Create the Best Holiday Marketing Video for Any Holiday

By Mark Horiuchi

Key Points

  • Video marketing is a critical tool for holiday business success, with its proven ability to engage a vast audience and drive sales, supported by data showing a high consumer preference for brand video content.
  • Effective holiday video ads should be audience-relevant, emotionally evocative, visually appealing, and include a clear call-to-action, each tailored to the distinct vibe and expectations of specific holidays like Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Christmas.
  • Visla’s AI video generator and editor significantly simplify the creation of engaging holiday video content, with features like text-based editing and AI-recommended footage, enhancing the professional quality and impact of holiday marketing campaigns.

Ready to make your mark this holiday season? Dive into the world of holiday marketing, where video is king and creativity reigns supreme. As the festive season rolls in, it’s time to explore how the art of video marketing can transform your business into a holiday sensation. With consumers eager for engaging content and businesses striving to stand out, your journey into the dazzling world of holiday video marketing begins here. Let’s unwrap the secrets to creating video ads that not only capture the essence of the holidays but also leave a lasting impression on your audience. 

Video Marketing Boosts Business During the Holiday Season

As the holiday season approaches, businesses are gearing up for one of the most lucrative times of the year. A key strategy to tap into this seasonal surge? Video marketing. It’s an effective tool to engage customers and drive sales, making it a must-have in your holiday marketing arsenal.

The power of video marketing is backed by compelling data. In the US alone, there are a staggering 244.4 million digital video viewers, indicating a vast audience ready to engage with video content. This interest is reflected in consumer preferences, with a whopping 91% of consumers expressing a desire to see more online video content from brands. Clearly, videos resonate strongly with the modern consumer.

Source: Oberlo

On the business front, the adoption of video marketing is equally impressive. A significant 86% of marketing professionals have incorporated video as a marketing tool. This widespread usage underscores the effectiveness of video in reaching and influencing audiences.

Perhaps the most convincing argument for video marketing is its return on investment (ROI). An impressive 92% of video marketers report a favorable ROI from video marketing. As we delve into the holiday season, incorporating video into your marketing strategy could be the game-changer for achieving your sales goals.

Elements of a Successful Holiday Video Ad

Holiday video ads are not just about festive visuals and jingles. They are strategic tools that, when executed well, can significantly elevate your brand’s holiday marketing efforts. A successful holiday video ad merges creativity with strategy to captivate and convert your audience.

  • Relevant to Target Audience: Tailoring your video to resonate with your specific audience is crucial. Understanding their preferences, pain points, and holiday desires helps create content that feels personal and relevant.
  • Tells a Story: People are drawn to stories, especially during the holidays. A compelling narrative that connects with the festive spirit can make your ad memorable and impactful.
  • Evokes Emotion: The holiday season is an emotional time. Ads that trigger feelings – be it joy, nostalgia, or warmth – can forge a stronger connection with your audience.
  • Visually Appealing: Aesthetics matter in video ads. Use holiday-themed visuals, appealing color schemes, and high-quality graphics to capture and retain viewer attention.
  • Clear Call-To-Action: Ultimately, your ad should guide viewers to take action. Whether it’s visiting your website, making a purchase, or learning more about your product, a clear and compelling call-to-action (CTA) is vital for converting interest into action.

Incorporating these elements into your holiday video ads can make your holiday marketing efforts more effective, engaging, and ultimately, more successful.

Crafting Video Ads for Different Holidays

When it comes to holiday marketing, creating video ads tailored to specific holidays can significantly boost engagement and sales. Each holiday has its unique vibe and audience expectations, making it essential to customize your video content accordingly.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday/Cyber Monday

For Thanksgiving, focus on themes of gratitude and family. Emphasize the warmth and togetherness of the holiday. Your videos should convey a sense of community and thankfulness, possibly showcasing your brand’s appreciation for its customers. 

Black Friday and Cyber Monday, on the other hand, are all about deals and urgency. Create fast-paced, exciting videos that highlight special offers, flash sales, and the limited time nature of the deals. Use clear, bold text overlays to emphasize discounts and include strong calls-to-action (CTAs) that guide viewers to take immediate action.

Christmas

Christmas video ads should tap into the holiday’s magical and heartwarming spirit. Focus on themes like gift-giving, family time, and the joy of the season. Use festive visuals – think reds, greens, and golds, along with Christmas trees, lights, and ornaments. Emotional storytelling can be particularly effective, perhaps showcasing how your products or services can create memorable holiday experiences.

New Year

New Year’s video ads should evoke feelings of excitement, hope, and new beginnings. Highlight themes of celebration, resolutions, and fresh starts. Your visuals can be more glitzy and vibrant, reflecting the celebratory nature of New Year’s Eve parties. Consider how your brand can be part of customers’ aspirations for the new year – be it through self-improvement, lifestyle changes, or new adventures.

