We know—it’s only September and you just started sipping pumpkin spice lattes, not hot cocoa. But in the marketing world, the holiday season starts early! 🎄✨ That’s why our team is already thinking about holiday campaigns, and we couldn’t resist sharing a few of our all-time favorites.

Dawn

 

One of my favorite holiday marketing messages is done by Scheels. Their focus is on reflecting on what really matters during the holiday season – family. Not only do they express that messaging in their holiday commercials, but also in how they treat their employees. They close their store when most retail stores stay open to give their employees time off to spend the holidays with their families. It’s a simple but powerful reminder that the best holiday marketing isn’t just about sales—it’s about staying true to your values.

 

 

Megan

 

While holiday commercials aren’t my favorite thing (guess you can say I’m a Scrooge McDuck), one holiday jingle that always gets stuck in my head when I hear it is the Taco John’s seasonal favorite Nachos Navidad. It’s fun, festive, and catchy, which is why it’s stuck around as a holiday tradition for so long.

Jen

 

I’ve always loved the holiday Coke commercials with the polar bears. To me, they have become synonymous with the holiday spirit and are always commercials I enjoy. I think the whole campaign has been really successful in making Coke top-of-mind during the holiday season by building an emotional connection with viewers. The campaign has also stayed consistent across the decades to appeal to new generations, while still maintaining a fresh feel. In all, they’re a great example of how to effectively use storytelling in marketing.

 

Tabitha

One thing that all memorable holiday marketing campaigns do extremely well is play into the positive holiday spirit and people’s nostalgia, which might partially be why we see still ads from years past circulating today. There are so many great Christmas commercials that it was hard to pick, but the one that lives rent-free in my head the most has to be Garmin’s 2009 “Nutcracker” ad.

The ad follows a life-sized nutcracker’s night on the town using a Garmin to navigate the area. While the nutcracker and snowy setting create a feeling of whimsy, the recurring scary clown subverts the audience’s expectations with unexpected humor. The classic Christmas song “Carol of the Bells” plays throughout the ad with revised lyrics that describe what’s happening on-screen.

Adweek captured the commercial’s essence perfectly when it said that it’s a “holiday treat for those who like their Christmas pitches a little on the weird side,” and I guess I’m one of those people! The ad’s off-kilter charm is an example of how taking creative risks can champion a uniquely bold idea that stands out and stands the test of time. It’s exactly the kind of content that social media platforms reward!

Jenny

 

One of the most iconic holiday campaigns dear to me is the Christmas Budweiser Clydesdales. They have been tied to the brand since the 1930’s and is still a significant part of their branding today, but there’s a comforting warmth of nostalgia whenever I see them despite the snow-covered countryside that always hits home, especially during the holiday season. It’s storytelling without words, it’s consistent with each passing year, and it never fails to tap into the idea of “home” no matter where you are. Also, I may have quite a collection of the Christmas Clydesdale steins that I always bring out for the holidays!

Allie

 

One of my favorite holiday commercials full of nostalgia is the Campbell’s Chicken Soup “Snowman” spot, where a snowman comes inside, eats soup, and melts into a child. From a marketing perspective, it’s smart because it taps into a universal experience most of us understand: the cold of winter. The ad doesn’t just show soup; it makes you feel the craving for it. That emotional connection of tying warmth, comfort, and family to their product is what makes this campaign so effective and memorable. It’s a reminder that the best marketing doesn’t just sell a product, it sells a feeling we all recognize.

 

Bri

 

One of my favorite holiday commercials is the Hershey’s chocolate kisses “ringing” to We Wish You A Merry Christmas. This is a timeless commercial that Hershey’s has used for decades that evokes holiday cheer while proving that simple marketing can still be great. Whenever I hear the bells ringing on TV, it definitely makes me feel the holidays are upon us! (And that final note at the end *chef’s kiss*)

 

 

 

 

Need help getting your holiday marketing plan started? Check out our tips!