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Back in 2022, a wave of manufactured outrage swept across the United Kingdom as national paper The Telegraph published an article entitled: “Call your Christmas parties ‘festive celebrations’, civil servants told.” The original idea was a suggestion for inclusivity – after all, only 46.2% of the UK actually identify as Christian. But the notion of having to rename the festival sparked uproar. It’s a tricky topic, especially since people of all faiths enjoy general festivities at this time of year. We have to ask, though – is using the word “Christmas” in Christmas marketing campaigns really such sensitive business? And should we avoid its use altogether?

The best Christmas marketing campaigns

Christmas is one of the most heavily marketed events in the calendar. In recent years, social media has popularized the elf on the shelf trend. This involves families setting up (patented and branded) elf toys to cause mischief overnight and beguile younger children. Some families leave extra presents from said elf. It’s harmless fun, but nevertheless another avenue of monetization for a religious holiday.

It’s hardly new. We’re all familiar with Coca Cola famously turning Santa Claus from green to red. Back in 1931, artist Haddon Sundblom painted St. Nick in Coca-Cola colours and continued the portraits until 1964. This cemented the rosy-featured figure in public consciousness. Coca Cola continued their cultural impact with the iconic “Holidays are Coming” campaign. Airing back in November of 1995, this phenomenon is still recycled regularly by the soft-drink company. This year alone will see an AI version of the classic ad hit small screens across the world.

The fact is Christmas marketing campaigns have done wonders for brand awareness for decades. Here are a few examples:

1. Hallmark “Countdown to Christmas”

One might be forgiven for thinking that greetings cards sales are at their zenith during religious holidays. But Hallmark have devised a way to stand out from the pack through all-out entertainment. The Hallmark Christmas Movie schedule began back in 2009, screening original productions filled with yuletide fun. It’s now something (emphasis on italics) of an institution, with millions of loyal viewers tuning in every season. The “Countdown to Christmas” can now draw over 3 million views per airing. Unsurprisingly, this coincides with record ad revenue for Hallmark.

2. Starbucks Red Cup

The Starbucks’ “Red Cup” tradition kicked off in 1997, which is almost 20 years ago, if you can believe it. It’s now a holiday staple for coffee lovers around the world. While it’s certainly not religious nor especially sustainable, it does whip up excitement. In 2021 alone Starbucks enjoyed a 17% increase in revenue during the festivities holiday sales. All because of a coloured cup. Scoff at the simplicity, but it works.

3. John Lewis Ads

John Lewis & Partners revived their department store’s waning brand back in 2007 with the launch of their ongoing Christmas ad campaign. It’s now become a bit of a tradition in the UK, with many anticipating the release of what become viral videos. This is also paired with their featuring of popular song covers. Said versions and their originals enjoy regular success on the charts: Ellie Goulding, Lily Allen and Tom Odell are just a few of the beneficiaries. You’ve got Adam&EveDDB to thank for the original conception of the idea, though Saatchi and Saatchi are now at the reigns.

4. Kellogg’s Cornflakes

Much like the “Holidays are Coming” ad tapped into a special reserve of nostalgia, Kellogg’s have experienced some serious ROI on their 1991 ad featuring Santa Claus himself and a small girl with a blonde bowlcut. Instead of enabling St. Nick with his usual poison, the children decide to leave out a bowl of Kellogg’s for a great breakfast and/or midnight snack. It’s cute and the toddler says ‘ho ho ho’. It also aired the same year that Kellogg’s made it’s first forray into sponsoring motorsport racing, which suggests brand growth may have been the priority rather than spreading Yuletide cheer.

5. Cadbury “Secret Santa”

Cadbury’s “Secret Santa” campaign is disarmingly simple. Buy a chocolate bar. Give it to someone you don’t know. Let Cadbury handle the logistics. First launched in 2018, it turns chocolate from a self-indulgence into a social gesture, which is clever positioning for a brand built on treating yourself. The purple postboxes, the anonymity, the low barrier to participation – it all feels oddly earnest. According to industry tracking, it’s also one of the most repeatedly effective Christmas campaigns in recent years. Sometimes a gimmick is only a gimmick until it becomes a ritual.

6. Intermarché “Le Mal-Aimé” (The Unloved)

French supermarket Intermarché went animated for Christmas with a short film about a wolf who’s universally disliked until he proves otherwise. It sounds twee. It is, a bit. But it works. The story leans into themes of loneliness, acceptance and community without hammering you over the head with a logo. For a grocery chain, that restraint is notable. The ad racked up millions of views internationally and reminded marketers that you don’t need AI, stunts or celebrity cameos to make people feel something in December.

7. Disney “The Gift” (Holiday Short)

Disney does what Disney always does: emotional manipulation, but done professionally. “The Gift” is a short animated film about a grandmother rediscovering joy through her granddaughter’s love of Mickey. It’s gentle, intergenerational and very aware of its own intellectual property. The clever bit is how seamlessly it plugs into everything else Disney does at Christmas – parks, streaming, merchandise – without ever feeling like a hard sell. When you own the characters people grew up with, Christmas basically markets itself.

8. Apple “The Song”

Apple’s holiday spot “The Song” follows a young woman who remixes an old recording of her grandmother singing, using Apple products as the tools that make it possible. It’s a familiar Apple trick: position the product as invisible infrastructure for human connection. Christmas is present, but not overbearing. There’s no Santa, no snow overload, no forced cheer. It’s less festive spectacle, more tasteful mistiness – which is exactly on brand.

