Creative Marketing Ideas for This Holiday Season That Aren’t Ho Ho Hum

The holiday season is already upon us, and if you haven’t already gotten your jingle bells jingling, let’s face it, you’re late. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t catch up with your marketing campaign. What’s most important now is to stand out from the typical. Let’s run down the usual suspects:

Create a holiday store front (if you have a store front) display.
Update your website with holiday themes
Hang the “Holiday Sale” Banner
Create a Holiday Raffle to collect new customer data
Create gift bundles
Stock holiday gifts

It’s not the most exciting list and if you’ve read any blog on holiday marketing ideas, we think that just about covers them. So what is going to make this different? This year, how about flipping the script?

Stand out with humorous, self-aware, and even anti-holiday marketing campaigns that poke fun at overconsumption while still making your brand shine. Maybe some ideas you haven’t thought of! Of course you’re not expected to implement them all, after all – doing so might just really get you labeled a holiday grinch. Nothing snaps people out of their blurry-eyed holiday daze like a little humor, especially when it playfully pokes fun at the season itself.

Get ready for holiday marketing ideas so unexpected, even Santa might take notes. Let’s dive in and see if we can turn a little holiday humor into a lot of holiday sales!

1. Social Media Campaign: #BahHumbugContest.

Not everyone loves the holidays, and that’s your opening. Embrace the holiday cynics with a contest that celebrates their anti-cheer.

How It Works:

Ask your audience to share their funniest or grumpiest holiday moments on social media. It could be a burnt turkey, a cringe-worthy gift, or just a rant about holiday traffic.
Use a branded hashtag like #BahHumbugChallenge to drive engagement.
Reward the best submission with a playful “Grinch Survival Kit,” featuring your products and a cheeky holiday card.

Why It’s Brilliant:
It’s refreshing. It says, “Hey, we get it. Not everyone loves this season, and that’s okay.” Plus, you’ll get hilarious user-generated content that you can repost to keep the laughs (and your brand) rolling.

Don’t believe me, believe the stats:

User-generated content campaigns see 4x higher click-through rates than traditional ads (HubSpot).
77% of consumers say humorous campaigns make brands more relatable (Sprout Social)

2. The “I Already Have Too Much Stuff” Sale

Customers are overwhelmed with stuff during the holidays. Acknowledge the elephant in the room by positioning your products as thoughtful, practical gifts—not more clutter. This works especially well if your business offers more practical services!

There are a number of ways to pull this one off:

Craft Cheeky Messaging: Use taglines like “Buy This, So They Don’t Re-Gift Your Present” or “One Gift They’ll Actually Use.”
Promote Donations: Offer a discount to customers who bring in old items for donation, showing your commitment to sustainability. You can also partner with a foundation that accepts unwrapped gifts, and offer special discounts for those who bring in a gift.
Practical Packaging: Highlight products that save space, reduce waste, or serve multiple functions.

Takeaway:
This campaign not only grabs attention with humor but also resonates with customers’ growing interest in sustainable and thoughtful shopping.

The Proof:
Consumers are 57% more likely to buy from brands that demonstrate sustainable practices (IBM Institute).

3. The “Holiday Hangover” Pre-Sale

While Black Friday and Cyber Monday dominate November, December shoppers often feel overwhelmed by endless promotions. The “Holiday Hangover” Pre-Sale offers a moment of humor and relief.

How to Execute:

Timing is Key: Run this campaign in early December, positioning it as an “anti-frenzy” promotion.
Theme Your Products: Focus on items that help customers relax or prep for the holidays.
Playful Messaging: Use copy like, “Take a Break From the Holiday Madness” or “We’re Tired of Ads Too—But These Deals Are Worth It.”
Offer free gift-wrapping: “We’ll Wrap It So You Don’t Have To.”

Real Business Owner Insight:
“We called ours the ‘Take a Breath Sale’ and saw a 20% spike in mid-December sales—our highest growth week that month!” — Tom W., Online Home Goods Retailer

Practical Tip:
Tie this campaign to stress-relief themes and offer fast shipping to win over last-minute shoppers.

