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Christmas brings about a warm and fuzzy feeling for many. From quality time with family to copious amounts of festive food and dazzling decorations, it’s a highly anticipated event for which preparations begin months in advance. But with so much significance, the pressure to purchase the perfect gifts and create a sense of magic for your loved ones can become a stressful experience. Add to that the crowded stores, financial strain and last minute organisation, and it can quickly become a burden.

“The real challenge that consumers face,” says Desislava (Desi) Kozareva, CX strategist at Cheil UK, “is being able to slow down and enjoy shopping for the holiday season. As the number of people shopping skyrockets, delivery slots get booked up and stock levels of the most coveted products fluctuate, consumers can feel pressured to shop fast. The festive season becomes a month or two of rushing around from store to store, online or offline. In a sea of offers, there is a lot of vying for shoppers’ attention. That’s where brands can play a significant role and make consumers’ lives easier during this period, by creating experiences that allow for more mindful shopping.” 

Desi uses the term ‘mindful’ broadly to mean slow, considered, sustainable and personalised: “It’s about creating an experience where the user can slow down, take their time and, with the help of intuitive and inspiring experiences, find the products they are looking for. It’s an experience that doesn’t just capture but also holds the consumer’s attention throughout the whole journey. Currently, few brands or retailers do this well. Those who do, utilise personalisation at every step to make sure the consumer sees only the products and services relevant to their needs.”

The purpose of personalisation, she says, is to support the customer with every task at every stage of the journey in an intuitive and seamless way, as demonstrated by . “Using consumer insight and usability research, we designed a new experience that helps shoppers discover the right product based on their needs rather than on product features.”

Jaclyn Shor, senior strategist at VML explains: “Consumers are looking for retailers to bring engaging and multisensory shopping experiences that make it as easy, swift and convenient for them to grab what they need wherever they shop. Looking to the holiday season, brands should consider a robust omnichannel strategy that delivers a seamless, consistent experience across all touchpoints – a non-negotiable.

“This enhanced experience is more important than ever as found in our – 64% of global consumers wished that brands and retailers would make the online shopping experience more entertaining. Additionally, 56% of global consumers say that, in future, they will not shop with retailers, brands or marketplaces that do not match their expectations of online shopping.”

According to PG Aditiya, co-founder of Talented Agency, “generosity is what brands should be gunning for. Brands’ relationships with consumers are very transactional throughout the year but the holiday season can break that and cast a lovely halo around the company that can extend into the next year. How can we make brands give more than they take? Can they hug and make up with competition?”

“Including samples is a great loyalty-building moment,” says Marius Froehlich, associate director (engagement strategy) at tms. “This effect is even stronger if executed as a surprise and delight as the customer is not anticipating the samples when they open their package. Sampling can also lead to cross-sell and upsell opportunities. Sephora is a leading brand in the sampling space. For every online order, they let the customer add two free samples to their shipment. Not to mention, beauty samples make great stocking fillers.”

Desi states that brand campaigns and commerce strategies that stand out during the holidays have one thing in common: “they connect with their target audience. To do so, brands must know who their customers are and what makes them tick. Using robust consumer data and insights, brands can deliver experiences that immediately speak to their audiences and capture their attention.

“When holiday shopping, consumers are thinking about the experience they want to create and which brands they can trust to help them do this. That’s why trust is a key emotional driver of joy that brands need to build and deliver on during this busy period. The brands that win shoppers over will be the ones which have successfully cultivated trust in their superior product quality, excellent customer support and timely and reliable delivery. Consumers simply know what to expect and trust them to deliver on their promises.”

“Selfridges is an example of a brand that does this well,” notes Samaneh Zamani, strategy director at Iris. “An e-mag hosted on its website rounds up trending present ideas from across TikTok and editor recommendations direct consumers to product pages. Similarly, roundups on its Instagram channels highlight category ‘hotlists’, linking viewers directly to its online shop to buy.

“The beauty of this is that within a single digital journey, the shopper can get inspired, complete the purchase and tick a gift off their list which affords them the mental freedom to fully enjoy the festive wonder offered by the physical retail experience.”

With ease of shopping taking away some of the present-buying pressure, next, there’s the question of how to infuse experiences with the festive joy that consumers are in search of at this time of year.

With smart technology at our fingertips, more and more brands have begun to lean into AI and multisensory experiences to deliver on this shopper demand for excitement. “We are seeing brands double down in social and gaming spaces such as Roblox and other web3 environments,” Jaclyn says, “bridging the gap between the digital and physical space to truly bring consumers into the brand’s world. Consumers these days don’t want to live different lives online and offline, but to merge the two so that what they have in the real world exists in their digital worlds and vice versa.” 

As an example, Jaclyn points to Amazon’s Virtual Holiday Shop – an immersive experience that lets consumers interact and discover products as they would in a physical store, but with the added convenience of online shopping.

In a similar vein, IKEA and Sephora leverage augmented reality (AR) to let shoppers visualise products in their own spaces, Ahmed Aden, director (digital media) at DAC London shares. “Customers can ‘try on’ beauty products or see how furniture fits their home before they buy. This interactivity isn’t just practical – it’s fun and taps into the excitement of discovery.”

