Regardless of who you voted for, it’s undeniable that coming out of the midterms, cultural sentiment has turned a corner and is at the dawn of some new chapter. There’s a tiny tweak of relief and levity everywhere from late night to creators and comedians, and the overall tone of the internet, not to mention a slight softening of news headlines. Whatever this shift in cultural energy is, it’s not because of the midterms, but that a new outcome has served as a collective and quantifiable moment that mirrors what’s been building under the surface for audiences and consumers. And here comes a cold shower of holiday marketing – a moment in brand messaging that tends to animate what we’re emotionally working through and reaching for.

Holiday marketing is an industry beat that is great trend watching. We’ve been clicking through many campaigns as the momentum begins to build, looking at everything from stunts to messaging and other innovative tactics. As some early frontrunners emerge, we’re seeing a general theme in messaging and approach across categories anchored in unity and optimism. Below is a rundown of campaigns driving the conversation and defining this season’s holiday marketing moment:

Tiffany & Co. rides the Amanda Seyfried wave
Tiffany is riding Amanda Seyfried’s cultural momentum, naming her its newest ambassador and kicking off the holidays with an event she hosted at the flagship NYC store, where an entire floor was transformed into a winter wonderland. The CEO set the tone for the brand’s optimism-driven holiday messaging, telling celebrity guests that “love is a gift…and the best gifts connect generations.”

Apple leans into the power of belief
Launched with a brand film called The Dreamer, Apple’s holiday marketing is trading traditional holiday product messaging for an emotionally rich, cinematic story about the transformative power of believing in someone else. The campaign is positioning creativity and human encouragement as gifts in their own right, tapping into a collective appetite for hope and possibility while reinforcing Apple's long-standing association with creative expression.

Quince revives an insider reference from Friends
Quince reunited David Schwimmer with Ross’s infamous red sweater, a moment from Season 8 where the forgotten garment becomes the accidental reveal that Ross is the father of Rachel’s baby. The nostalgic holiday stunt/campaign is our most subversive on the list, and serves as an example of a holiday campaign that escapes the seriousness of the moment by tapping into shared pop culture nostalgia to standout in the cluttered advertising season.

Sephora says “We All Sephora” with Seth Rogan
Sephora's unexpected casting of Seth Rogen in a campaign film brings approachability to a category known for being intimidating. The holiday brand platform, "We All Sephora," aims to say that beauty gifting is something everyone can participate in. Beyond the film, a playful “Sethphora” storefront takeover and shoppable Rogan-curated picks extend the inclusive message into a tangible retail experience.

SKIMS navigates backlash after a disappointing advent calendar
What began as a potentially promising creative concept, a SKIMS advent calendar, has sparked creator and consumer backlash as people began to look behind its doors. One TikTok described the calendar gifts as “a bunch of stuff that Kim Kardashian was emptying out of her bedside table.” It cost $148 and the company has since made the decision to offer refunds to everyone that ordered it.

Best Buy channels a sense of progress and growth with its “Open More” campaign
Best Buy is reframing holiday gifting around what happens after the present is opened, positioning technology as a catalyst for growth and shared experiences. Its “Open More” campaign taps into a forward-looking sense of optimism, while creator partnerships, shoppable TikTok content, and sports integrations extend that campaign message into a range of cultural spaces where products are discovered and discussed.

Starbucks turns its holiday cup tradition into mystery boxes
We previously wrote about Tiny Toys & the State of Adulthood. Borrowing from this booming blind-box trend, Starbucks is leveling up its famous red cup season with the release of a series of “Bearista” cups sold in-store as collectible mystery boxes. The limited product lineup includes a range of holiday bear characters, with urgency and social engagement particularly driven by the quest to find the most rare of them all: a golden bear named Goldie.