Holiday Advertising Strategies: How to Use Video Ads to Skyrocket Sales

The holiday season is a retailer’s Super Bowl. With shoppers ready to spend and online sales projected to hit $1.359 trillion in 2025, the spotlight has never been brighter. But under the glitter of digital Santas and endless “limited-time offers,” one question looms: how will your brand steal the show?

The answer lies in creating holiday campaigns that do more than sell. They need to inspire, entertain, and connect with shoppers in the moments that matter most. And no format does this better than video. From sparking emotion to showcasing products in action, video advertising has become the go-to play for brands that want to cut through holiday clutter and convert attention into action.

If you’re one of those looking to turn this season into a profit-generating sleigh ride, we’ve pulled together strategies that will help your brand resonate, engage, and ultimately, drive conversions. Before diving into them, let’s take a closer look at why video ads should sit at the heart of your holiday playbook.

Why Video Ads Are Your Holiday Cheer Squad

Remember those heartwarming holiday commercials that drew you to the TV? There’s a reason brands invested in video then, and it’s the same reason video must remain the cornerstone of your holiday advertising arsenal today.

Emotions Sell

Video allows you to tell stories, spark nostalgia, and stir generosity—the very feelings that define the season. According to the Silverpush Holiday Advertising Playbook 2025, 93% of YouTube viewers say the platform gives them everything they need to make a purchase, with holiday shoppers spending 1.7x more than those who don’t. This shows just how powerful video-driven storytelling can be in nudging purchase decisions.

Think of a classic holiday ad with a family decorating their home: kids hanging ornaments, parents lighting up the tree, and the warmth of a glowing fireplace in the background. A single image doesn’t capture that emotion. Video brings it alive.

Product Show-and-Tell

Videos are like your digital storefront window. They let you demonstrate features, answer questions, and show how your product fits into everyday life. And this season, the momentum is undeniable. Holiday shopping content on YouTube has grown 54% year-over-year, with categories like shopping vlogs (+58%) and product reviews (+54%) fueling intent-rich discovery.

Pair this with the fact that adding videos to landing pages can boost conversions by up to 80%, and the case is clear: video doesn’t just entertain, it drives action. During the holidays, when decisions are faster and baskets are fuller, your video ads can be the difference between being scrolled past and being added to the cart.

Holiday Ad Hall of Fame: Top 3 Holiday Campaigns That Sparkled in 2024

Need some creative fuel? Let’s take a page from the holiday ad 2024 playbooks of these iconic brands:

1. Amazon: Midnight Opus

Amazon’s 2024 holiday ad, “Midnight Opus,” tells the story of a theater janitor whose hidden vocal talent is celebrated by colleagues. With a swift Amazon delivery of a tuxedo jacket, he steps into the spotlight to perform “What the World Needs Now Is Love.”

The results? The campaign was hailed as one of the most uplifting ads of the 2024 holiday season, resonating across markets in the US, UK, and Europe. Viewers praised its emotional storytelling, and the spot drove high engagement across broadcast, cinema, and digital channels, cementing Amazon’s role in turning everyday moments into shared celebrations.

2. John Lewis: The Gifting Hour

John Lewis’s 2024 holiday ad, “The Gifting Hour,” followed Sally on a magical journey through childhood memories and a John Lewis store as she searched for the perfect last-minute gift for her sister. With Richard Ashcroft’s “Sonnet” as the soundtrack and a TikTok contest inviting fans to share their own covers, the campaign blended nostalgia, music, and audience participation.

The results? The ad topped emotional engagement charts in the UK, with 55.5% of viewers reporting a strong positive response, the highest among Christmas campaigns that year. It also lifted organic search for John Lewis by 17% YoY and increased the Net Promoter Score by 10 points. The campaign reinforced John Lewis as the Christmas gifting destination, combining heartfelt storytelling with business impact.

