give your brand a credible boost by featuring your products in their holiday content or promoting special deals to their followers.
This type of collaboration brings authenticity to your holiday marketing efforts and helps build trust with potential customers who may be discovering your brand for the first time.
7. Charitable giving
Aligning your brand with charitable activities during the holiday season is an impactful way to make a difference and foster a positive connection with customers.
Charity partnerships:
Consider partnering with a charity and pledging a portion of your holiday sales to support a cause that aligns with your brand values.
This approach not only benefits the charity but also enhances your brand's reputation, as customers feel good about supporting businesses that give back. Publicize your charity partnership across your social media channels, website and newsletters to maximize awareness and engagement.
Sponsor a holiday drive:
Organizing or sponsoring a holiday drive — whether for toys, food or winter clothing — can bring the community together and increase foot traffic to your store or website. Provide an incentive, like a small discount for customers who donate, to make participating even more rewarding.
With this, customers will remember your business not only for its products but also for its dedication to making the holiday season brighter for others.
Related: 5 Examples of Brands Doing Holiday Marketing Right
The holiday season is a competitive yet valuable time to build your brand's presence, foster customer loyalty and create lasting memories. With these seven creative marketing ideas, your business can stand out, connect with audiences and make a real impact.