Post Performance Report: Brands making the most of the the holiday season

It’s time for another edition of the Post Performance Report (PPR), a series where we showcase social media posts and campaigns inspiring us, and explore what makes them so genius. We unpack how your brand can use these examples to spark your own scroll-stopping ideas—while maximizing your budget and doing more with less.

We’ve officially entered the ‘ber months—the four-month stretch at the end of the year that has morphed into one elongated holiday season, unclear where one celebration stops and another begins. While some of us (like this author) cling to our pumpkin spice, others are already buying holiday gifts and Christmas trees. According to the Q4 2024 Sprout Social Pulse Survey, 89% of consumers anticipate brand content will impact their purchase decisions this holiday season. For brands, that means the fight to hold consumer attention on social is a long-game, and their holiday season campaigns will start soon (if they aren’t already underway).

Let’s dive into our lineup of brands already delivering holiday cheer this year, and tips to help you get in the spirit.

Lowe’s: Making the ‘ber months count

Lowe’s, the home improvement company, has become a destination for end-of-year holiday decor for every kind of celebrant.

Like their viral giant mummy in 2022 proved, the brand understands what makes Halloween fanatics tick. In a campaign that received over 725,000 views on TikTok alone, the brand debuted their new “Wednesday” collection. The videos featured dancing and slashing animatronic characters set in a spooky scene, while a song from the show played. The content feels lo-fi and social-first, with quick cuts and text overlays.

Every subsequent video Lowe’s published about their Halloween decor used the same spooky background and text style. The end result was cohesive, recognizable content that delighted Halloween superfans awaiting Lowe’s next decor reveal.

The brand also shared creator-inspired DIY content throughout spooky season. Like this video of a ceramic Lowe’s pumpkin being turned into a unique and whimsical house number.

But Lowe’s isn’t just a Halloween haven. The brand is already beginning to debut their winter holiday decor, including a giant yeti, a forest of Christmas trees and snow-covered model villages. In a recent TikTok video, the brand directly spoke to fans who come into their store expecting Halloween decor and are delighted to see winter holiday staples already in the showroom.

The consistent enthusiasm in the comments section proves that when it comes to holiday flair, more is more, and fans live for new product reveals (from September to December). According to Sprout Social Listening data on X from September 9 to October 18, 2024, Lowe’s social sentiment is almost 25% more positive than their leading competitor.

The play: The old rules about holiday marketing can (mostly) be thrown out. Once we reach September, all bets are off, and it’s fair game to start promoting every end-of-year holiday—even simultaneously. As Lowe’s demonstrates, this works best when you acknowledge the surprise of holiday products being in the store before the “appropriate” time and slowly drop new items throughout the ‘ber months.

Four Seasons: #FourTheSeason of magic

Four Seasons, the global luxury hotel company, is reminding everyone that the best present to give is presence—especially poolside or beach-side at one of their resorts. In the first video for their #FourTheSeason campaign, the brand features a stack of presents lounging at the pool, enjoying a steam and surfing on the beach of a coastal destination.

The rest of their campaign content so far has highlighted warm weather hotels and destinations that will tempt consumers to book an end-of-the-year getaway or give the gift of travel for the holidays, like this clever video of a guest cannonballing into a spicy marg. Or this heavenly Carousel about their future resort on the dreamy island of Mykonos.

But their holiday content isn’t just about getting away, it’s also about celebrating the magic of the season. Like this Reel from The Ocean Club, a Four Seasons Resort. A part of the same #FourTheSeason campaign, the video encourages guests to celebrate their holidays with the hotelier. Whether you crave a ride in a horse-drawn carriage or a meal by the fireplace, Four Seasons can be your home for the holidays.

This campaign coincides with the company’s expansion into Mykonos and the reopening of the historic Four Seasons Hotel New York—not just the upcoming holiday season.