3. Coca-Cola: Holiday Road

Coca-Cola’s 2024 campaign “Holiday Road” reimagined festive storytelling through the lens of artificial intelligence. Short, visually stunning films brought to life snowy landscapes, playful polar bears, and digital renditions of the brand’s most iconic symbols, including Santa and the red trucks. Despite the new medium, the message stayed true to tradition: the journey home is worth it for the people waiting at the end.

The results? The campaign generated millions of views in just weeks, blending TV ads with digital activations such as QR-enabled packs and the famous Truck Tour, which donated up to one million meals through FareShare. While the AI twist sparked debate around warmth versus innovation, it also positioned Coca-Cola at the center of conversations on the future of holiday advertising.

Your Holiday Shopping Ad Battle Plan: Strategies That Deliver

If you’re ready to make this your most successful holiday season yet, here's your checklist for developing holiday shopping ad campaigns that break through the holiday shopping crowd:

1. Don’t Be a Last-Minute Elf: Start Early!

This year, timing is everything. Holiday shopping kicks off well before the season peaks, with 64% of consumers starting their purchases before Halloween. Shoppers are spreading out their buying cycles, with activity up six points in September, four points in October, and down eight points in December.

For brands, this shift means waiting until Cyber 5 is simply too late. Launching campaigns early gives you the edge to capture deliberate planners while intent is still building. With contextual intelligence solutions like Silverpush’s Mirrors, you can meet these shoppers in the exact moments they are researching, browsing, and planning, ensuring your message lands before the rush.

2. Get Personal: It’s Not You, It’s Me (Your Ads)

Nobody wants to feel like just another name on a mailing list. As 24% of consumers rank personalization as the most important factor for holiday shopping, and 83% of consumers are interested in customized offers. Personalizing your ads based on people's online behaviors is essential. As cookieless solutions gain traction, AI's contextual targeting ensures your ads appear in relevant online environments. Innovative video ads can further enhance these personalized messages, making them more engaging.

3. Win Back Those Wandering Shopping Carts

We've all been there—loading up those online carts only to get distracted before checkout. Retargeting ads are your best avenue for reminding them about the treasures left behind. You can rekindle the shopping spark with holiday-themed offers, free shipping, and even a discount code. You can create engaging, interactive retargeting ads that remind customers of what they’re missing, driving them back to complete their purchases.

4. Embrace the Warmth of Nostalgia

There are very few things that tug at the heartstrings like holiday nostalgia. Some real imagery, music, messaging—just delivering up those warm, fuzzy memories: think crackling fireplaces and fresh pine needles with classic holiday tunes playing in your mind.

5. Create a Little (Harmless) Urgency

“Limited-time offer!” “Don’t miss out!” These phrases are music to a shopper’s ears, especially during the holidays. Use limited-time discounts, flash sales, or bundle deals to incentivize those purchases and create a sense of excitement. Remember, 85% of online shoppers keep tabs open, waiting for sales to begin. With Silverpush’s contextual targeting, you can place these urgent offers precisely where they’ll have the most impact, catching potential customers at the perfect moment.

Silverpush’s AI-Powered Holiday Framework

Silverpush’s full-funnel solutions help brands move shoppers from discovery to conversion during the festive rush.

At the top, Mirrors and Parallels ensure ads appear in the right context across YouTube and moment sync. Interactive ads drive desire with interactive creatives on TikTok and YouTube. As shoppers explore, Zimmer deepens engagement by answering queries in real time and guiding decisions. Finally, Mirrors for Meta powers conversions with retargeting and dynamic offers.

Together, these AI-driven tools minimize wasted impressions and maximize festive impact, making every touchpoint timely, relevant, and effective.

To Sum Up

The holiday season is a prime opportunity for your business to shine. By crafting strategic, engaging, and emotionally resonant ads, you can attract holiday shoppers, build brand loyalty, and watch your sales soar. It’s not just about selling products; it’s about creating memorable experiences and spreading holiday cheer.

Seize the season with advanced tools and strategies to make your holiday campaigns stand out. Start early, personalize, retarget, and embrace the festive spirit. With the right approach, this holiday season can be your most successful yet.