10 holiday marketing campaign examples + marketing tips

I know I’m in the minority, but the second September hits, I want to break out the Christmas tree, play “Jingle Bells,” and cover everything in baubles and tinsel. But one of the more accepted signs that the festive season is officially upon us is when holiday marketing campaigns start jingling, ringing and ho-ho-ho-ing into our homes, streets, and devices. After all, is it even Christmastime if I’m not hearing sleigh bells every five minutes?

It’s never too early to start making a list and planning this year’s holiday marketing campaign (unless you’re reading this in December, in which case, you can get a head start on next year’s ads). So, in this post, I’ve rounded up ten of the best holiday marketing campaigns from the past couple of years to inspire your plans.

And when you’re ready to deck your own marketing plans, check out HubSpot’s guide to creating seasonal marketing campaigns. I also love Campaign Assistant, a free AI-powered tool that helps you create copy for your next ad, landing page, or marketing email.

1. Etsy: Where’s Waldo/Wally

Etsy tugs on all the strings with this ad. It’s cozy, gives me hits of nostalgia, and somehow captures a bit of that anxiety that I felt looking for Waldo in the books. Hearing his inner monologue made me feel like I’m finally getting to know the silly guy that I’ve been looking for all these years, and he’s more soft-spoken than I thought!

Waldo, or Wally, as he is known in certain countries, with his trademark red-striped sweater and beanie, weaves in and out through throngs of people who are staring, whispering, and rejoicing that they have found him. At the end, he reunites with his partner, Wenda, in a coffee shop and says what is perhaps my favorite tagline in recent years: “Sometimes, it takes someone who really knows you to make you feel seen.” I mean, come on. It’s just perfection.

What I like: I like how watching this ad made me feel as much joy as finally finding Waldo in the books. It’s also a bit of marketing genius on behalf of Etsy; they’re using this commercial to remind us how it feels when you get a gift from someone who just gets you. And hmm, maybe Etsy is a good place to find those kinds of gifts?

2. Chewy: Coal, the holiday surprise

This may be the only time that I’m sad about not getting Coal for the holidays. The ad starts out simple enough. We see two girls opening their presents on Christmas. They’re confused that all they’re getting is coal… coal-themed presents, that is.

Then, their mom carries in a black puppy, a rescue, as Chewy points out in the video description, aptly named Coal. Just seeing Coal’s little puppy eyes made me as excited as the girls in the video.

What I like: I like that on top of this ad being so cute, Chewy is responding to both the ad’s fans — and detractors — in the comment section on YouTube. Chewy’s engagement really shows that they care about their customers.

3. Chick-fil-A: Legends of Evergreen Hills

Chick-fil-A has been slowly building its own cinematic universe, all taking place in a magical wonderland called Evergreen Hills. In 2019, they introduced Sam, a little girl who just wanted to build a snowman with her family. The heartwarming two-minute ad titled The Time Shop encouraged viewers to give the gift of time. Since then, Sam, her family, and her friends return over the holidays with a new story that expands on the world of Evergreen Hills.

In 2024, Sam is back, now a bit more grown-up. This time her new adventure unfolds in five, 22-minute episodes available in the newly launched Chick-fil-A Play app.

The app, which marks Chick-fil-A’s expansion into entertainment, contains exclusive animated series, podcasts, and games. As part of the app’s launch, Chick-fil-A released the first episode on social media as well as clips and stills to promote the show and the app.

So not only is this series part of a holiday marketing campaign that promotes Chick-fil-A the restaurant, but it also is a part of a years-long marketing storyline taking place in multiple platforms and ultimately culminating with the launch of the app.

What I like: I have to give them props for their commitment in building this cinematic universe and for seamlessly weaving this story thread through multiple platforms.

4. Kroger: Share your food, share your heart

This ad packs a lot of story in a minute. Set to America’s song Lonely People, it tells the story of a boy who notices that his seemingly grouchy elderly neighbor is pretty lonely during the holidays. He then gets the idea to sneak some food from his family’s holiday meal, and leaves a small plate of snacks and festive treats at her doorstep.

Seeing his kindness, his family then offers to share their whole meal with the neighbor who invites them inside her home. The tagline “Share food. Share love,” then appears as we see the family chatting with their neighbor.

What I like: If this doesn’t make you want to stop scrolling and step outside to talk to some humans, I don’t know what will.

5. Disney: The Boy and the Octopus

Hot take: This short is way more magical than any movie Disney has put out in recent years. Directed by Taika Waititi, this story is centered on a little boy who, after swimming in the ocean, comes home with a spunky and stubborn octopus stuck to his head.

