Major retailers have already launched their October campaigns and for brands still finalising their holiday strategies, the window is rapidly closing. This trend towards earlier launches reflects a fundamental shift in consumer behaviour, shoppers no longer wait for November deals, and savvy brands have adapted by launching campaigns weeks ahead of schedule.
Miruna Dragomir, social media marketing expert and CMO at Planable, reveals the framework separating breakthrough holiday campaigns from forgettable ones.
“Winning brands know this requires planned systems, not last-minute creative pushes,” Dragomir says. “Five strategic priorities must be sorted immediately, not in November, if you want to succeed.”
Dragomir outlines the essential framework every brand should implement:
Be extremely careful when you review your content calendar
“The most successful holiday campaigns I’ve worked with focus on auditing what they planned six months ago and eliminating anything that won’t drive actual engagement, rather than creating new content right now,” notes Dragomir. “This audit step determines how quickly your campaign will move, whether you’re a B2B company planning year-end marketing or a retail brand creating promotional content. Cut out what looks fine on paper but won’t work in practice.”
Get creative assets ready for quick deployment
“The difference between brands that capitalise on trending moments and those that miss them comes down to asset readiness,” explains Dragomir. “Smart brands develop modular creative systems—video templates, copy frameworks, and visual assets that allow them to respond in hours instead of weeks. The time to prepare is running out quickly, and brands that don’t have these systems may miss opportunities whilst their competitors dominate the conversation.”
Coordinate cross-platform messaging for maximum impact
“To succeed over the holidays, you need consistent messaging everywhere, not just presence on all platforms,” Dragomir points out. “Brands that win have coherent messaging across TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, and email that reinforces the same core value proposition. When you put in considerable effort but don’t achieve the results you want, it’s particularly difficult to capture attention when there’s so much noise.”
Test promotional messaging before it matters
“Most brands discover their messaging fails to resonate during peak shopping periods when adjustment becomes impossible,” says Dragomir. “Right now, strategic brands are A/B testing their sales copy, discount offers, and urgency messaging. This testing window is crucial for maximising conversions when traffic peaks, whether you’re offering software discounts or running retail promotions.”
Establish real-time response protocols for cultural moments
“Holiday social moves at lightning speed—trending hashtags, viral events, and competitor missteps create opportunities that last hours, not days,” notes Dragomir. “Brands that capitalise on these moments have established approval systems that enable relevant content publication within hours. Those without these protocols watch opportunities disappear whilst navigating lengthy approval chains.”
Dragomir concludes:
“The compressed shopping season rewards early preparation. Brands should start by conducting content audits this week, identifying which planned campaigns align with current consumer behaviour. Next, establish approval workflows that enable 24-hour response times to trending moments.
Finally, create template systems for major platforms now, before competitive noise peaks in November. Companies that implement these frameworks will immediately capture consumer attention when spending reaches its annual peak.”