If you’re not planning for Christmas now, it’s time to catch up. 

UK retailer Marks and Spencer has already been spotted filming their annual Christmas ad with White Lotus star Amiee Lou Wood, and Tesco set up a winter wonderland in the town of St. Albans.

High production Christmas ads on television continue to be a novelty focused on storytelling, but creators are the lead when it comes to holiday purchases. In fact, 70% of people now buy products based on creator recommendations, and trust in creators has risen by 21% year-over-year as shoppers seek honest product advice from influencers they follow online.

Where are consumers shopping? 

Holiday shopping has traditionally kicked off around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the end of November, but each year, consumers are bagging their deals earlier. In 2024, major retailers launched their Black Friday sales online and in-store at the beginning of November, and TikTok Shop’s official Black Friday event ran from November 13th to December 2nd in 2024, capitalizing on consumers’ desire to bag the best deal. 

TikTok Shop experienced significant growth during the 2024 holiday season, with Earnest Analytics reporting a 222.9% year-over-year sales increase. TikTok's interactive community and sophisticated algorithm create a highly engaging environment that translates to strong conversions for brands.

Creator-led trends

As the festive shopping season fast approaches, three key creator-led trends are driving discovery and sales. 

1. Creator content integrated into brand-owned channels

Consumers want to see creator content beyond social media – embedded on brand websites and even in-store, showing a shift toward omnichannel integration. We know that Retail Media Networks (RMNs) are already seeing conversion success by making influencers a part of their strategy, so with the number of consumers making purchases thanks to influencer recommendations continuing to rise, influencers need to be used across all marketing outputs.  

2. Creator reviews build brand trust

84% of consumers trust brands more when creators review products directly on the brand’s website, highlighting the growing role of genuine creator voices in influencing purchase decisions. This trend highlights the shift from “borrowed trust” on social media to “owned trust” of legacy brands. 

For example, the “Amazon Influencer Program” lets influencers share product recommendations and reviews directly on Amazon’s site, making the experience seamless and credible.‍

3. Expansion of creator content across new platforms

Shoppers expect creator-driven content on their social media feeds, but also across streaming services and connected TV, signaling that influencer content is moving into premium and traditional media environments. 

Mondelēz was ahead of the game with its “Season of Giving” campaign in 2023. Mondelēz worked with past Top Chef contestants, TikTok cake-making stars, and respected chefs to produce content that ran across platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, and CTV platforms like Paramount+, Disney+, Roku, and HBO Max. Mondelēz reported a strong ROAS for this campaign approach. 

AI at the ready 

AI is set to be a major part of consumers' holiday shopping journeys this year. Martech discovered that: 

• 54% of consumers plan to use AI this holiday season for comparing prices, searching for products, summarizing reviews, and receiving tailored recommendations.
• 62% would rather use an AI tool that knows their purchase history than explain their needs to a sales associate.
• Millennial shoppers are the most enthusiastic about AI remembering their preferences, with 66% in favor – more than any other generation.

Brands need to focus on making their products easily discoverable by AI tools through rich, structured product data and optimized descriptions. Personalization will also be key, so using first-party data to personalize suggestions (e.g., “Based on your past purchases, you might love…”) and combining influencer content with AI (“Shoppers like you loved these influencer picks”) will strengthen trust and increase purchase confidence.

Brands that combine creator-led content with AI-driven personalization will be best positioned to capture shoppers’ attention and drive conversions during the peak holiday shopping season. 

To make the most of this season, it’s essential to ensure first-party data collection, conversion rate optimization, and product discoverability are fully prepared now, before the holiday shopping frenzy officially kicks off. 

Want to learn more about how you can connect with shoppers by partnering with influencers? Or make sure your website is conversion-ready? Reach out to us at hello@digitalvoices.com.