DISQO Holiday Advertising Insights: Consumers Embrace Early Shopping Opportunities and New Discovery Tools

Insights reveal new urgency for omnichannel advertising and omnicommerce strategies to engage consumers throughout the funnel and across platforms.

September 24, Los Angeles, CA -- Today, DISQO released its 2024 Holiday Advertising report, offering marketers actionable insights into consumer holiday shopping behaviors and advertising preferences. Shoppers today have more options than ever for purchasing, discovery, and engagement. Understanding these shifts is critical for brands seeking to effectively tailor their strategies, break through the noise, and drive meaningful connections that influence purchasing decisions.

DISQO’s new report underscores the increasing importance of employing omnichannel strategies, embracing test-and-learn approaches, and innovating advertising to capture consumers throughout their shopping journey. DISQO asked over 3,000 US members of its 100% owned and opted-in audience of 2.3M people about their 2024 holiday shopping plans. The results are balanced and weighted to the US population on gender, household income, and age.

Key insights from the report reveal:

• Holiday shopping is starting earlier: 52% of holiday shoppers plan to begin before November, with almost one-fifth (18%) starting before October.
• Enabling an omnicommerce shopping journey is essential: 45% of shoppers plan to shop both in-person and online equally this year.
• Retail media and interactive ads are gaining traction: 87% of shoppers said they had seen a seasonal ad on a retail platform that led to a purchase, while 41% said they were likely to engage with interactive ads offering exclusive holiday deals.
• Social media drives holiday purchases: 76% of shoppers said they had purchased a product after seeing a holiday ad on a social platform, with Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram leading the way.
• Cost and convenience win: 61% of shoppers found “free shipping” the most appealing message, and 51% were drawn to budget-friendly offers.
• Gen Z leads in-store Black Friday shopping: 52% of Gen Z shoppers said they plan to shop in person on Black Friday, offering brands a key opportunity for in-store engagement.

"As the holiday shopping season shifts earlier and spans across more platforms, it's crucial for marketers to adopt a data-driven approach," said Stephen Jepson, President, Media Effectiveness at DISQO. "To stay at the top of consumer’s wish lists, brands and retailers must continuously test campaign timing, messages, and channels, and invest in cross-platform measurement that breaks through siloed walls."