Before Halloween even rolled around, “Ralph Lauren Christmas” had already surpassed five million searches on TikTok.
The trend, which sees creators posting videos on how to achieve an unauthorised version of the brand’s cosy, tartan-heavy aesthetic at home, is a sign of the times: Gen Z is feeling nostalgic for the comforting and seemingly easier times of the past. Performatively nostalgic Christmas is partly a reaction to the barrage of negative headlines, and part an extension of last year’s “old money” fad. And it goes well beyond Ralph Lauren: The creator marketing platform Traackr has tracked a 180 percent uptick in mentions of “timeless,” “vintage” and “classic” Christmas-related fashion content compared to the same time last year.
Naturally, fashion brands want in. Advertising leading up to Black Friday has been saturated with an old-timey vibe. Ralph Lauren’s own holiday campaign doubled down on one of the designer’s own homes — the American West, where he has a ranch in Colorado and draws countless brand themes. One scene showcased a group gathering for an outdoor black-tie dinner — complete with Western touches like suede jackets — amidst the mountains, tartan tablecloth and all.
In a typical entry into the genre, Burberry’s “‘Twas The Knight Before” campaign features British actress Jennifer Saunders, of “Absolutely Fabulous” fame, greeting guests including Naomi Campbell and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley for a holiday party at her cosy London home.
The campaign “blurs the line between fantasy and a memory you feel like you’ve already lived,” said the brand’s chief marketing officer, Jonathan Kiman, in an email. From the hubbub of prepping for a party to family coming together at home, the campaign was meant to offer a vision of a “quintessential family gathering,” he said.
The spot not only reflects a collective love for the festive gatherings of yesteryear, but also the brand’s broader return to heritage. After several years of lagging sales, Burberry has been seeking to entice shoppers with what made it popular in the first place. Under Kiman, the brand has been leaning on classically British themes with campaigns like “It’s Always Burberry Weather,” featuring UK names like Olivia Colman and Barry Keoghan.
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Canadian retailer Roots similarly chose to build upon its long-term storytelling with its holiday campaign featuring homegrown actor Seth Rogen. The brand has a history of working with Canadian comedians, including Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy, among others.
The combination of being on trend and fitting neatly into the brand’s codes is what makes so many of these holiday ads pop.
“The brands that are doing this well are not thinking about holiday as something out of the blue,” said Holly Jackson, director of customer enablement at Traackr. “They’re thinking as an extension of their longer-term [strategy].”
Retailers that failed to get the homey holiday memo are having a more uneven track record connecting with shoppers. Sephora partnered with Mariah Carey to riff on her viral “It’s time!” holiday videos; hearing “All I Want for Christmas Is You” for the first time is how many mark the start of the holiday season.
But the setting — a cavernous space with a bank vault door — and the jokey but antagonistic exchange between Carey and Billy Eichner’s elf character rubbed some viewers the wrong way. The ad was pilloried on TikTok for emphasising consumerism over the holiday spirit (though presumably the holiday party-themed ads from Burberry and others are also meant to inspire shopping sprees).
The Holiday Recipe for Success
Burberry isn’t alone in adopting the celebrity-as-host theme. Skims went with Nara Smith, an influencer specialising in traditional homemaking content, to sell holiday pyjamas. American Eagle tapped ultimate hostess Martha Stewart as its latest “Great Jeans” pitchwoman; her holiday party is entirely wrapped in denim, turkey and all.
Brands are tapping into a spike of interest in hosting among Gen Z, the oldest of whom are solidly in their mid 20s and beginning to hold holiday parties rather than just attend them.
According to Pinterest, Gen-Z hosting trends have seen spiking interest: “Christmas hosting ideas” saw a 2,360 percent increase in searches on the platform this November compared to last year, while “Thanksgiving hosting ideas” saw a 6,480 percent year-over-year surge.
While other brands, like Gap and Roots, focused on themes like heritage and gift-giving rather than hosting itself, they, too, made casting choices that would help to make classic holiday themes feel fresh.
Gap set out to bring its musical heritage to life while creating warm-and-fuzzy feelings with an a cappella group — kitted out in classic Gap sweaters and ‘90s stripes — singing “The Climb,” a throwback song from Millennial favourite, “Hannah Montana: The Movie.” Similarly to its viral autumn campaign featuring girl group Katseye, who performed early-2000s anthem “Milkshake” with a modern twist, the retailer’s holiday spot featured rising Gen-Z singer Sienna Spiro.
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Not only does the ad fit in seamlessly with Gap’s heritage, but it also caters to consumers’ nostalgia and desire for connection, said the brand’s chief marketing officer, Fabiola Torres.
“That’s another thing about nostalgia, is making it fresh,” said Traackr’s Jackson. “Because you don’t want it to be nostalgic so that you’re only connecting with an older generation.”
The Roots campaign cast Rogen as the brand’s “holiday concierge,” helping callers determine the best gifts for their loved ones — including figuring out whether a nudist would wear a “tuque,” the Canadian term for a beanie — with phone lines for each of the country’s provinces and territories, making local viewers feel extra connected to home through subtle, humorous winks.
And leaning on humour seems to be a popular tactic this holiday season. One reason is comedy’s ability to subvert the traditional themes brands are leaning into this year and avoid coming off as too serious in the age of entertainment-as-marketing.
Legacy jewellery retailer Zales, for example, partnered with Saturday Night Live comedienne Chloe Fineman in its holiday campaign. Also leaning into the theme of gift-giving, the brand was looking to flip the theme on its head, and engage younger audiences in a broader attempt at growing its relevance among Gen Z.
“Comedy gives us a way to honor tradition without feeling traditional,” said Lisa Laich, chief marketing officer at Signet Jewelers, Zales’ parent company, in an email. “There’s a nostalgia to classic holiday campaigns, but audiences today — especially younger shoppers — connect with brands that can be self-aware.”