Survey: Repeated holiday ads could spoil holiday surprises
Holiday ads resonate with consumers — as long as they aren’t retargeted.
Most consumers are receptive to holiday advertising, with more than half (54%) saying they feel neutral about it and nearly one-third (31%) saying they love it, according to a new survey from AI-powered digital advertising firm GumGum. Only a small minority (15%) reported fatigue with holiday ads.
Despite nearly two-thirds (67%) of shoppers saying they feel joy when thinking about the holiday season, retargeted ads could spoil the excitement. A majority of consumers (62%) worry that third-party cookies and retargeting could spoil gift surprises, with nearly one-in-five (17%) being “very concerned.”
Nearly half (47%) of consumers surveyed say retargeted ads have spoiled a surprise gift — up from 33% last year. The share who said it happened “once or twice” rose from 19% to 27%.
While more people are seeing surprises spoiled, fewer say they’re frustrated by it. Only 61% of those surveyed by GumGum said they would be frustrated if a surprise were revealed this way, down from 77% last year. Those who said they would be “extremely frustrated” nearly halved (26% vs. 44%).
At the same time, more consumers appear resigned to ad tracking. Those who said “I don’t mind, it happens” nearly doubled year over year (7% to 12%). Concern that targeted ads might ruin a surprise dipped slightly (62% to 59%), while confidence that retargeting wouldn’t ruin a surprise increased (30% to 37%).
Nearly one-quarter (24%) of respondents said they would “definitely prefer” shopping with a brand that offered a “holiday mode” to prevent ads from spoiling surprises, and nearly four-in-10 (39%) said they would possibly prefer it. These figures remain flat compared to last year’s data.
[READ MORE: Deloitte: Black Friday-Cyber Monday spending to fall 4% amid financial concerns]
“The data shows that when brands spark joy and reinforce trust, holiday ads aren’t just tolerated, they’re welcomed,” said Katy Loria, chief revenue officer at GumGum. “This data really highlights the importance of respectful, contextually aligned advertising. By meeting consumers in the right mindset and avoiding invasive retargeting, brands can build trust and deliver performance without risking the magic of the season.”
GumGum surveyed 3,000 consumers across the U.S., U.K., Canada, Germany, Belgium, and Australia for its holiday data.
