How to Make Consumers’ Nice List This Holiday Season
Hint: we’re going to talk about advertising strategy!
We know, we know: it’s not even Halloween yet, and we’re already writing about holiday shopping. That’s because we want you to be prepared — customers are starting their shopping earlier, and now is the time to plan. Research shows that 45% of U.S. consumers plan to begin their holiday shopping by October, while 70% expect to spend the same or more than they did last year. It sounds surprising, but it’s true, according to McKinsey’s August 2026 survey on U.S. consumer sentiment.
Translation: Don’t wait for Black Friday to make your move.
Whether you’re a local retailer, restaurant, auto dealer, financial institution, healthcare provider, entertainment venue — or pretty much any business hoping to cash in on holiday spending — now is the time to get on consumers’ radar.
The secret to success is simple: your message needs to reach the right people where they’re watching, browsing and spending time. Keep reading, because we’re going to tell you exactly how to do this.
Start Early and Stay Top-of-Mind
Holiday advertising shouldn’t start when the holiday rush does. You’ll see a lot more shopping traffic if you get on your customers’ radar early, then adjust your message, budget and strategy as the season heats up. You don’t have to break the bank at this stage — a little goes a long way in the early part of the season. The most important thing you can do now is build awareness, and traditional and streaming TV are powerful tools for this purpose.
Later on as the holiday hustle ramps up, reinforce your message with digital, social, and digital out-of-home placements, and keep your message fresh and relevant. For example, a retailer might tease holiday offerings in October, promote specific sales in November, and push gift cards and last-minute shopping in December.
Meet Consumers in the Moments That Matter
Holidays or not — consumers are constantly on their phones. Optimum Media’s proprietary AdMessenger mobile platform helps you reach them with timely messages that give them a reason to act. Promote a weekend sale, fill those last few restaurant reservations, drive traffic to an event, or remind shoppers about your year-end sale. And because messages can be updated quickly, you can keep your advertising fresh all season long.
Don’t Forget About Live Sports
Holiday advertising doesn’t have to mean holiday-themed programming — that’s only a piece of what people are watching! Live sports is where it’s at right now, with tons of engaged viewers. Using live sports gets you frequency, which helps viewers remember your message, and the audience is broad so it’s a great advertising opportunity for virtually any business. A restaurant can promote game-day specials, an auto dealer can push a year-end sale or a retailer can reach families during big games.
Recall is the key takeaway: Live sports placements help you reach a broad audience with enough frequency to help them remember.
Building the Right Mix For Your Business
Why put all your eggs in one advertising basket? A smart holiday campaign should use multiple channels to reach consumers wherever they’re watching, browsing and spending time.
Traditional TV: Build awareness and local reach
Streaming TV: Reach targeted audiences across connected devices
Live sports: Connect with highly engaged fans
AdMessenger: Deliver timely, actionable mobile messages
Digital: Extend your reach and drive clicks
Digital out-of-home: Reach consumers while they’re on the go
The right mix depends on your audience, your goals and your budget. That’s where having our expert team in your corner can make all the difference.
You’re Not in This Alone
Advertising can be complicated, and you don’t have to navigate it alone. With Optimum Media, you have a team of experts with you every step of the way — helping you identify the right audiences, choose the right mix of media and continuously optimize your campaign for better results. We don’t believe in a “set it and forget it” approach. We stay with you, monitor performance, make adjustments and look for opportunities to make your advertising work harder. Because our job isn’t just to get your business seen — it’s to help you get results.
