12 Past, Present and Future Creative Holiday Campaigns

12 Past, Present and Future Creative Holiday Campaigns

By Vanessa KnipperNov 6 /2013
Creative Holiday Campaigns

Next to Super Bowl weekend, the winter holiday season leading up to the New Year may demand the most creativity to hit your holiday numbers. We’ve compiled some clever campaigns that caught our eye in the past few years and thought we’d “share” in the holiday cheer with some inspiration for your upcoming holiday campaigns.

What customers really want is more of what they love – your products and services. So, keep it simple with discounts or free shipping, make it interactive with contests, help them choose with gift guides, show them you care with a portion of shopping proceeds going toward a charity or offer tips on how to decorate or bake like a rock star this holiday season.

Here are 12 examples of past, present and future campaigns that topped our list:

Savings / Discounts

1. Target’s “My Kind of Holiday”

In Target’s campaign launching in the next week, the brand focuses on inspiring with ideas while offering the best prices to make your holidays even more special—your way. Target also included a hashtag #MyKindOfHoliday so customers can share, so share away!

2. Krispy Kreme’s “12 Days of Donuts”

This 2012 Krispy Kreme campaign featured all new packaging, free coupon gift tags with purchase, campaign branded point of purchase signage and even a holiday music video customers could view from a QR code on the decorative packaging and in-store displays. The donut company also took great care in maintaining brand consistency with the use of its bold red logo color throughout.

Krispy Kreme Holiday Marketing Campaign

3. Ghirardelli's “'Tis the Season for Squaring”

In the specialty chocolates corner, Ghirardelli has you covered with gift ideas, recipes, decorating projects and printable coupons for customers who choose to create a digital card and share it.

Ghirardelli Squares Holiday Marketing Campaign

Giving

4. Macy’s “A Million Reasons to Believe”

Macy's Believe campaign benefits Make a Wish foundation by donating $1 for each Letter to Santa children deliver to their department stores, up to one million dollars. Participants can design and decorate their letter right on site, as well as find classroom activities and a gift guide.

Macys Holiday Marketing Campaign

5. "HSN Cares”

HSN partnered with St. Jude Children's Hospital to feature limited-edition designer ornaments to benefit the children of St. Jude. The ornaments are featured in HSN's 2013 Holiday Gift Guide, and they are gorgeous!

HSN Holiday Marketing Campaign

6. “Kohl’s Cares”

Kohl's donates 100 percent of net profit for these sweet and affordable Peanuts-branded gifts costing just $5 through their Kohl's Cares program. Proceeds benefit childrens' health and education initiatives.

Kohls Holiday Marketing Campaign

Contests

7. Toys R Us "The Ultimate Wishlist" Sweepstakes

Toys R Us is giving one lucky winner a dream vacation, but don't miss out on weekly and even DAILY prizes simply by registering and creating a wish list for those on your "nice" list. Two birds, one stone.

ToysRUs Holiday Marketing Campaign

8. LG’s “My Better Life with LG G2!”

LG is rewarding fans this season with a chance to win big prizes in exchange for just a few words in a review. It's a win-win! 

LG Holiday Marketing Campaign

9. PetSmart’s “My Pet’s Wish List”

PetSmart encourages fans to vote on their favorite wish list items on Facebook for a chance to win gift cards and treat their pets to tasty new treats this holiday season.

PetSmart Holiday Marketing Campaign

How-To-Guides

10. Sephora’s “Giftopia”

Sephora makes gift-giving easy with its featured selections of the staff’s top pics for holiday giving that will surely dazzle just about anyone on your list. Except maybe Spotty, in that case see No. 9.

Sephora Holiday Marketing Campaign

11. Target’s “Best.Party.Ever.”

And another from Target: Event Producer David Stark will be sharing holiday party tips on Pinterest for sharing. “I personally created inspiration for four party themes that include how to’s and videos, photos of designs that I love and more, all based on my experience as an event producer,” says David. “My hope is that Best.Party.Ever. will not only inspire new ideas but help people execute their party ideas, all while staying within budget.”


12. eBags “All is Bright” Gift Guide & Discounts

eBags created an easy-to-navigate colorful gift guide with filters including gender, price, department and lifestyle options to allow even the most indecisive shopper to check names off their list and spend less while doing so.

eBags Holiday Marketing Campaign

We hope you enjoyed these examples and that one or more helps to inspire an idea for YOUR next holiday campaign. Have any other campaigns caught your eye this season? Please share them with us in the comments!Check Out Essential Content Marketing KPI - Interactive Checklist


The Author

Vanessa Knipper

Vanessa helps Kuno clients achieve their business and marketing goals with her many years of experience in both traditional and inbound marketing strategies. Her success stories span industries from medical device clinical research to photofinishing and camera brands, and one of the largest orchid growers in the U.S., assisting them in winning business against national competitors.
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