What Makes the Best Holiday Ads? (+ 10 Inspiring Examples)

The best holiday ads aren’t just festive, they’re strategic. The most effective campaigns tap into emotion, urgency, and seasonal trends to drive viewers into action. Around Christmas, brands like Coca-Cola and Apple flood social media with holiday promotions that work — from limited-time discounts to heartwarming storytelling and eye-catching visuals.

In this article, we’ll cover: 

• What makes holiday campaigns effective
• Mistakes to avoid
• The best social media platforms for holiday advertising
• How to create high-converting holiday campaigns

Let’s start by talking about what makes the best Christmas ads.

What makes the best holiday ads effective?

A good holiday ad doesn’t just look festive, it makes people feel something and act fast. The best Christmas commercials combine emotional appeal with smart marketing tactics, making them impossible to ignore. Here’s what makes them work:

• Emotional storytelling: People don’t just buy gifts during the holidays, they buy feelings. The best holiday ads tap into emotions like nostalgia, generosity, and togetherness to create a personal connection. When an ad makes people feel something, they’re more likely to remember the brand — and buy from it.
  
  
• Limited-time offers and urgency: Holiday shoppers love a deal, and they hate missing out. That’s why the best holiday campaigns use flash sales, exclusive discounts, and countdown timers to push people to act. Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are perfect examples of holidays where companies can create urgency with lightning deals that disappear in hours.
  
  
• Personalized shopping experiences: With so many brands fighting for attention, personalization really makes a big difference. AI-driven product recommendations, custom holiday bundles, and dynamic retargeting ads help brands show relevant products. For example, stores can use personalized emails with “gifts you might like” to boost sales.
  
  
• Festive branding and creative execution: A holiday ad should feel like the holidays. Brands often update their visuals with seasonal colors, holiday-themed packaging, and creative elements that reflect the season. On social media, brands may encourage user-generated content with holiday-themed filters, hashtags, and contests, keeping their audience engaged.
  
  
• Multi-channel promotion: Successful holiday campaigns use a mix of social media, email marketing, influencer partnerships, and paid ads to maximize their reach. A brand might launch an Instagram giveaway, run Facebook retargeting ads, and send out holiday email reminders to keep their offers in front of shoppers.

Mistakes to avoid in holiday advertisements

Even with the best intentions, holiday campaigns can fall flat if they miss the mark. Here’s what to watch out for: 

• Forgetting the emotional connection: Holiday ads that focus only on discounts and promotions often get ignored. Customers are typically bombarded with deals during the holidays, so if your campaign lacks an emotional hook, it won’t stand out. Add a heartwarming message, like a short video showing families unwrapping gifts or a theme around giving.
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• Overloading customers with promotions: Too many emails, pop-ups, and retargeting ads can backfire and overwhelm shoppers. Consider spacing out your promotions and focusing on quality over quantity. Instead of multiple emails, create a well-timed sequence, like a holiday countdown with personalized gift suggestions.
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• Ignoring mobile users: Many holiday shoppers browse and buy on their phones. If your ads or website aren’t optimized for mobile, you risk losing customers to a slow or clunky experience.
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• Not researching competitors: Running holiday ads without understanding what similar brands are doing can make you miss out on opportunities. If a competitor is offering better deals, more engaging creatives, or stronger messaging, your ads may struggle to stand out. Use digital ad intelligence to help you do competitor research.
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• Using generic visuals: Stock images or overused holiday themes can make an ad blend in rather than stand out. Customers are drawn to fresh, unique creatives that feel personal. For example, if you’re thinking about using AI tools to generate YouTube ads, it’s a good idea to make sure you still personalize it and make sure it has a unique (and human) touch.
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• Neglecting audience targeting: Not every holiday shopper is the same. Sending the same ad to every customer can waste ad spend and lower conversions.
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• Failing to create urgency: Without a reason to act fast, shoppers may wait too long and forget about your offer. Holiday campaigns need clear deadlines to drive action. Try adding urgency with countdown timers, “limited stock” alerts, or exclusive early access deals.