4. The “Gifts That Don’t Spark Joy” Guide

Gift guides are everywhere, but most focus on the best gifts to buy. Why not flip the narrative and spotlight what not to give this year? Use humor to make your products the obvious alternative.

What to Include:

Terrible Gift Examples: Highlight stereotypical “bad gifts” like generic socks or fruitcakes.
Your Better Alternatives: Position your products as thoughtful, unique options that customers will actually appreciate.
Online Campaign: Interactive Polls: Ask followers to vote on the worst gift they’ve ever received—build engagement while driving clicks to your guide.

Google knows:
90% of shoppers research gift ideas online before making a purchase (Google Retail Study).

Takeaway:
This humorous approach makes your brand approachable while positioning your products as practical and desirable.

5. Brand Your Own “Ugly Holiday Sweater” Campaign

Ugly holiday sweaters are a cultural phenomenon. But instead of selling someone else’s designs, why not create your own branded version that customers can’t resist?

How It Works:

Design It Right: Create a hilariously over-the-top sweater featuring your logo, holiday puns, or a funny mascot.
Tie It to Engagement: Offer the sweater as a giveaway for customers who spend over a certain amount, or as part of a social media contest.
Pair it with an “Ugly Sweater Selfie Contest,” where customers show off their best (or worst) looks for a chance to win more prizes or discounts.
Include a Cause: Donate proceeds from sweater sales to a local charity, giving customers an extra reason to participate.

Real Business Owner Insight:
“Our ugly sweater contest had over 150 participants, and we ended up with $12,000 in sales from customers who wanted to ‘win’ in style!” — Lila M., Specialty Food Shop

Did you know?
Consumers are 58% more likely to buy from a brand that supports a good cause (Cone Communications).

6. The “Holiday Regret Insurance” Offer

Everyone’s been there—buying a gift in the frenzy of the holidays, only to regret it later. “Holiday Regret Insurance” makes light of this universal pain point while boosting customer confidence.

How to Use It:

Easy Returns: Promise free, no-hassle returns for holiday purchases.
Funny Messaging: Frame it humorously: “Bought Aunt Linda Another Candle? No Problem, We’ll Fix It.”
Upsell Opportunities: During returns, offer store credit or bundle promotions to keep the customer engaged.

Takeaway:
This lighthearted campaign reassures customers while subtly encouraging more purchases.

7. “12 Days of Realistic Christmas” Campaign

The traditional “12 Days of Christmas” is outdated. Modernize it by highlighting relatable holiday situations and pairing them with your products.

Examples:

Day 1: “A Gift for Your Impossible-to-Shop-For Boss.”
Day 5: “Because Secret Santa Shouldn’t Be Stressful.”
Day 12: “Treat Yourself—You Deserve It!”

Real Business Owner Insight:
“We replaced partridges and pear trees with relatable themes, and it made our campaign go viral. We gained 1,200 new email subscribers!” — Mark S., Stationery Brand Owner

Practical Tip:
Use video or carousel ads to showcase the “12 Days” products dynamically on social media.

8. The “Holiday Roast” Campaign: Self-Deprecation Done Right

Everyone knows holiday marketing is over-the-top, so why not poke fun at yourself? Create a campaign where you “roast” your own holiday clichés.

How It Might Look:

Run an ad series with captions like, “Yes, This Is Another Holiday Sale. Sorry Not Sorry.” or “Holiday Sale! Because Apparently We Have to Do This.”
Create a fake “Behind the Scenes” video showing your team debating cheesy slogans like, “Jingle All the Way to Savings!”
End with a heartfelt message: “We may poke fun at the season, but we’re serious about giving you the best.”

What It Achieves:
By showing you don’t take yourself too seriously, you make your brand more approachable and relatable.

Conclusion: Think Beyond the Usual

This holiday season, ditch the tired promotions and try something bold. By embracing humor, self-awareness, and a touch of rebellion, you’ll not only capture attention but also build lasting connections with your customers.

Ready to bring your creative campaigns to life? Swish Funding offers quick, flexible funding to help you execute bold marketing ideas and boost holiday sales.

Last updated on December 3rd, 2024.