holiday starts now 🎁

PSA: haul culture is dead:

forget spooky season- it’s officially gift guide szn. 

holiday is here.

honestly? holiday has been here.

ICYMI, most brands + agencies start casting for holiday campaigns in june/july. you were barbecuing, and they were in the land of snowflakes and wrapping paper.

(…insane, i know.) 

but here’s the thing: your content shouldn’t be any different. September 30th isn’t “early” to start thinking holiday. it’s actually late. searches for “holiday” started spiking on Pinterest in September. people are already making lists, bookmarking gift guides, and hunting for ideas.

and here’s the part that matters for creators: creators have become human gift guides.

three out of four shoppers say they buy based on creator recommendations, and 65% of people on tiktok admit they rely on creators before they hit checkout. 

for creators, holiday is such a massive opportunity. Q4 is when budgets open up, when brands need more content than they can produce in-house, and when audiences are primed to spend. the season itself does half the heavy lifting for you- everyone is already searching for ideas, recipes, and rituals.

your job is to show up in those moments and connect the dots.the creators who win holiday aren’t winging it- they’re planning ahead.

planning means you get to build proof now, before the big campaigns hit. every time you post with a link sticker, you’re collecting receipts. every “holiday highlight” becomes a portfolio. when you pitch, you’re not just saying “I think I can do this,” you’re saying “I already did- here’s the data.”

and having a strategy makes the brand deals easier, too. instead of forcing content to fit into your feed last-minute, you’re slotting campaigns into storylines you’ve already started. two weeks ago I wrote about how haul culture is dead- and mark my words, that still applies.

holiday isn’t a free pass to flood your feed with endless unboxings that feel wasteful or out of touch. the onus is still on you to make sure your content resonates with your audience. holiday strategy only works if it’s rooted in connection, not just consumption.

so yes, lean into gift guides, recipes, and traditions. pitch the fun, weird ideas. tag the brands you love. but keep your audience at the center.

p.s. if you’re ready to start planning but don’t know where to start, we got you. our creator holiday resource guide is live- you're welcome ;) 

xx

-Mackenzie @ the cohort