Analysis

2024 Advertisers Are Capitalizing on “Christmas Creep”

Abstract

  • Advertisers are starting their holiday campaigns earlier — a strategy known as “Christmas Creep” — to combat holiday fatigue and reach consumers before the main season.
  • MNTN data shows an almost double year-over-year increase in the number of active campaigns during September 2024.
  • Over 30% of consumers begin their holiday shopping as early as July-October, and 40% started checking off their lists in September.
  • In 2024, consumers are allocating more of their holiday budgets to experiences, such as dining out and live events, with a 56% increase in spending compared to previous years.
  • Starting campaigns in September can help advertisers capture early demand, build brand recognition, and convert shoppers before the peak holiday season.

Are you starting to see wintery messages during the last heatwaves of summer? Maybe hearing the echoes of Mariah Carey’s iconic holiday song on the wind? You’re not alone: advertisers are ramping up their holiday and Q4 efforts earlier than ever. According to WARC, this is a protection against holiday fatigue known as the “Christmas Creep” — a phenomena where advertisers and consumers alike are starting to think about holiday purchases and activities earlier in the year.

Early Holiday Campaigns Help Advertisers See Results

In our own data, MNTN has seen this trend impact advertisers over the last year. When looking at the campaigns of MNTN advertisers, the total number of active campaigns in the month of August compared to the month of September rose by 6.5% in 2024 over the same period last year. Not only that, but there are almost double the number of campaigns run by MNTN advertisers in general during September than the same time last year.

Those early campaigns weren’t for naught — we saw significant year-over-year gains in September across a number of key performance metrics:

These improvements show that starting holiday campaigns earlier can deliver better returns for advertisers, But brands shouldn’t slow down in October. Time and time again we have seen that running longer campaigns can boost performance — and the holiday season is no exception. 

Last year’s advertisers certainly recognized the benefit of spending earlier than in previous years to capitalize on early shoppers, as seen in the below chart. That early spend saw results — while overall ad spend was higher in 2023, it still generated higher average ROAS and every month of Q4 ‘23 saw more total conversion volume than the year before. And when comparing advertisers who ran their campaigns throughout Q4 (versus just the back half), the longer campaigns saw a rise in conversion rates and a 14% higher ROAS. 

For many brands, this early jump in spending is a strategic move to capture holiday shoppers before the competition heats up. And with consumer holiday habits also evolving, the early bird can indeed catch the worm.

Consumers Are Embracing Early Shopping in 2024

Consumers are also ready to start their holiday shopping as early as advertisers are starting to reach out to them. A study from Gartner found that 32% of consumers planned to start their winter holiday shopping sometime between July and October of this year — highlighting a desire to get ahead of the holiday rush.

A separate report from JLL Research supports this shift, finding that over 40% of consumers started checking items off their holiday lists in September. This is more than just a trend — it’s a reflection of how shoppers are planning and budgeting for the season ahead.

And it looks like consumers will be embracing more than just physical goods during this year’s holiday season. JLL found that consumers will be spending 56% more in 2024 on holiday-related experiences like dining out and live performances. ​​“We’re not only seeing a shift in the amount that shoppers are spending but also what they spend their budgets on, including a focus less on giving and more on living,” said Naveen Jaggi, President of Retail Advisory Services, Americas, at JLL. 

Experience-Based Brands Are Tapping into Early Shoppers

For brands that focus on experiences rather than physical products, this shift offers a unique opportunity. Like traditional holiday advertisers, experience-driven brands can reach out to early shoppers with messaging that resonates. That way they have time to drive these consumers down the sales funnel before the holiday rush peaks.

In fact, MNTN advertisers in experience-based verticals like Recreation, Food & Drink, and Hobbies & Interests increased their ad spend by 16% in September over August of this year. They’re already seeing the benefits, with impressions up 21.5% and conversions rising 5%. And with conversions generated by impressions served in September likely to spill into October thanks to the varying lengths of advertisers’ sales cycles, we can expect conversions to continue their upward momentum into Q4.

How to Unwrap Holiday Success Early

The lesson from the lesson from 2024’s holiday shopping season? Start early. 

By launching campaigns in September or earlier, advertisers were able get a head start on reaching consumers while competitors were still planning. And with more shoppers looking to make purchases before the holiday rush truly begins, the window of opportunity is wider than ever. Ultimately, leveraging Christmas Creep allows brands to build awareness, drive traffic, and generate conversions before the main holiday push — ensuring that when the final months of the year arrive, they’re not just keeping up with the season; they’re leading it.

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