“Last year, we also saw Walmart launch a 23-part commercial series called ‘Add to Heart’ that aimed to shorten the distance between inspiration and purchase by creating a shoppable series inspired by romantic comedies that litter the season,” Jaclyn recalls. “I love how this campaign took something integral to the holidays (the Hallmark-esque films we love) and found a way to make it shoppable for the consumer in a unique way.”

It was also the year that Coca-Cola launched its ‘The World Needs More Santas’ campaign, “The communications platform was pulled through in-store, online, mobile and beyond to deliver a true omnichannel experience,” she says. “It brought to life the experience utilising generative AI that allowed consumers to design digital holiday cards with historical brand assets and feature the consumer-created artwork on digital billboards globally. It was a great example of how a brand can ensure creativity gets pulled through online and offline to deliver seamless customer experience, commerce and ultimately, brand promise.”

“Today’s retail landscape offers a vibrant blend of online and offline experiences,” says Lesley Myers-Lamptey, global head of commerce strategy at T&Pm. “While the convenience of online shopping is undeniable, the tangible experience of a physical store still holds immense appeal. Forward-thinking brands are recognising this and are creating immersive environments that go beyond mere transactions. For instance, EE’s flagship store in Westfield offers an immersive retail experience with multiple AR activations and dynamic screen content. Similarly, Glossier, the digital-first beauty brand, has created a flagship store in LA dedicated to joyful communal meetups, emphasising selfies and experiences with ‘You Look Good’ mirrors to create Instagrammable moments. Community building is a powerful tool for creating joy, and fostering a sense of belonging and interest in their products.”

For Desi, “nothing has quite the same effect as immersive pop-ups and physical activations during the holiday season. When executed well, physical experiences can help consumers immerse themselves in a magical world, giving them a sense of wonder in their everyday life. John Lewis’ Christmas store on Oxford Street offers consumers an immersive experience where they can discover Christmas decorations and other festive items.”

Julie Clark, VP and creative director at Momentum Worldwide notes that experience-based gifts can also go beyond the traditional gift card. “While you can still pick up an Airbnb or Live Nation gift card for choose-your-own experiences, retailers are also making experiences an engaging part of holiday shopping. In-store experiences where shoppers can join a cooking class or wellness session while they shop are popping up at retailers like Nordstrom.”

Bobby Stephens, principal at Deloitte Digital adds: “Convenient buy online / pick up in-store (BOPIS) options are great at this time of year, including extended hours, special dedicated pickup areas with extra cheer, and add-on services such as gift wrap and discounted rideshares to / from the store.”

This year has also seen the rise of live shopping events, Ahmed highlights. “Platforms like Instagram and TikTok have popularised live commerce, where influencers and brand experts showcase products in real-time, answering questions and sharing tips. The interactive, conversational format brings the social aspect of shopping to digital spaces, making it feel more personal and engaging.”

New and immersive experiences such as these not only help deliver on joyful moments but may also be the best strategy for a brand to stand out. “The marketplace has always been crowded this time of year, but the extended holiday season – from Black Friday onwards – intensifies the competition,” as Jaclyn points out. “Brands now face holiday noise from October onward, not just in November and December.”

“Even before we can clear the cobwebs of Halloween, our screens become a wash of green and red with ads from big retailers and the budgets to match,” agrees Caleb McMullen, associate creative director at FCB Toronto. “With so much noise, how does any small business compete? It’s a question that BMO, North America’s eighth-largest bank, along with its AOR FCB Toronto, have been answering for the past four-years.

 

“From shoppable wrapping paper and ornaments that turn any tree into an opportunity to shop small, to carols rewritten to be about small businesses, BMO’s holiday hacks are designed to break through and drive sales. With an AR experience developed by Rose Digital, this year BMO is welcoming holiday shoppers to unwrap every gift they see at home, in offices, in malls, in movies, and yes, even in competitor advertisements to reveal not only a product from a small business, but a promo code incentivising them to buy it. BMO will cover every code redeemed, with the hope that shoppers spend much more, further amplifying revenue for participating small businesses.”

“While every brand competes to get into your wallet and under your tree,” he says, “BMO seeks to spread the financial cheer through the commerce of thoughtful giving. By flipping holiday traditions on their head, BMO is shifting consumer mindsets from what a gift is to where it comes from, helping ensure that even at the noisiest time of year, small businesses stay merry and bright.”

“Experiences and unique offers that take value beyond price approach are more important than ever,” Jaclyn stresses. “Because if everyone is on deal, it becomes even more important to stand out and excite shoppers to open their wallet.”

“The key to creating truly joyful shopping experiences lies in understanding what genuinely resonates with customers,” Lesley concludes. “It’s about moving beyond fleeting thrills and focusing on building authentic connections. This could involve creating a strong sense of community around a brand, offering personalised recommendations and services, or supporting causes that resonate with customers’ values. Building online communities, as many brands are now doing, fosters a sense of belonging and adds value beyond the products themselves.

“Ultimately, the future of retail lies in creating experiences that are not only enjoyable but also meaningful both online and in physical stores. It’s about fostering a sense of connection, surprising and delighting customers with excellent customer service and building lasting relationships with customers. By focusing on genuine engagement and creating joyful journeys, brands can cultivate a loyal following and ensure that the magic of the festive season extends throughout the year.”