They become fast friends, and the boy introduces the octopus to the world on dry land, all while a gentle, acoustic version of The Little Mermaid’s Part of Your World plays in the background. The octopus is captivated by what dry land has to offer.

One night, after watching a Christmas classic on TV, the octopus wishes to hitch a ride with Santa and see more of the world, so the two hatch a plan for the octopus to meet Santa.

This short subtly weaves beloved Disney properties throughout the story, from a Buzz Lightyear action figure to a Star Wars lightsaber to the Mickey beanie that the boy uses to conceal the octopus as they sightsee around town.

What I like: I think this short just hits all the spots. It’s fun, it’s endearing, and just serves up the magic that Disney is known for.

6. Hershey’s Kisses

I have to put in a plug for this classic. First debuting in 1989, this simple ad stars red and green Hershey’s Kisses doubling as bells and playing the carol, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, while being conducted by a silver Kiss.

While there have been some small changes throughout the years, this ad remains largely the same year after year, and is much beloved by merrymakers all around the country. Even the grinches at r/CommercialsIHate subreddit like this ad.

What I like: I like that this ad has staying power. It hasn’t lost its charm at all and has become an American holiday tradition.

7. Outback: Koala on the Walla

Speaking of traditions, I love Outback Steakhouse’s vaguely threatening alternative to Elf on the Shelf: Koala on the Walla. The jingle about this cute marsupial-a says, “He knows all of your secrets. Every rule that you’ve defied.” This koala is always watching, and denies you steak if you’ve been bad.

I’m personally rooting for Koala on the Walla to finally kick out those mischievous Elves that seem to adorn every shelf.

What I like: Despite his threatening nature, Koala on the Walla is just too cute, and I definitely wouldn’t mind having him around the house, despite the risk that his beady eyes might be spying on me from inside the washing machine.

8. GAP: Holiday ‘24

This ad isn’t flashy, but its simplicity is what makes it so effective. For this campaign, GAP assembled a diverse choir of talented musicians and social media stars, their beautiful voices blending together as they sing Janet Jackson’s Together Again a cappella.

It’s a great reminder that sometimes you don’t need fancy animation or an elaborate storyline. A simple ad can resonate just as well.

What I like: I like how they brought together different voices and styles and how beautifully the song was arranged to make each singer shine.

9. LEGO: Herding home for the holidays

Lego has not made a holiday movie this time around, but if they did, they think that it would be the G.O.A.T. That is, it would have literal (Lego) goats.

While some brands have made beautiful cinematic masterpieces for their holiday marketing campaigns, including some on this list, Lego has made a trailer for a movie that doesn’t actually exist. Called Herding for the Holidays, the fake movie tells the story of a city go-getter who heads back to the farm to become a goat-getter, and it’s got strong Hallmark Christmas movie vibes. Lego, it’s not too late to make this happen!

What I like: Tons and tons of goats and lego. What’s not to love?

10. Coca-Cola: Secret Santa

A list about the best holiday marketing campaigns wouldn’t be complete without talking about the AI-generated ad that Coca-Cola released in 2024. While I wouldn’t say that this ad is tops when it comes to technicality or frankly, aesthetics, it was one of the best at eliciting engagement, albeit mostly negative.

The ad was inspired by a 1995 ad that used real trucks and real people. This newest ad was a collaboration between three AI studios and used four AI models, according to Forbes. And yet, the result is a series of clips that teeter ever so closely on the cliff over the uncanny valley.

The backlash to the ads was swift. Article after article talked about the pushback the company faced after the ad was released. Critics called the ad “soulless.”

What I like: I like that it’s a real-time test of the old saying, “There’s no such thing as bad publicity.” After all, when was the last time the news cycle was taken by a Coca-Cola ad? While all the negative publicity probably won’t make a real dent on the sales of Coke, I’m looking forward to seeing if they’re going to hire a human Santa for the next holiday campaign.

What I don’t like: You could argue that AI is just a step above using CGI, but the technology really isn’t there yet. Zoom in, and you can see that the trunks look so wonky, some of the wheels weren’t even spinning. Even the Coca-Cola logo itself is off in some places. I think it’s unfortunate that the three companies and the four AI models couldn’t perfect the logo in every shot.

Go Forth and Be Merry

As these examples show, there are many ways to incorporate holiday cheer into your marketing campaigns. Holiday ads no longer fit into one mold, but as cheesy as it sounds, what the most effective ones have in common is heart.

Think about what makes the holidays so special to you, and tell that story. I’m pretty basic, so what usually gets me are ads that show a hint of ‘90s nostalgia or a sumptuous family spread. You know I’m taking notes from Kroger’s ad, and making beef wellington this year.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in December 2015 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.