The Twelve Trends of Christmas: How to Impact 2024 Holiday Shopping with OOH, Part 2

September 5, 2024

Last time on the blog, we shared with you the first half of our Twelve Trends of Christmas holiday shopping research. Here are six more 2024 holiday shopping trends advertisers need to know about, and six recommendations for using out of home to make the most of them. This is the second in our two-part series, so let's jump right back in.

Holiday Shopping Trend 7: Ethical consumption under capitalism? We’re trying.

Holiday shoppers don’t just care about value – we also care about values. That’s why more than half are more likely to buy from a brand that cares about its employees, and to seek out sustainable products. More than 4 in 10 say brands should clearly state their values; approximately that same number say they will stop buying from brands whose values don’t align. 61% prefer to shop local small business, 41% like the idea of a store affiliated with a philanthropic cause, and 37% want to shop at stores owned by women and minorities (SOURCES: Basis, Mintel).

OUR RECOMMENDATION: Shout out to the world what your brand believes in. Use out of home to tell your customers where you stand on the things that matter most to them.

Holiday Shopping Trend 8: We’re shopping mobile first – but there are a couple of caveats.

The increasing omnichannelization of the buyer’s journey means an increased emphasis on its mobile component. Apps and mobile sites now boast a bigger share of ecommerce than desktop, with personal care, groceries, and apparel as the top performers in the channel. What do those categories have in common? They’re low-cost and high-frequency purchases. Shoppers still prefer desktop for big-ticket items; consequently, baskets are 32% smaller for mobile transactions. The other situation where desktop reigns supreme? On Black Friday/Cyber Monday, when it outconverts mobile by 77% and delivers 40% higher spend (SOURCES: Basis, Adobe, Contentsquare).

OUR RECOMMENDATION: Add a QR code to make your out of home ads instantly shoppable and add a mobile layer to the campaign in order to retarget those exposed.

Holiday Shopping Trend 9: Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t what they used to be.

With shoppers starting earlier and earlier to lock in holiday deals, there’s less emphasis on Black Friday and Cyber Monday than in years past. While 62% plan to shop the former and 45% the latter, more than half of shoppers say it’s not a critical part of the process and over 4 in 10 lament that the sales aren’t as good as they used to be. That being said, 48% of consumers expect to do half their shopping during Cyber Week, which still represents a staggering $298 billion worth of global e-commerce, more than a quarter of the spending for the entire season (SOURCES: Salsify, Basis, Tinuiti, Mintel).

OUR RECOMMENDATION: Spread out your impressions to impact the entire holiday season and use dynamic digital creative to showcase your deepest discounts and most in-demand inventory.

Holiday Shopping Trend 10: Consumers give others things, but buy themselves experiences.

Fashion and beauty are two out of the three most-given gift categories and two of the fastest-growing, especially among young shoppers. For Millennials, fashion gifting grew at 3x the overall rate. For Gen Z, beauty grew at 2x. What’s the third category on the podium? It’s entertainment, which makes for a perfect bridge to this year’s big self-gifting trend: experiences. Experiences were the fastest growing category overall, up 17% this year. Travel came in second at 11%; however, for Gen Z that number rises to 27%. (SOURCES: LTK, Tinuiti, Mintel, NRF).

OUR RECOMMENDATION: Target travel and experience self-buyers in and around retail hubs as they go about purchasing gifts for others.

Holiday Shopping Trend 11: Brand activations get consumers out of their house and into your store.

We mentioned earlier consumers’ continued affinity for shopping at lifestyle centers (aka the mall). But intent? That’s a different story, with only 25% expressing plans to do their holiday shopping at one. What’s a brick-and-mortar retailer to do? 69% say a festive in-store experience adds to enjoyment of holidays, so brand activations are the answer! A beloved way to connect brands and consumers year-round, they’re the perfect excuse to leave the house for an experience a website simply cannot provide. While Zoomers and Millennials are the most receptive to activations, even Boomers respond to them positively, with more than half interested in F&B and brand events. Seasonal characters, live music, and social photo ops are some other well-tested ways to bring consumers into a brand’s world (SOURCES: Mintel, Morning Consult). 

OUR RECOMMENDATION: Before the event, prioritize reach. During the activation, use digital formats in close proximity. Afterwards, retarget with mobile.

Holiday Shopping Trend 12: Consumers shop differently at the last minute.

16% of consumers start their holiday shopping in December. Just typing that causes anxiety. But there’s a cohort of about 1 in 4 – skewing younger and more female – who wait until the very last minute every year. But this group doesn’t just shop later – they also shop differently. 41% of late shoppers make more in-store purchases, 34% buy more gift cards, and 27% narrow their search to speedy shippers. Paid, expedited shipping, buy online and pick-up in store services also see increased utilization in the final days of the shopping season – especially among parents (SOURCES: LG Ad Solutions, Salsify, LTK, Mintel, Tinuiti).

OUR RECOMMENDATION: Whatever’s on your shelves, at this point in the season, you’re selling convenience. Deploy creative emphasizing the just-in-time messaging holiday procrastinators seek.

Whether you’re selling turtle doves, golden rings, or anything else, out of home can help you bring your customers’ holiday wishes to life, any day of the year. Contact OUTFRONT now to learn how we can make this your best shopping season yet, and don't forget to download our full 2024 holiday shopping trends report, "The Twelve Trends of Christmas."

Author: Jay Fenster, Marketing Manager @ OUTFRONT

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