Why the Best Time to Start Planning Your Holiday Marketing Campaign Is in the Summer
In recent years, “Christmas in July” has exploded in popularity—and it’s easy to see why! From beachside retailer promotions and mid-summer sales to themed parties and holiday décor, people are embracing a fun, festive twist on the traditional December celebration. It’s a playful escape from the heat, and an excuse to gather loved ones for a sun-soaked version of the holiday spirit.
But behind the scenes, many brands are thinking about Christmas in July as they gear up for the holiday season. This means that summer is the perfect time to start planning your holiday marketing campaign with KBDC Inc. From increased visibility to smoother execution, summer preparation gives you a competitive edge that last-minute campaigns simply can’t match.
Here’s why you should start planning your holiday campaigns when the temperatures are still hot.
You’ll Beat the Holiday Rush
Come October and November, everyone is scrambling for ad space, influencer slots, email design, and promotional partnerships. By planning your campaign in the summer, you can lock in prime advertising opportunities before they’re sold out, book creative resources and freelancers when availability is high, and avoid rushed decision-making and production errors. When you’re not fighting the clock, you have time to make smart, strategic choices.
More Time Means More Creativity
Planning ahead allows your team to develop unique, engaging campaigns that resonate with your audience. Whether it’s an immersive gift guide, a heartwarming video series, or a multi-channel countdown to Christmas, early planning gives your creative team the time to brainstorm and test ideas.
As a result of early planning, you can create content that feels thoughtful, not forced. Your audience can tell the difference between a campaign that was slapped together and one that was carefully crafted. Plus, you’ll have the flexibility to A/B test emails and ad messaging to see what works best for your audience.
Data-Driven Decisions Take Time
Summer is the ideal time to review your past holiday performance, gather insights, and fine-tune your targeting strategy. Look at your top-performing products, the sales channels that brought in the most traffic, and the messaging that resonated most with your customers.
Also, evaluate customer behavior and buying timelines. People are shopping earlier than ever before, which is another reason why you’ll want to start your holiday marketing campaigns sooner than later. According to one survey, 48% of shoppers say they will begin shopping in August, September, and October. Getting your ducks in a row now allows you to run strategic campaigns that boost your sales as early as late summer.
Digital Ads Are More Competitive Than Ever
As Q4 approaches, ad costs surge, especially on platforms like Meta, Google, and TikTok. By locking in your budget, audience segments, and creative assets now, you can get better rates, run test campaigns in August and September, and optimize before competition (and costs) spike.
Planning in the summer also means your campaign is ready to launch before the holiday noise floods the market. While everyone else is scrambling, you’ll be able to sit back and let your campaigns roll.
Your Customers Start Shopping Early
According to recent data, more than 40% of consumers begin holiday shopping before Halloween. That means your campaign should be up and running in October, not just getting off the ground.
A large reason for the early shopping is that consumers want to spread out their budget. Instead of spending hundreds or thousands at once, they look for deals and maximize their holiday spending. Early planning allows you to reach these customers by launching early-bird promos and pre-holiday sales.
You’ll Have Time to Collaborate
Want to run a cross-promotion with another brand? Partner with influencers? Launch a holiday giveaway series? These collaborations take time to coordinate, and other brands and influencers have calendars that fill up quickly, too. By starting in the summer, you have months to pitch and finalize partnerships, align marketing calendars, develop branded collateral, and promote events or campaigns across both audiences. If you’re successful, you’ll have an easier time getting people to work with you next year, too.
Let KBDC Inc. Help You Plan Like a Pro
At KBDC Inc., we specialize in helping brands strategize, create, and execute holiday marketing campaigns that deliver results. From email automation and social media to SEO and paid ads, we take the guesswork out of seasonal marketing.
Want to get ahead of the curve this year? Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and start building your holiday strategy before the rush begins.