We’re back with a new edition of the Post Performance Report (PPR), a series dedicated to highlighting innovative social media posts and campaigns that inspire us, while dissecting the brilliance behind them. We explore how your brand can leverage these examples to ignite your own attention-grabbing concepts—maximizing your budget and achieving more with less.
We’ve officially stepped into the ‘ber months—the four-month phase at the year’s end that has transformed into one large holiday season, blurring the lines between celebrations. While some of us (like the writer) savor our pumpkin spice, others have already started purchasing holiday gifts and Christmas trees. According to the Q4 2024 Sprout Social Pulse Survey, 89% of shoppers believe brand content will shape their purchasing choices this holiday season. This implies for brands that the battle for consumer attention on social media is a marathon, and their holiday campaigns will kick off shortly (if they haven’t already begun).
Let’s take a look at our roster of brands already spreading holiday cheer this year, along with tips to help you get into the festive mood.
Lowe’s: Maximizing the ‘ber months
Lowe’s, the home improvement giant, has become a go-to source for year-end holiday decorations catering to every type of celebrant.
The popularity of their viral giant mummy in 2022 showcased the brand’s understanding of what thrills Halloween enthusiasts. In a campaign that garnered over 725,000 views on TikTok alone, Lowe’s launched their new “Wednesday” collection, showcasing dancing and slicing animatronic figures in a spooky environment while a catchy song from the show played. The content presents itself as lo-fi and tailored for social, featuring quick cuts and text overlays.
Every video Lowe’s produced regarding their Halloween decorations maintained the same eerie backdrop and text style. The outcome was a cohesive, identifiable series of content that thrilled Halloween aficionados eager for Lowe’s next decor reveal.
In addition, Lowe’s shared creator-inspired DIY content throughout Halloween season, such as this video of a ceramic Lowe’s pumpkin being fashioned into a unique and charming house number.
However, Lowe’s is not just a Halloween destination. The brand is already rolling out their winter holiday decorations, featuring a colossal yeti, a forest of Christmas trees, and snowy model villages. In a recent TikTok, they addressed shoppers who entered the store expecting Halloween decor, only to be pleasantly surprised by winter holiday staples already showcased.
The ongoing excitement in the comments illustrates that when it comes to holiday decor, more is often better, and fans crave new product reveals (from September through December). Insights from Sprout Social Listening on X from September 9 to October 18, 2024, indicate that Lowe’s social sentiment is nearly 25% more favorable than that of their closest competitor.
The strategy: The outdated guidelines on holiday marketing can essentially be disregarded. Once we hit September, it’s acceptable to start advertising every year-end holiday—even at the same time. As demonstrated by Lowe’s, this tactic is most effective when you embrace the novelty of holiday products being available in-store before the “correct” time, gradually introducing new items throughout the ‘ber months.
Four Seasons: #FourTheSeason of enchantment
Four Seasons, the international luxury hotel brand, is emphasizing that the greatest gift to give is presence—especially while poolside or beachside at one of their destinations. In their first video for the #FourTheSeason campaign, the brand showcases a pile of gifts relaxing by the pool and enjoying a steam and surf at a coastal getaway.
The remaining content in their campaign has highlighted warm-weather hotels and exotic locations that entice consumers to book a year-end escape or gift travel during the holidays, such as this clever video of a guest splashing into a spicy margarita. Or this delightful Carousel featuring their upcoming resort on the picturesque island of Mykonos.
However, their festive content doesn’t only focus on getaways, but also embraces the magic of the season. For example, this Reel from The Ocean Club, a Four Seasons Resort, encouraging guests to celebrate their holidays with them. Whether you desire a horse-drawn carriage ride or a meal by the fire, Four Seasons can be your holiday sanctuary.
This campaign aligns with the company’s growth into Mykonos and the reopening of the historic Four Seasons Hotel New York—not just for the upcoming holiday season.
The strategy: The #FourTheSeason campaign serves as a case study on using the holidays to reshape consumer perspectives regarding what constitutes gifting, while simultaneously generating public relations for their growth. The brand connects with seasonal emotions, including nostalgia, fatigue, and the desire for escape. Consider how your offerings align with the festive season and the emotional associations consumers have with it.
