Unwrapping Success: Clever Strategies for Holiday Sales and Beyond

By Joe Frick, Vice President of Business Development, G-Comm

The gift of consumer attention during the holiday season has become a high-stakes, multidimensional effort. Retailers, ecommerce giants and brands are no longer competing for shelf space or ad slots; they’re vying for mind share across an intricate web of touchpoints. Retail media is the game-changing strategy that’s rewriting the rules of engagement.

Retail media networks allow brands to reach shoppers at the point of purchase and influence buying decisions. And they’re effective. According to a recent report, eMarketer predicts that U.S. omnichannel retail media ad spend will reach over $54 billion by the end of 2024, a significant increase from $36.2 billion in 2023. Early forecasts even suggest that retail media spend will exceed $100 billion dollars by 2027, with a continued projected growth rate of 20+% per year. This underscores how important retail media is to the marketing landscape.

So how can you use this increasingly powerful channel to not only survive but thrive during the most wonderful (and competitive) time of the year? Leverage tech, data and human connection in innovative ways. Here’s how:

1. Get Smart With Your Data: Think of your first-party data as the gift that keeps on giving – the key to understanding what makes your customers tick. Blend first-party data with retail media network insights to predict your customers’ wants and needs. Create relevant messaging that makes your customers feel like they have received the best gift of all: the right offer at the right time.
   
   
2. Make It Personal: Go beyond name-dropping in emails. Today’s customers demand a better overall experience. Use AI to craft dynamic shopping experiences that adapt to individual tastes. McKinsey reports 71% of consumers expect personalized interactions with 76% frustrated when they don’t get them. Leverage retail media data for targeted campaigns that boost conversion rates and loyalty. 
   
   
3. Be Everywhere, Seamlessly: Customers are jumping among multiple devices faster than you can say "omnichannel." But your job is to ensure they never perceive a disconnect. Omnisend found marketers using three or more channels in their campaigns saw a 287% higher purchase rate than those using a single channel. Combine on-site ads, social media, email and search marketing for a cohesive and consistent message everywhere.
   
   
4. Be Sure Your Ads Read the Room: Static ads are boring. Use dynamic creative optimization (DCO) to tailor ad content based on real-time data and user behavior such as time of day, weather or user behavior. Is it snowing? Your ad can show winter coats. The big holiday game? Your ad can reflect team colors. The key is making your ads so relevant that people want to see them. Innovid reported that DCO ads see up to a 50% increase in click-through rates compared to standard display ads. Using DCO, your brand’s ads will be relevant and engaging, which encourages more conversions.
   
   
5. Make Friends With Influencers (the Right Way): Forget one-off posts with awkward product placements. Build authentic relationships with influencers who get your brand. Mix it up with big names and niche experts who speak to your exact audience. The goal is to make your products part of an influencer’s world, not something they simply mention to get paid. When done well, influencer marketing is like word-of-mouth marketing on steroids. In fact, Influencer Marketing Hub found businesses make $5.78 for every $1 spent on influencer marketing. During the holidays (and beyond), use influencers to create relatable content that drives awareness and purchases.

Remember, you can leverage retail media to make lasting customer connections, in addition to sales. When you implement these strategies, you’ll create a brand ecosystem that deeply resonates with customers, turning one-time buyers into brand advocates. That’s when your brand won’t just win the holiday rush – you’ll set the stage for year-round success.