How advertisers can win hearts, not just eyeballs this holiday season

As the year-end holiday season approaches, cities across Asia glow with festive lights and a sense of generosity. Shoppers are on the hunt for the perfect gifts, while families prepare for gatherings that embody tradition and joy. For advertisers, this is the biggest retail moment of the year – and the toughest test of creativity and strategy. In a season overflowing with promotions and noise, success is no longer about shouting the loudest. It’s about showing up in the right moments, with relevance and emotion.  

In Hong Kong, this year’s festive energy extends well beyond local shoppers. Last December, this city saw a surge in return of visitors, with about 3.1 million cross-boundary travellers entering or exiting the city, according to the Immigration Department, injecting fresh excitement and spending power into the market. 

Shoppers moved between various modes of transportation, exploring malls adorned with holiday cheer and visiting popular attractions, and also switching between devices and experiences. For brands, this means that every screen, every surface, and every journey matters. The challenge is to deliver consistent, relevant, and emotionally resonant experiences across these touchpoints wherever the audience is. 

That’s where an omnichannel approach becomes indispensable. Today’s consumers live fluidly across digital and physical spaces, and brands must do the same. It’s not simply about more ad placements, but about crafting a relevant story that follows the audience seamlessly. By strategically serving the right ads to the right people at the right time, brands can build familiarity and emotional connection, leveraging immersive channels such as connected TV (CTV) and digital out-of-home (DOOH) to stand out when it matters most. 

For example, during the holiday season, consumers travel more frequently across airports, subways, shopping malls, and streets, encountering a variety of advertising messages along the way. In these travel moments, large-scale DOOH ads, with  dynamic visuals and engaging creative, often catch attention most effectively, leaving a strong impression in a short period. 

Yet relying on DOOH alone is not enough to achieve the full potential of an omnichannel strategy. By coordinating with other channels and leveraging geographic and behavioral targeting, advertisers can monitor performance in real time and optimise campaigns, making every impression more impactful.  

Last Christmas, a Japanese premium skincare brand ran a seasonal campaign across DOOH, video, display, and Uber’s Journey Ads via The Trade Desk. Video and display generated buzz, DOOH grabbed attention in busy areas, and Uber’s location hit high-value shoppers near stores. 

Meanwhile, during the holidays, opportunities for both solo and family CTV viewing spike. According to the latest Global Media Intelligence (GMI) Report, 94% of Hong Kong residents use video-on-demand streaming services — the highest adoption rates across key markets in East Asia, including China, Japan and Korea. TV is more than entertainment; it’s a key source of holiday gift inspiration. CTV ads, with large-screen, high-impact format, let brands tell engaging stories and showcase products in a lean-back, trusted setting, directly influencing purchase decisions when consumers are most receptive.  

Yet even the most compelling storytelling works best when it’s part of a broader ecosystem. Holiday campaigns truly shine when CTV is integrated with DOOH and other channels. CTV drives emotional resonance, while DOOH captures attention with high-impact visuals and precise location targeting, and together with music streaming, news media, podcasts, and other open internet touchpoints, they create a seamless omnichannel experience that can keep a brand top of mind wherever consumers go. 

Winning the holiday rush is not just about being everywhere, but about being relevant everywhere. A strong omnichannel strategy ensures brands remain visible and relevant—from bustling streets to living rooms. As the holiday season approaches, now is the time for marketers to rethink their advertising strategies. 

Because during this season of giving, the brands that truly win hearts are those that offer relevance, emotional connection, and moments to remember. 

This article was written by Stella Leung, SVP, Greater China and Korea, The Trade Desk.