Walmart: LIVE at home for the festivities
Walmart requires little introduction. The multinational retail giant is renowned for its hypermarkets, discount department stores, and grocery outlets. It’s no surprise that the brand is already leading the holiday marketing initiative on social media.
Walmart’s Facebook Live series recently received a Halloween makeover. The content features celebrities, influencers, and creators showcasing their favorite Walmart products. Recent episodes have focused on Halloween-themed items, such as ghostly goodies and witchy hair dye, all set against the host’s Halloween-decorated home. The live-streamed events remind us of beloved daytime TV shows, garnering impressive real-time interaction.
Even as this article is published in October, Walmart is already receiving accolades for its holiday shopping offers from major news outlets. We look forward to witnessing how their holiday momentum unfolds in the coming weeks and tuning into winter holiday episodes of their live series.
The strategy: Everyone in the social media sphere seems focused on “serialized, ownable” content, but it’s often unclear how to pull it off. Walmart’s live content offers a perfect example of how to orchestrate a recurring series that feels genuine, even when tailored for seasonal marketing or trends.
Bonne Maman: The festive countdown begins
French brand Bonne Maman is known for its jams, marmalades, and desserts that exude the je ne sais quoi of homemade goodness.
Much like their products, Bonne Maman’s 2024 advent calendar is crafted with care. This delightful spin on the traditional Christmas calendar includes stunning artwork and flavors exclusive to the holiday season.
On social media, the brand has promoted the calendar’s launch through various formats. One Reel showcased the joy of unboxing the calendar and discovering the daily jam, while another depicted the calendar being presented as a luxurious gift. Due to its high demand, Bonne Maman crafted an Advent Story highlight on their Instagram account where consumers can find the shoppable link.
The advent calendar is anticipated to sell out well before December—highlighting the success of launching the calendar as early as September.
The strategy: For brands like Bonne Maman, with established holiday marketing tactics, adapting your tradition to social (and prioritizing a social-first promotional campaign) is an effective way to generate excitement and build anticipation early.
Small business spotlight: Maan Farms
It’s tough to top a pumpkin patch, corn maze, and delicious treats in the fall. Maan Farms, home to Canada’s most terrifying haunted corn maze, is renowned for all three, as well as a clever social media presence.
Recently, their social media account went viral with a reversed video demonstrating the creation of their signature double pumpkin spice cone, captioned “what happens when a customer cancels their order.” This clever twist on a popular format intrigued social media users around the globe and generated interest in the treat (and their farm as a whole).
Maan Farms collaborates with influencers and creators possessing a similar sense of humor who bring their followers along on tours of the farm. One creator shared a video detailing reasons not to visit the farm, highlighting “too many Instagrammable, aesthetically pleasing locations” and “too many creative, delectable” food and drinks.
Another creator posted a humorous vampire-themed takeover of Maan Farms inspired by the Twilight series.
The strategy: Numerous trends are likely to emerge this holiday season, and regrettably, there’s not enough time (or justification) to engage with them all. The trends Maan Farms aligns with feel true to the business and the voice they’ve cultivated, making sure the formats they adopt remain timeless when informed by audience insights. Reflect on whether the trends you pursue are genuine to your brand and how you can use the format to spark creativity, even when something is past its peak.
All aboard the holiday express
This concludes this month’s edition of the PPR. Stay tuned for next month’s issue, where we’ll spotlight brands that have excelled in crafting a leadership-driven social strategy. In the meantime, keep these principal takeaways in mind:
Post Performance Report Takeaways
- Simultaneously promoting multiple year-end holidays can help sustain engagement throughout the ‘ber months, provided you have a thoughtful and cohesive strategy.
- Brands usually not linked with holidays or gifting can still join the discussion.
- Infuse a seasonal twist into your products or services by tapping into seasonal nostalgia and holiday customs.
- Both trends and serialized content can be modified for the holiday period—what’s key is that it feels exclusive.
For more holiday social marketing guidance, discover how to optimize your holiday marketing on social media.
If you come across a social post or campaign that deserves recognition, tag us @sproutsocial and use #PostPerformanceReport to feature your idea in a future piece.
The post Post Performance Report: Brands capitalizing on the holiday season first appeared on Sprout Social.
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