In each of these holiday-specific video ads, remember to align with the unique themes and sentiments of the holiday while maintaining your brand’s voice and message. This tailored approach in your holiday marketing can make your brand more relatable and engaging to diverse audiences.

Examples of Successful Holiday Marketing Video Campaigns

Exploring successful holiday marketing video campaigns offers valuable insights for businesses looking to make an impact during the festive season. Let’s dive into some memorable examples that have resonated with audiences worldwide.

Apple’s Heartwarming Christmas Story (2019)

Apple’s Christmas commercial in 2019 struck a chord with its audience by weaving a touching narrative around a family coping with the loss of a loved one during the holidays. The ad skillfully integrates Apple products into the story, but in such a natural way that viewers are drawn into the family’s story more than the product itself. This approach demonstrates the power of emotional storytelling in holiday marketing.

Amazon’s “Kindness, The Greatest Gift” (2021)

https://youtu.be/1z73AKLBgLg?feature=shared

In 2021, Amazon captured the collective mood of the time with its holiday ad themed around loneliness and acts of kindness – a poignant reflection of the pandemic era. This advertisement excelled in blending contemporary issues with a universally appealing message of empathy and connection, making it particularly impactful and relatable to a wide audience.

H&M’s Cinematic Holiday Journey “Come Together” 

Directed by Wes Anderson and featuring Adrien Brody, H&M’s “Come Together” is a cinematic masterpiece set on a train during Christmas. The storyline, featuring Brody as a resourceful train master who creates a festive atmosphere for delayed passengers, is both engaging and heartwarming. This ad stands out for its artistic storytelling and its ability to invoke the festive spirit in a uniquely charming way, appealing to H&M’s diverse customer base.

These examples showcase the effectiveness of using emotion, relatable narratives, and creative storytelling in holiday marketing videos to connect with audiences and leave a lasting impression.

Leveraging Visla for Holiday Video Ads

There are many powerful tools to help you create your holiday video ad. Visla, for example, is a powerful platform for creating captivating holiday video ads. With its AI-assisted video generator and editor, Visla simplifies the process, empowering businesses to craft holiday-themed content that resonates with their audience.

Visla’s AI video generator and editor are game-changers in holiday video marketing. The AI video generator can transform text, blogs, audio, and images into high-quality video content, ideal for developing engaging holiday narratives.

The AI video editor further enhances the process, enabling text-based editing of video content. It’s equipped with features like automatic removal of filler words and pauses, making your holiday videos crisp and to the point. Moreover, Visla offers AI-recommended supplemental footage, allowing you to enrich your videos with relevant and engaging visuals that capture the holiday spirit. 

This combination of AI-powered generation and editing makes Visla an invaluable asset for creating holiday video ads that are both engaging and efficient.

Best Practices for Holiday Video Marketing

Creating holiday video ads that captivate and convert requires a strong knowledge of video content creation. 

Know Your Audience

Tailor your content to the interests, needs, and behaviors of your target audience. Understanding who they are will guide the tone, style, and message of your video. It ensures that your content resonates with the viewers and holds their attention.

Clear and Concise Messaging

In the world of fast-paced digital content, it’s crucial to convey your message clearly and quickly. Videos should be engaging and to the point, with a clear call to action. This approach prevents viewer drop-off and reinforces your message effectively.

Quality Over Quantity

High-quality visuals and sound make a significant difference. Visla’s AI video editor, for instance, can enhance the professional look of your videos with features like removing filler words, adding branding elements, and recommending supplemental footage. This elevates the overall viewer experience and reflects positively on your brand.

Storytelling and Emotional Connection

A compelling narrative can captivate your audience. Using storytelling to create an emotional connection can make your brand more relatable and memorable. This doesn’t necessarily mean a complex plot; even simple stories can be powerful if they align well with your brand and audience.

Optimize for Platforms and SEO

Different social platforms favor different types of content. Tailor your video’s format, length, and style to suit platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, or YouTube. Additionally, use SEO strategies like relevant keywords, engaging titles, and descriptions to enhance discoverability.

Bring in the Holiday Season With Video Marketing

The power of video marketing in the holiday season is undeniable. From crafting emotionally resonant stories to leveraging the advanced capabilities of AI-assisted platforms like Visla, businesses have the opportunity to make a significant impact during this festive time. By understanding audience preferences, creating visually appealing content, and using strategic messaging, brands can create holiday video ads that not only capture attention but also drive meaningful engagement and sales. Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Christmas, or New Year’s, the right video content can turn the holiday season into a time of success and celebration for your brand. With these insights and strategies, you’re now equipped to elevate your holiday marketing game and create video content that resonates, engages, and inspires.

May Horiuchi
Content Specialist at Visla

May is a Content Specialist for Visla. In a past life, she worked as a content analyst and product expert for an in-house video content marketing team and a freelance blog writer for a wide range of clients.