The play: The #FourTheSeason campaign is a masterclass in leveraging the holidays to shift consumer behavior around what constitutes gifting while simultaneously driving PR for their expansions. The brand taps into our seasonal emotions, including nostalgia, burnout and the need for escapism. Consider how your offerings intertwine with the festive season and the emotional relationship consumers have to it.

Walmart: LIVE at home for the holidays

Walmart needs no introduction. The multinational retail corporation is famous for its hypermarkets, discount department stores and grocery stores. It’s no surprise the brand is already leading the holiday marketing charge on social.

Walmart’s Facebook Live series recently got a Halloween twist. The content features celebrities, influencers and creators demonstrating how to use their favorite Walmart products. Recent episodes of the show feature Halloween-inspired items, like ghostly treats and witchy hair dye, all set in the host’s home (which has been decked out for Halloween). The live events remind us of our favorite daytime TV programs, and earn impressive real-time engagement.

Even at the time of this article’s publishing in October, Walmart is already being recognized for its holiday shopping deals by major news outlets. We look forward to continuing to see how their holiday momentum builds in the coming weeks and tuning in for winter holiday episodes of their live series.

The play: It seems everyone in the social industry is talking about “serialized, ownable” content, but it’s not always clear how to deliver it. Walmart’s live content is the perfect example of how to execute a recurring, must-see-TV series that feels authentic, even when adapted for seasonal marketing or trends.

Bonne Maman: The holiday countdown is on

French brand Bonne Maman specializes in jams, marmalades and desserts that taste like the je ne sais quoi of homemade goodness.

Just like their products, Bonne Maman’s new 2024 advent calendar is made with love. The sweet twist on the classic Christmas tradition features beautiful artwork and flavors only available during the holiday season.

On social, the brand promoted the calendar’s release in multiple forms. While one Reel demonstrated opening up the calendar and finding the daily jam, another showed the calendar being wrapped like a luxury gift. Because the calendar is so popular, Bonne Maman created an Advent Story highlight for their Instagram presence where consumers can access the shoppable link.

The advent calendar is expected to sell out well before December—underscoring the effectiveness of launching the calendar as early as September.

The play: For brands like Bonne Maman with tried-and-true holiday marketing tactics, bringing your tradition to social (and making your campaign promo social-first) is an easy way to get consumers excited and build buzz early.

Small business spotlight: Maan Farms

It’s hard to beat a pumpkin patch, corn maze and sweet treats in the fall. Maan Farms, home of Canada’s scariest haunted corn maze, is well-known for all three and a witty social presence to boot.

On social, the brand recently went viral for sharing a reversed video of making their signature double pumpkin spice cone with the caption “what happens when a customer cancels their order.” The clever adaptation of the popular format drew in social users worldwide, and created intrigue for the treat (and their entire farm).

Maan Farms partners with influencers and creators with a similar wit who take their followers with them through the farm’s facility. One creator posted a video of all the reasons not to visit the farm, including “too many Instagram-worthy, aesthetically pleasing spots” and “too creative, delicious” food and drinks.

Another creator posted a hilarious vampire takeover of Maan Farms inspired by the Twilight franchise.

The play: There are bound to be many trends this holiday season and, unfortunately, there isn’t time (or reason) to join them all. The trends Maan Farms chooses to join feel authentic to the business and the voice they’ve developed, and the formats they adopt feel timeless when paired with audience insights. Ask yourself if the trends you want to join feel true to your brand and how you can use the format to inspire creativity, even if something is no longer trending.

All aboard the holiday express

That concludes this month’s installment of the PPR. Stay tuned for next month’s edition, where we’re featuring brands who’ve done an amazing job of building an executive-led social strategy. In the meantime, remember these key takeaways:

Looking for more social holiday marketing tips? Find out how to make the most of your holiday marketing on social.

And if you see a social post or campaign that deserves to be highlighted, tag us @sproutsocial and use #PostPerformanceReport to have your idea included in a future article.