The holidays aren’t just a shopping season. They’re an emotional season: joy, nostalgia, generosity, and more than a dash of financial anxiety. As consumers plan gatherings, wrap gifts, and make memories, their mindset matters more than ever.
At GumGum, we surveyed 3,000 people across six global markets – US, UK, Canada, Belgium, Germany and Australia – to understand what really matters to consumers this holiday season and how brands can meet shoppers in the moments that count. The results reveal five essential consumer trends that marketers need to know, along with practical ways to create standout campaigns using contextual, emotionally intelligent strategies.
The Holiday Season Is a Big Opportunity for Brands
The holidays have long been a dominant force in marketers' budgets, and that isn't changing anytime soon. After all, it's a season when consumers are emotionally engaged, actively searching for ideas, and ready to shop. However, with a lot going on in the world, they are becoming more selective about where they spend their money. It's less about abundance and more about thoughtfulness.
That means it’s more important than ever to show up early, offer value, and create relevance. In fact, over 100 independent research studies found that 71% of GumGum clients saw upper-funnel brand lift, and 76% saw improvements in lower-funnel performance during past holiday campaigns
5 Consumer Trends You Can’t Ignore This Holiday
1. Joy and Nostalgia Are Leading the Way
Shoppers are entering the season with positive emotional energy:
- 67% say the holidays make them feel joyful
- 37% report feeling nostalgic
This emotional landscape is the perfect opportunity for brands to connect through heartfelt, cheerful creative. Whether highlighting cozy traditions or new beginnings, emotionally rich storytelling helps brands stand out from the noise.
Tip: GumGum’s Mindset Graph is able to identify these emotional moments across the web and places your ads in the most relevant environments to resonate with consumers.
2. Spending Smarter, Not Bigger
Even though joy is in the air, shoppers are being mindful of their budgets:
- 60% plan to reduce holiday spending
- Most shoppers are working within a $200 to $500 budget
- Charitable giving and experiences are taking a backseat to gifts, food, and travel
This shift means value-focused messaging matters. Consumers are looking for products that feel meaningful and are priced right.
Tip: GumGum helps brands reach these budget-conscious shoppers with engaging, deal-focused creative. Tools like video carousels and countdowns make it easy to highlight savings and build urgency.
3. Giving Is Still a Top Priority
Despite the belt-tightening, consumers are eager to spend on those they love. Gifting continues to dominate holiday budgets, followed closely by spending on food, drink, travel, and decorations.
Even when shoppers are cutting back, they’re still prioritizing the people and moments that matter most. For marketers, this is a chance to position products as meaningful gifts that fit into any budget.
Tip: With tools like our Creative Attention Tracker (CAT), GumGum helps you optimize holiday creative for maximum emotional impact and conversion potential.
4. Timing Is a Key Factor
Consumers are shopping earlier and across more channels:
- 20% start before Thanksgiving
- 35% during Black Friday and Cyber Monday
- 32% in early December
- 13% wait until mid or late December
Shoppers also want flexibility. About 66% plan to shop both online and in-store, and they’re inspired by a mix of email, social media, word-of-mouth, and in-store displays.
What’s more, insights from our Mindset Graph trends show that intent-driven searches for holiday deals begin as early as September. Even though purchases often happen during Cyber Weekend or later, shoppers are researching long before they hit "buy." This creates a valuable opportunity for brands to shift budgets earlier in the season and connect with high-intent audiences while they’re still building their consideration set.
Tip: With GumGum’s Mindset Graph, you can target your audience early and often. Our tools help you reach them when and where they’re most engaged.
5. Emotional Context Drives Results
The most effective holiday ads are those that strike an emotional chord and help consumers make quick decisions. Data from GumGum’s creative analysis shows that 84% of people report higher purchase intent when they interact with emotionally relevant ads.
Using visual storytelling, relatable themes, and product-forward creative makes it easier for shoppers to connect and convert.
Tip: GumGum’s Mindset Graph ensures your ads appear in the right content environments. This increases attention and delivers stronger performance across the funnel.
How GumGum Helps Brands Win the Holiday Season
GumGum goes beyond traditional ad tech. We bring emotional intelligence into media buying, using advanced contextual tools to map attention, mood, and content alignment.
With the Mindset Graph, we help you read what your audience cares about, identify when they’re most likely to act, and deliver relevant creative that drives impact.
Here’s how we support your success:
- Contextual targeting that aligns ads with consumer emotion and content
- Rich creative formats that highlight products and deals with impact
- Attention measurement tools that track real engagement
- Omnichannel access to premium placements across the web
Ready to Launch Your 2025 Holiday Campaign?
You’ve got the insights. Now is the time to turn them into action. Whether you’re gearing up for Cyber Week, rolling out full-funnel creative, or tapping into key emotional moments, we help you find and engage consumers in the right mindset at the perfect moment.
