Why launching Christmas campaigns early pays off

Despite it being only early September, retailers such as Tesco, Morrisons, and B&M have begun stocking Christmas chocolate tubs and advent calendars — showing once again how the festive season creeps forward each year.
 
In 2025, pre-Christmas preparations are happening sooner than ever, with 28% of consumers already planning ahead. If you want to tap into this

When should you launch festive campaigns?

Early planners

• 28% of Brits say they’ll start Christmas prep earlier than last year.

• A keen 3% had already finished by June 2025.

Peak buyers

• 53% concentrate their Christmas shopping in November and early December, aligning with Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Sales-driven shoppers

• Black Friday intent is rising: 17% plan to take part in 2025, up from 13% in 2022.

Generational shifts

• Millennials (and younger cohorts) are driving early prep.

•They favour experience-led gifts, personalisation through AI, and digital-first shopping.

Capturing early shoppers

Launching your Christmas campaign early in September or October is a proven way to attract early-bird shoppers. Benefits include:

• Sales before competitors: Early activation means your campaign is top-of-mind before rivals begin theirs.

• Brand awareness boost: More touch-points over a longer period amplify festive brand recall, making shoppers more likely to choose you when they’re ready to buy.

• Time for testing and improvement: Activate early, and you have more time to test strategies, track performance, and refine messaging for maximum impact.

• The gradual build-up: Start subtly, then ramp up festive content through the season to build anticipation without overwhelming your audience.

Content themes for early conversions

Christmas is the gift that keeps giving when it comes to content ideas. Try these five, based on 2025 shopper behaviour:

1. Early-bird exclusives & calm, planned shopping

Start with playful nods to “getting ahead” rather than jumping directly into tinsel. Promote early access offers, limited-edition bundles, or themed launches.

2. FOMO & Scarcity

Highlight benefits of acting early - Crowd-free selection, full range of stock, or shipping peace of mind. Early exclusivity communicates urgency and rewards decisiveness.

3. Stress Relief

In 2025, almost half of UK Christmas shoppers say holiday shopping stresses them out, especially due to financial worries and time constraints. Content that helps reduce this burden, think gift guides, budgeting tips, or streamlined shopping experiences is likely to resonate.

4. Budgeting

Shopping early supports smarter financial planning, allowing consumers to spread costs over several months and avoid the squeeze of last-minute spending. With household budgets still under pressure from high living costs and tax rises, content focused on easing the financial strain of Christmas is more relevant than ever.

5. Storytelling & emotional resonance

Ads set in a festive context (40%), nostalgic (37%), humorous (34%), and narrative-driven (29%) are most engaging ( IPA ). These beats outperform celebrity cameos or product-centric visuals.

Bonus 2025 trends to tap

• Mobile-first & ambient shopping: 59% of holiday shoppers prefer to buy via smartphone, especially for in-the-moment deals or one-click checkout.

• Shared values over price alone: 61% of shoppers care more about brand values than price when gifting.

• Personalisation via AI: 23% plan to use AI tools to tailor gift recommendations, perfect for smart product suggestions and curated bundles.

• Retail headwinds: Despite strong holiday sales in 2024, retailers are bracing for a slowdown in 2025 amid economic pressures. (Financial Times)

A Q3 Start

Activating Christmas campaigns early gives you a head start on sales, brand building, and strategic adaptation. In 2025, shoppers are more intentional, digital-savvy, and value-driven than ever before. For more on how to maximise your festive content, especially with shoppable native articles, contact us today.