Why you need more than a TVC to engage Gen Z this Christmas

From Sainsbury’s enlisting the BFG to Aldi's Kevin the Carrot rescuing the Christmas spirit, this year’s batch gives us plenty of traditional festive family magic. What it doesn’t give us, though, is Gen Z’s reality. While these campaigns offer the classic ingredients to cook up nostalgia and connection to tug at the heartstrings of older generations, they leave Gen Z out in the snow. Because Gen Z is rewriting the rules of festive traditions, often celebrating away from home with family we have gained along the way and navigating the season with a tight budget. Our unique realities deserve a brighter spotlight in the holiday narrative.

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Some campaigns, however, did attempt to expand the envelope. John Lewis’s ad followed a sister’s nostalgic journey to find the perfect gift for her sibling, portraying a relatable reality for many young adults living independently and reuniting briefly with family.

Meanwhile, JD Sports’ ‘Family Portrait’ campaign redefined family, highlighting siblings, friends, and even a man with his pet. It included an interactive OOH campaign with branded photo booths in cinema foyers, encouraging audiences to snap pictures with their chosen families, which then appeared as part of their Christmas cinema ad, which was running in reel before the film.

The JD Sports campaign, in particular, serves as a masterclass in engaging Gen Z audiences during the holiday season. By employing a multichannel approach with a unified, inclusive message, the brand successfully met its audience where it is.

For Gen Z, a generation that has largely moved away from traditional media like television in favor of streaming services and social platforms, ad exposure tends to be fragmented and sporadic. JD Sports circumvented this by incorporating an experiential element with its branded photo booth, which resonated on a personal level. By tying this interactive touchpoint to its pre-film cinema ad, it created a memorable, emotional connection that bridged digital and physical spaces. This strategy not only amplified the ad’s visibility but also ensured it resonated longer with audiences.

Brands looking to connect with Gen Z can draw valuable lessons from these examples.

Since this generation consumes minimal traditional television, meeting them where they are most active—primarily on social media—is key. There’s significant potential to extend the world of ATL campaigns into these digital spaces. For example, Waitrose cleverly adapted its ‘Sweet Suspicion’ Christmas ad into a series of engaging Instagram reels, each spotlighting a different suspect from their festive mystery. This allowed viewers to interact with the story, making their own deductions about the dessert thief. Additionally, it brought the mystery to life on their podcast, Dish, weaving the campaign into a broader conversation.

Walmart’s Christmas campaign featured characters from beloved films and TV series including SpongeBob, The Simpsons and my personal favorite, Gilmore Girls, seamlessly weaving the brand into the characters’ lives. Despite not following Walmart’s social pages, the Gilmore Girls reel reached me because of two factors: the algorithm’s awareness of my love for the show and the well-documented Gen Z tradition of rewatching Gilmore Girls during the cozy fall and winter months.

While these ads also aired on TV, being in the UK means they wouldn’t naturally be served to us, and, in my case, the point is moot as I don’t watch a lot of television anyway. This highlights how cultural relevance and strategic digital targeting can transcend geographical boundaries and traditional media habits, ensuring campaigns still reach and resonate with audiences like me.

Lastly, for a generation that deeply values friendship and connection, especially while living away from home, brand experiences are a powerful way to foster festive cheer. Blank Street Coffee excelled in this with their recent events – the Gifting Grotto this month and the TV Dinner in November—both of which brought communities together in meaningful ways. These activations not only resonated with the Gen Z ethos of connection but also created moments that left lasting impressions, proving that immersive experiences can be just as impactful as clever ads in winning over young audiences during the holiday season.

Ananya Ranjit, is a brand and growth executive at Seed (part of Amplify) specialist youth marketing agency for Levi’s, New Balance, Spotify and more.

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