The Season of Experiences: Holiday 2025 is All About Real Connection
The holiday playbook has been rewritten. More and more, Canadian consumers are trading product-focused shopping for experiences that actually matter. Canadians are planning to spend an average of $1,675 this holiday season, a 10% decrease from last year, with 81% considering cutbacks over the next six months. With tighter consumer budgets, this year will be especially challenging for marketers. Here's how to win hearts without breaking your budget.
Our 2025 Holiday Focus
Humour and Authenticity Over Polish
Canadian audiences are gravitating toward campaigns that embrace humour, self-awareness, and the beautiful messiness of the holidays. Forget cinematic perfection—warm, real moments that feel authentic are landing harder than ever.
Local and Meaningful Matter Most
83% of Canadians say buying local evokes national pride, with 71% reporting stronger loyalty to Canadian brands year-over-year. Campaigns rooted in community and homegrown values are connecting deeper than generic messaging.
Experiences that are Analogue
The simplicity of an analogue experience that engages the senses is what we are dreaming of this holiday. Simple moments that bring people together, create memories and are worth capturing are having a moment. Captivate your audience with moments that will capture their hearts and wallets.
Brands Getting It Right
Roots: Interactive Nostalgia Wins
Roots' "Anything Roots" campaign featuring Seth Rogen as their Holiday Concierge brilliantly blends retro aesthetics with interactive elements through their holiday hotline. What stands out to us? Making the shopping experience itself memorable and shareable.
Lego: Bringing Play to Life
Lego's 2025 "Is it play you're looking for?" campaign reminds families to step away from screens and rediscover the joy of creative play. The experiential magic? Lego tied the campaign to their annual "Build to Give" initiative, where families can build Lego hearts in-store, on social media, or via their app, turning viewers into participants and donations into meaningful community impact.
John Lewis: Music as Memory
John Lewis' 2025 Christmas campaign centers on a father-son relationship reconnecting through music that has us dancing at our desks. The experiential element? John Lewis created an exclusive limited-edition vinyl available in their stores, with all profits supporting their Building Happier Futures programme. By making the gift itself (a tangible, analogue vinyl record) the hero of the campaign, John Lewis transformed the product into an experience, encouraging families to dig through old playlists and share generational moments together on Christmas Day.
Our Tips to Make Magic On Any Budget This Holiday
Leverage Participatory Campaigns
Top-down storytelling is being replaced by participatory campaigns where Canadians help shape the content they remember and act on. User-generated content and co-created experiences stretch budgets while building authentic community.
Focus on Value, Not Just Deals
71% of Canadians are actively seeking sales and managing budgets strategically. Showcase product durability, bundle value, or exclusive loyalty perks rather than racing to the bottom on discounts. Create experiences that feel premium without premium price tags.
Make It Real. IRL.
In our digital-first world, physical experiences stand out. Whether it's a vinyl record, an in-store building activity, or a phone hotline, analogue touchpoints create memorable moments that digital ads simply can't replicate.
The bottom line? Holiday 2025 will be all the more meaningful if we all remember that experiences trump stuff. To make it work, it must feel genuine, accessible, and designed for how Canadians actually shop. Whether you're activating a hotline, hosting an in-person event, or creating shareable digital moments, focus on building trust and connection. That's what turns browsers into buyers, and buyers into year-round advocates.
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