10 examples of great holiday ads

If you’re looking for some examples of holiday ads you can emulate, here are some examples to look at:

1. Etsy's "Give 'I Get You' Gifts" campaign: Etsy highlighted the personal, heartfelt nature of holiday gifting by focusing on unique, handcrafted items. The campaign used storytelling to show how the right gift can strengthen relationships, reinforcing the platform’s reputation as a marketplace for meaningful presents.
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2. Sephora’s “Don’t Overthink It” gift guides of 2024: Sephora made holiday shopping easier by curating gift guides based on price, recipient, and beauty preferences. They then promoted this campaign all over social media and email.
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3. Google’s “Home Alone Again” campaign: Six years ago, Google created an ad with Macaulay Culkin, recreating the classic Christmas movie, Home Alone. Although not a digital marketing ad, it was an excellent way to play on nostalgia and feelings.
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4. Spotify Wrapped: Every year, Spotify runs their “Spotify Wrapped” campaign, where every user can see the songs and genres they listened to (and how often). This is a great way to advertise during the holiday end-of-the-year wrap-up, getting more people curious about the service and potentially convincing some to sign up.
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5. Coca-Cola “Share a Coke this Holiday” campaign: Coke has always been known for their Christmas-related advertising — who could forget the iconic polar bear, right? Over a decade ago, they started a “Share a Coke” campaign, where they removed the branding from their bottles and added people’s names instead. In 2016, they did a special holiday edition.
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6. Apple: Apple’s been amazing at creating holiday ads that simply tug on the heartstrings. “Frankie’s Holiday (2016)” was a good example, and 2024’s “Heartstrings” was no exception. Apple’s campaigns are touching and really evoke the feeling of the season while making people more aware of the ubiquitous brand.
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7. Macy’s “Believe” Campaign: Each holiday season, Macy’s invites customers, especially kids, to write letters to Santa and drop them off in-store or online. For every letter received, Macy’s donates $1 to Make-A-Wish, up to $1,000,000. This is a great way to get Macy’s name out there, while also keeping in line with the spirit of the season.
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8. KFC: Kentucky Fried Chicken has been pretty good at using humor as a twist on the traditional “pull on the heartstrings” marketing during the holidays. Just check out this KFC UK holiday ad for a chuckle.
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9. UPS “#WishesDelivered” Campaign (2018): UPS asked people to share their holiday wishes using the hashtag #WishesDelivered, and then made some of those wishes come true. It was a feel-good campaign that brought people together and spread a little extra holiday kindness. The videos got over 28 million views, and over 374,000 shares.
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10. Starbucks Holiday Cups: Each year, Starbucks changes their coffee cup designs to something festive and holiday-related. It’s become so expected nowadays that people have started looking forward to the annual design and it inspires a lot of user-generated content (UGC) on social media as everyone shows off their mugs. 

What are the best social media platforms for holiday advertising?

The right platform can make or break a holiday ad campaign. Here’s where holiday ads perform best and why:

• Facebook (Meta): Still one of the best platforms for holiday advertising, Facebook offers advanced audience targeting, retargeting, and a variety of ad formats. Here, holiday-themed carousel ads, video ads, and dynamic product ads work especially well.
  
  
• Instagram (Meta): Instagram is ideal for visual storytelling and showcasing festive product shots, influencer partnerships, and short-form videos. Features like Instagram Shopping and interactive Stories also make it easy for shoppers to browse and buy without leaving the app.
  
  
• TikTok: Short-form video is king nowadays and TikTok’s viral potential makes it a powerful platform for holiday promotions, especially for a younger millennial and Gen Z audience. Create fun, engaging content like holiday challenges, trending sounds, or influencer collaborations to help you stand out.
  
  
• Pinterest: Pinterest is a go-to platform for holiday inspo and is great for reaching shoppers who are actively looking for gift ideas. Promoted Pins and holiday-themed boards help brands position their products in front of high-intent buyers.
  
  
• YouTube: With longer video formats, YouTube is great for in-depth holiday storytelling. Brands can create heartwarming holiday commercials, gift guides, or product demos. Pre-roll and skippable in-stream ads also work well for holiday promotions.
  
  
• Snapchat: Snapchat is popular with younger audiences and is great for holiday-themed AR filters, short video ads, and interactive experiences. 

