The marketing shift brands can’t ignore this festive season

Holiday shopping has fundamentally changed. Your customers aren’t following a linear purchase funnel — they’re curating visual wishlists, planning experiences months in advance, and discovering products through inspiration rather than search terms.

While every advertiser screams “think about us for Christmas”, the smartest Australian brands have quietly shifted strategy. They’re not competing for attention in November’s chaos — they’re becoming part of the planning process that starts in August.

41% of Pinterest users plan holiday purchases in August or earlier. By October, that spikes to 80%.¹ Traditional holiday marketing assumes customers follow neat purchase funnels. Pinterest data reveals something different: users curate visual wishlists months in advance, with seven in 10 creating festive collections they reference throughout the season.¹