Discover how brands nail their holiday content with heartwarming stories, clever posts, and highly relatable memes that connect, entertain, and spark conversation all season long.
Published on Dec 19, 2024
The holiday season is here, and with it comes festive marketing campaigns, clever social media posts, and lighthearted memes that capture the spirit of the season. In this blog, we’ll be taking a closer look at how different brands embrace the holiday atmosphere to connect with their audiences. You’ll find a mix of content from this year alongside a few standout examples from past holiday seasons—because some ideas are just too good not to revisit.
From heartwarming videos to laugh-out-loud memes, we’ve rounded up a collection of holiday content that’s sure to spark creativity. Whether you’re looking for inspiration or just love seeing brands get festive, this blog will leave you with great ideas and, hopefully, some holiday cheer.
Every holiday season, Starbucks brings a little extra cheer to its customers with the release of their iconic holiday cups. What started back in 1997 has become a symbol of the holiday season for Starbucks fans around the world over the years.
The holiday cup campaign works so well because it’s simple but meaningful—Starbucks has taken something as ordinary as a coffee cup and turned it into a special tradition. In doing so, they’ve turned their customers into enthusiastic brand ambassadors. Each year, with the arrival of the cup, fans share photos of their cups on social media. These posts inspire thousands of user-generated content, helping the brand reach more people without extra effort.
What makes the holiday cup campaign so successful is its consistency. By bringing this experience back year after year, Starbucks has built an emotional connection with their audience. Rather than being a seasonal marketing thing, the holiday cup has become a meaningful tradition.
Pepsi took a bold and playful approach this holiday season by poking fun at their longtime rival, Coca-Cola. Known for their iconic Santa Claus campaigns, Coca-Cola became the subject of Pepsi’s series of Instagram posts featuring Santa sipping Pepsi Zero Sugar.
Pepsi then followed up with a humorous letter from Santa, where he unapologetically declared that Pepsi Zero Sugar tastes better than Coca-Cola. To sweeten the deal, Pepsi offered everyone—whether naughty or nice—a free Pepsi Zero Sugar, simply by texting “TASTE” to a special number.
This clever campaign taps into the longstanding rivalry between the two brands. By humorously involving Santa, a figure so closely tied to Coca-Cola, Pepsi made a bold and attention-grabbing statement. In addition, the playful tone keeps it fun and engaging. Add in the free product giveaway, and Pepsi not only sparks conversations but also gives customers an irresistible call to action.
Amazon’s 2023 holiday ad “Joy Ride” takes viewers on a heartwarming journey that celebrates the magic of enduring friendships. The story follows three lifelong friends as they relive the joy of their younger days at the top of a snowy hill.
Watching her friends, the lead character opens the Amazon shopping app on her mobile phone and orders seat cushions for bobsleighs so all of them can enjoy a ride like when they were young. The very next day, the delivery arrives, and the friends can relive the joy of their youth.
What makes this ad so great is that it connects with the audience on an emotional level. The instrumental version of The Beatles’ “In My Life” adds just the right touch of nostalgia, matching the theme of reliving old memories with lifelong friends.
By seamlessly including Amazon’s convenience and product selection into the narrative, the ad feels authentic rather than promotional. It’s not just about shopping—it’s about how small gestures can create meaningful moments. With its heartfelt message, the ad has the potential to stick with you for a long time.
On the topic of video ads, McDonald’s brought some holiday cheer to their iconic McRib this year with a playful animated video. Because it’s not a permanent menu item, its limited-time availability has made it a cult favorite among fans, and McDonald’s has managed to build hype around its return.
The ad features festive scenery with snowy hills, decorations, stockings over the fireplace, and everything holiday. The highlight? A Christmas carol dedicated to the McRib, with a chorus that repeats, “McRib is here.” What makes the ad work so well is the use of music to make the message stick. The upbeat, catchy tune is hard to ignore and perfect for getting viewers to associate the McRib with holiday excitement.
Sephora got creative this holiday season by featuring an adorable dog with reindeer antlers in an Instagram video promoting their gift sets. The dog in the video interacts with the products, bringing a playful and festive touch to the post. It’s a great example of how featuring cute animals in marketing works wonders, especially during the holidays.
There’s a solid reason why pet-related content is so effective. According to Mightily, pet-focused posts generate 2.5 times more engagement on social media than non-pet content. For example, brands have seen up to a 295% increase in comments on pet-related content on Instagram.
People love animals, and including them in videos naturally draws attention, sparks joy, and elicits genuine emotions—which is everything a holiday post should do.
Hubspot is really good at connecting with their audience on social media through relatable content, humor, and a smart use of viral trends. This holiday season, they’ve done just that with a viral meme featuring Pepe the King Prawn, a beloved Muppet from Muppets Tonight, paired with a marketing joke about a holiday campaign going out with no subject line.
The post combines a viral meme, humor, and relatability, which are all perfect ingredients for creating shareable content. The use of a familiar meme immediately grabs attention, while the inside joke makes the content feel personal to the audience. In addition, using lingo that perfectly captures the essence of internet culture makes it that much more relatable and engaging. By participating in a fun, viral trend while staying true to their brand voice, HubSpot not only entertains but also strengthens the connection with their followers.
Much like HubSpot, Semrush knows how to engage their audience on social media, particularly on Instagram. They’ve mastered the art of sharing relatable content that speaks directly to their audience, which makes their content not only fun but also highly shareable because we all want to share what we relate to.
For example, since Pepe the King Prawn took over this holiday season, Semrush joined the viral meme trend with a post that says, “Marketers when their 2024 results were too good & are expected to do even better next year.” Just like HubSpot’s strategy, Semrush’s use of a viral meme and a joke that speaks to their audience’s experience makes the post highly engaging—ideal for boosting brand visibility and increasing social media interactions.
Another standout post from Semrush on Instagram was their “Marketer’s Wishlist”—a clever twist on the classic holiday wishlist. Instead of asking for toys or gadgets, this list includes things like “An A/B test where there is a clear winner” or “A hashtag that people actually use.” It’s a humorous and highly relatable take on the everyday challenges marketers face, making it instantly resonate with their audience.
Throughout this blog, we’ve seen how brands have made meaningful connections with their audiences by crafting memorable campaigns and creating relatable posts. From making emotional connections to drumming up excitement for their products, these brands make sure they always deliver. Attention-grabbing statements spark conversations, while social media posts featuring cute animals or relatable, humorous content make audiences engaged.
As we wrap up, it’s clear that the holiday season offers the perfect opportunity for brands to connect in creative but meaningful ways. We wish everyone a joyful holiday season filled with plenty of memorable moments!
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