How you can create holiday campaigns that convert

Planning your ad strategy for the holidays? Here’s what you can do to create a successful campaign:

Personalized shopping journeys

Generic marketing doesn’t cut it during the holidays. Shoppers expect brands to know their preferences and make relevant suggestions. Use:

• AI-powered product recommendations: Using past purchases and browsing history, AI can suggest personalized gift ideas that feel curated rather than random. For example, e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Shopify use this to highlight "frequently bought together" items or suggest last-minute holiday add-ons.
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• Dynamic email marketing: Instead of sending the same email blast to everyone, try segmented or dynamically personalized email campaigns using behavior-based product recommendations. For example, if a shopper browsed holiday sweaters but didn’t buy, an email featuring "Still looking for the perfect holiday outfit?" with a limited-time discount can bring them back.

Omnichannel holiday marketing strategies

A shopper might see your ad on Instagram, browse the product on their laptop, then purchase later on their phone. A strong holiday campaign makes sure that consumers enjoy a seamless experience across all those touchpoints. Try:

• Social media-driven campaigns: Shoppable posts on Instagram, TikTok product showcases, and influencer partnerships can drive engagement and sales. Brands that work with influencers to showcase gift guides, unboxing videos, or limited-time holiday collections often see higher conversions.
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• Retargeting ads: Not every shopper buys on their first visit. Retargeting campaigns can remind them of what they left behind, offering a holiday discount or free shipping to nudge them toward checkout.

What role do influencers play in successful holiday campaigns?

The right influencer can introduce a product to thousands (or even millions) of engaged followers in an authentic way. During the holidays, these influencers often create curated gift guides, share holiday unboxings, or promote exclusive discount codes for their audience.

How can AI improve holiday ad targeting and personalization?

AI has changed the way brands approach holiday advertising, making it easier to personalize campaigns and optimize performance. Here’s how:

• AI-generated ad copy and automated A/B testing: Platforms like Meta Ads and Google Ads offer automated tools that help speed up ad creation, but most still require human input — especially when it comes to writing effective copy. AI can assist with generating variations, but it’s usually not fully hands-off.
  
  
• Smart bidding strategies: Platforms like Google Ads, Facebook, and TikTok analyze user behavior and bid strategically to maximize conversions. AI-driven smart bidding on platforms like Google and Facebook automatically adjusts your bids based on factors like time of day, device, and user intent.
  
  
• Dynamic audience targeting: AI can segment audiences based on browsing habits, past purchases, and even predicted shopping behaviors, helping you to reach the right people. 
• Automated product recommendations: AI-driven dynamic ads showcase personalized product suggestions based on a shopper’s browsing history so they’ll see products they’re more interested in.

Can small businesses compete with big brands in holiday advertising?

Yes, they can. Small businesses can compete with big brands by focusing on niche targeting, organic marketing, and personalization. Instead of using broad ads, they can use keyword specificity, influencer partnerships, and user-generated content to engage their customers. 

How Bestever helps holiday ad campaigns succeed

The holiday season is one of the most competitive times for advertising, and grabbing attention takes more than just festive visuals. The right creatives can make or break your campaign — which is why it’s important to optimize them well if you want to create the best holiday ads. That’s where Bestever can help. 

We use AI to analyze your holiday creatives, showing you what works, what doesn’t, and how to improve. Here’s how we help you maximize your holiday ad performance:

• Analyze your ads' effectiveness: Bestever’s Ad Analysis Dashboard gives you instant feedback on an ad's Visual Impact, Brand Alignment, Sales Orientation, and Audience Engagement. It breaks down every element, so you know exactly what’s resonating with holiday shoppers.
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• Get suggestions to improve every frame: If an ad isn’t hitting the mark, ask Bestever to tell you what’s wrong and get instant actionable suggestions on what to do to fix it. No more guessing or wasting time — your team can start fixing those issues asap. 
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• Understand your audience: Bestever’s audience analysis tools go beyond sharing standard demographics, helping refine both targeting and messaging. You can share your website URL or integrate it with your ad manager, and it’ll quickly let you know who wants to hear more from you. 
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• Rapid holiday asset generation: Need festive visuals? Bestever can generate images, stock photos, and video clips that align with your brand’s holiday campaign. You can share them with your team to create multiple ad variations.

• Instant feedback loop: Know immediately why an ad variant underperforms, then pivot before wasting your budget.

Ready to make your holiday ads convert? Let our team show you how Bestever can analyze your creatives frame by frame, so you can focus on what’s driving engagement and fix what’s not.

Schedule a free demo of Bestever now.