9. Sephora “Holiday Stories”

Rather than betting everything on one cinematic Christmas ad, Sephora leaned into a volume play. “Holiday Stories” was built from short, personal beauty transformations shared by creators and customers across social platforms. No grand narrative. No swelling music. Just lots of small, festive moments stitched together by seasonality and gifting logic. It’s not the kind of campaign people quote years later – but it’s very effective at meeting audiences where they actually spend December: scrolling.

10. McDonald’s “Reindeer Ready” (Global Variations)

McDonald’s doesn’t do one Christmas campaign so much as fifty versions of the same idea. “Reindeer Ready” and its local equivalents show up in different forms across Europe, Asia and beyond, often tied to limited-time menus and festive packaging. The ads are rarely profound. They don’t need to be. Christmas, for McDonald’s, is about habit and availability. That means being open, familiar and everywhere when routines break down.

How to build effective Christmas marketing campaigns today

The strongest Christmas marketing campaigns are no longer defined by a single ad or slogan. They’re built as seasonal systems – designed to run across channels, formats and timeframes.

Here’s how brands are doing it successfully today.

1. Design Christmas marketing campaigns beyond TV ads

Modern Christmas marketing campaigns increasingly move beyond big-budget television spots. Instead, they rely on digital-first formats that can run consistently throughout December.

Effective campaigns focus on repeatable ideas, modular assets and audience participation rather than one-off storytelling moments.

2. Build social-first Christmas marketing campaigns

Some of today’s highest-performing Christmas marketing campaigns are created specifically for social platforms. Common approaches include:

– Advent-style daily reveals on Instagram or TikTok

– Short-form festive video series

– Creator-led Christmas content

– Community or comment-driven participation

3. Use festive advertising without religious language

Search interest in “festive advertising” and “holiday marketing campaigns” reflects how many brands now signal Christmas without explicit religious references. High-performing festive advertising typically relies on:

– Winter color palettes and warm lighting

– Seasonal atmosphere rather than symbols

– Design-led visuals over copy-heavy messaging

– Subtle UI, packaging or storefront updates

4. Build Christmas branding audiences recognise instantly

Christmas branding often does more work than Christmas messaging. Strong visual systems communicate seasonality before a single word is read. Effective Christmas branding usually includes:

– Limited-edition seasonal packaging

– Temporary colour or logo treatments

– Consistent festive visuals reused each year

– Platform-wide seasonal headers and assets

5. Plan Christmas marketing campaigns for smaller brands

Not all Christmas marketing campaigns aim for mass reach. Many small and mid-sized brands see strong results by focusing on execution rather than scale. High-performing tactics include:

– Limited-run Christmas products or bundles

– Email-led festive launches

– Seasonal landing pages optimised for search

– Clear delivery cut-off messaging

6. Write Christmas slogans for advertising that actually stick

Searches for christmas slogans advertising remain high, but simplicity still wins. Strong Christmas slogans tend to:

– Fit naturally into mobile formats

– Work across ads, email and social

– Focus on togetherness, anticipation or giving

– Support the visuals rather than compete with them

7. Adapt holiday marketing campaigns by region

Interest in region-specific holiday marketing campaigns continues to grow, particularly across Europe. Broad patterns include:

– Central Europe responding well to practical, value-led holiday marketing

– Southern Europe engaging more with family-centred narratives

– Northern Europe favouring restrained, design-led festive advertising

8. Use Christmas marketing ideas that drive short-term results

Not every Christmas marketing campaign is built for long-term brand equity. Some are designed to convert quickly during a narrow December window. High-performing short-term Christmas marketing ideas include:

– Time-limited gift guides

– Free shipping thresholds tied to Christmas

– Countdown timers on key pages

– Retargeting creative that evolves week by week

9. Focus on Christmas marketing campaigns, not generic holiday ads

Despite broader language trends, Christmas marketing campaigns continue to outperform generic holiday marketing in search visibility and recall.

Holiday marketing campaigns broaden reach. Christmas marketing campaigns concentrate intent – and when attention is limited, that concentration still delivers results.

Other religious holidays in December

To pivot away from inclusivity via erasion, let’s take a moment to mention other religious holidays in December and how you might celebrate them. This is, of course, a selecton. If you’re interested in finding out about other holidays the world celebrates, we’d encourage you to look up organizations like the Inter Faith Network.

Hanukkah

Hanukkah is a Jewish festival that begins on Kislev 25, which often falls in December according to the Gregorian calendar. This festival continues for eight days and expresses commemoration with the lighting of candles on each day of the festival. The Jewish faith celebrates Hanukkah all over the world.

Rohatsu

Also known as “Bodhi Day”, Rohatsu is a Zen Buddhist holiday that celebrates Siddhartha’s six years of dedication to spirituality. Rohatsu means “awakened” in Sanskrit, but we think of this more as “enlightened”. It’s a perfect time of year to practice meditation regardless of your background.

Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice is a Pagan celebration that dates way back to Norse traditions and celebrates the return of the sun with bonfires, stories and ale. This ancient event has plenty of iterations; the Romans held Saturnalia, a week-long festival featuring role reversals, decorating and gift-giving, while British Druids honored the solstice by cutting mistletoe from oak trees as a blessing and lighting a yule log to symbolize life and hope.

Zarathost No-Diso

Zoroastrians celebrate Zartosht No-Diso, the death anniversary of Prophet Zarathushtra, with various rituals. This might include devotees of the ancient religion visiting the Fire Temple to pray and participate in special ceremonies, holding lectures and discussions about the Prophet’s life and works and offering prayers to Zarathushtra and the Fravashis.

Enjoy the holidays

Whatever your faith, we’d like to wish you a safe and restful holiday period. Thanks for reading and enjoy yourself.