Merry Marketing: 6 Ways to Embrace Themes & Stay Relevant This Season
Written by: Lauren McKinney
The holiday season is upon us, and your marketing deserves to sparkle just as much as the winter’s twinkling lights. It’s the perfect time to embrace a seasonal theme that resonates with your audience, boosts engagement, and keeps your brand top of mind. Whether you’re decking the halls with clever puns or jingling all the way into their inbox, themed marketing can deliver festive results.
Let’s unwrap how to keep your marketing merry, memorable, and relevant this holiday season!
1. Creativity is a Sleigh
To create your seasonal marketing campaigns, pick a theme that connects to your brand and resonates with the season. Maybe it’s a cozy cabin vibe, a winter wonderland, or a gingerbread-house-building bonanza. Get creative, but keep your brand identity front and center.
Examples of festive themes:
- A pet store might use “Pawliday Purr-fection” for a campaign about pet stocking stuffers.
- A fitness brand could embrace “Sleigh Your Goals” for promoting New Year’s memberships.
- An office supply company might try “Wrap It Up Right,” tying productivity tools to gift-wrapping season.
🎄 Pro Tip: According to Forbes, leaning into storytelling is key during the holidays. Themes give you a framework for telling engaging stories that make your brand memorable.
2. Pun-derfully Festive Copy
Nothing says “holiday cheer” quite like a good pun. From your email subject lines to your social media captions, sprinkle wordplay throughout your campaign. Holiday-themed puns make your message fun, approachable, and memorable.
Examples of some winter-perfect wordplay:
- “Don’t get your tinsel in a tangle—shop now for stress-free gifting!”
- “We’re snow excited to share our winter collection!”
- “Sip, sip, hooray! Warm up with our holiday specials.”
Puns add personality and playfulness to your brand voice. At Madison+Main, our copy team works every day to help give our clients marketing copy that’s put pun-perfectly.
3. Design Like You’re Wrapping a Present
Visuals are a crucial part of seasonal marketing. Your theme should shine through every graphic, ad, and video. Think festive colors, nostalgic touches, and wintery vibes that evoke holiday cheer.
Ways to add festive flair:
- Use holiday imagery or themes in your designs.
- Incorporate your theme into email headers and landing pages.
- Don’t forget subtle animation—falling snow or animated can add extra charm!
4. Spread Cheer Across Every Channel
Don’t keep your holiday campaign under wraps—spread the joy across all your marketing channels. Tailor your theme through visuals and copy for each platform to ensure your messaging feels fresh and relevant.
Holiday ideas by channel:
- Social Media: Host a “12 Days of Giveaways” or share holiday tips that relate to your product.
- Email Marketing: Deliver themed gift guides or exclusive “nice list” offers.
- Website: Deck your homepage with seasonal graphics and easy gift-finding tools or helpful tips.
Make sure your campaign is cohesive but adaptable.
5. Keep It Authentic and Inclusive
The holidays mean different things to different people, so aim for campaigns that feel warm and welcoming to all. Inclusive marketing ensures everyone feels represented, and it broadens your appeal.
Tips for inclusivity:
- Use neutral language like “holiday” or “winter” where possible.
- Celebrate a variety of traditions, such as Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s, in addition to Christmas.
- Focus on universal themes like gratitude, generosity, and togetherness.
6. Tie It All Back to Your Brand
Themed marketing works best when it reinforces your brand’s message. A holiday theme should feel like a natural extension of your identity—not just a seasonal gimmick.
How to connect your theme to your brand:
- Emphasize how your product or service solves holiday-specific challenges (e.g., last-minute shopping, hosting stress).
- Create content that showcases your brand’s values, like giving back through a charitable campaign.
- Align your tone with your audience—whether they’re looking for humor, luxury, or heartfelt moments.
Need a refresher on brand consistency? Entrepreneur has a great article on staying true to your brand identity.
Wrapping It All Up
This holiday season, let your marketing shimmer, just like tinsel on a tree. By embracing a fun and cohesive theme, you can spread seasonal cheer, strengthen customer connections, and keep your brand relevant throughout the festivities.
You know that family member that just always GETS IT and knows just how to decorate so the moments and pictures are perfect? Think of Madison+Main as that relative, we can help you make your marketing and branding shine. You can call us in to make your new year a total success – branded just right. Reach out via our contact form, or give us a call at (877) 623-6246.