Capturing the Christmas Spirit with Out of Home Advertising
Christmas advertising is a highlight of the marketing calendar, as brands everywhere aim to capture the festive spirit and connect with audiences during this joyful time. From traditional Out of Home (OOH) advertising formats to vibrant digital billboards, marketers create Christmas advertising campaigns that celebrate Christmas traditions, spread warmth and cheer, and showcase gifts, decorations, and festive products.
Why Nostalgia Works in Christmas Advertising
This year, people around the world are craving nostalgia – a return to the comforting traditions that make Christmas special. Research shows that 78% of Brits agree that traditions are an important part of their celebrations, and 37% want Christmas adverts to bring back that nostalgic feeling with familiar music, classic Christmas carols and timeless images.
Many are planning to go all out this Christmas, with spending on gifts for family up by 14%, festive food and dinner recipes up by 13%, and 5% saying they’ll make more effort to celebrate the season with loved ones at home.
With 48% of UK shoppers preferring to buy in-store during November and December, having your brand visible in public spaces such as, bus shelters and other traditional OOH advertising locations is more important than ever. Outdoor advertising, including digital billboards and traditional OOH, puts your message right where people will see it during this crucial time.
How OOH Advertising Brings Christmas to Life in Public Spaces and Rooms
Christmas is about more than shopping – it’s about soaking in the festive atmosphere. From busy high streets in London and other major cities to decorated country towns and city centres, OOH advertising places brands at the heart of the seasonal experience. Whether people are driving, commuting, shopping, or visiting towns and cities, OOH advertising surrounds them with the joyful sights of Christmas – bright green lights, wreaths, baubles, candles, holly, and cheerful Christmas decorations.
These festive moments happen outside the house and in every room where people gather, making digital out of home and traditional OOH advertising in the run-up to, and during Christmas the perfect way for brands to influence shoppers where it counts.
In this article, we explore how brands can make the most of these opportunities through OOH’s ACES framework – Audience, Creative, Effective, and Sustainable – to connect with people, spark interest, and drive results this Christmas. Because it all starts with thinking outside the box and using the latest technology.
Smart Audience Targeting for Christmas Advertising
Changes to advertising rules mean brands need to rethink how they reach consumers. With new restrictions on promoting less healthy foods to under-16s through digital channels:
- Digital targeting is limited
Advertising HFSS products on social media, online display, or via influencers faces strict limits. - OOH advertising becomes even more important
Outdoor advertising shines in busy urban areas, transport hubs, and near shops. - Smarter OOH targeting
Without digital tracking, advertisers rely on location data, contextual targeting, and timing to reach the right people.
Programmatic OOH platforms like Talon’s DSP, Atlas, offer data-driven campaigns with real-time flexibility. These campaigns see a 2.7x increase in brand awareness, 1.7x boost in brand preference, and 1.4x rise in purchase intent.
Programmatic digital out of home (PrDOOH) lets you show your ads at the right place and time, triggered by weather, location, or time of day, to tap into those special moments.
The results speak for themselves: Talon Benchmarks show that ads using local context get 32% more attention and stronger emotional responses.
Creative Ideas to Make Christmas Ads Magical
Christmas ads should feel like warm memories. With 90% of Brits feeling nostalgic, emotional advertising not only boosts recall but also drives action. Brands see a 140% increase in response and 23% more engagement when they mix emotion with product messaging.
Create something magical that brings out everyone’s inner child—mixing nostalgia with familiar Christmas songs, the image of Santa Claus, and the cosy glow of a fire at home. Talon Benchmarks show creative OOH ads lead to:
- 57% of people taking action after seeing the advertisement
- A 10% average increase in purchase intent
- 7 in 10 people finding OOH adverts appealing
For example, Waitrose’s 2024 Christmas campaign brought their “Who Dunnit” TV commercial to life with a special installation about a missing Christmas dessert and a family mystery. The overall campaign boosted their Net Promoter Score by 2 percentage points, gained 150 million views, and reached 894 million impressions.
Measuring the Impact of Christmas Outdoor Advertising Campaigns
The magic doesn’t stop at creativity – OOH delivers real results. Recent Talon Benchmarks show festive campaigns achieve:
- An 18% increase in ad recall
- A 4.8% rise in purchase intent
- 57% of people finding the brand or message relevant
Christmas OOH campaigns also drive stronger emotional engagement than any other time of year:
- 3 in 5 people engage positively with Christmas OOH ads
- 62% find Christmas OOH campaigns engaging
- 55% agree these campaigns make them pay attention
- 2.7% more actions happen over Christmas compared to the rest of the year
On average, OOH campaigns lift purchase intent by 10%, call to action by 57%, and brand consideration by 67%.
Why Sustainability Matters in Christmas Advertising
Sustainability is a top priority for consumers this Christmas.
- 53% of UK adults want a more sustainable Christmas
- 45% are willing to spend more on eco-friendly products
- 64% expect brands to be transparent about their environmental impact
OOH is a sustainable advertising choice. For every £1 spent, 46p goes back to public infrastructure. OOH ads produce less carbon per impression than all other media and account for just 3.3% of UK ad power use and under 3.5% of the total UK ad carbon footprint.
Play your ACES this Christmas
By combining creative, targeted, and sustainable outdoor advertising during the festive season, brands can spread joy, capture attention, and celebrate Christmas traditions with friends, family, and communities across public spaces.
From bright Christmas trees decorated with stars and angels to holly wreaths and glowing candles, Christmas advertising through OOH remains a vital part of the holiday marketing mix. Integrating OOH with other channels such as video, social media, and digital marketing boosts campaign reach and impact, helping your brand shine throughout the festive season with engaging ads, delightful chocolate-themed ideas, and memorable Christmas carols that bring the season to life in homes and public spaces across the country, Australia, France, America, and beyond.
