Actually, People Are Not Delaying Holiday Plans. They're Already Thinking About Christmas Gifts

Pinterest explains the shift

Brands love reaching their most passionate customers. As a former retail CMO myself, I get it. When you reach early planners, you reach the CEOs of the household—an audience that buys and spends more. Reach them first and you have a shot at being their first choice when it’s time to shop.

And yet, for as long as marketers and advertisers have been prioritizing planners—the type-As—they’re making some seriously incorrect assumptions about this key audience right now. I heard from a CMO recently: “I’m holding all of my Halloween, Thanksgiving and holiday planning. Nobody is thinking that far in the future yet.”

Research suggests the opposite. People on Pinterest aren’t delaying—they’re starting earlier than ever this year. That’s saying something, because at Pinterest, we’re used to early. Searches from Halloween to the holidays start appearing on Pinterest months before other search platforms.

Our research also shows that Pinners are explicitly looking for help from brands this year in navigating the shifting holiday climate while still making their celebrations feel special.

This year, Pinners are starting to search for holiday ideas earlier than ever before. Historically, people on Pinterest start making holiday plans in September. This year, they started searching and saving for holidays in April. Holiday searches jumped 77% in April 2020 versus April 2019. That trend included a threefold increase in searches for “Christmas gift ideas”—eight months before December.

Why the shift?

Pinterest

First, there are the rational reasons. People are worried about the pandemic’s impact on preparations they used to take for granted. Pinners pointed to concerns like delayed shipping, a potential shortage of ingredients to make their favorite recipes and a need to work harder this year to create the same holiday experience in the face of a pandemic. As one Pinner put it, “I’ll be starting to look online much earlier than normal because shipping delays are quite likely at the moment. You don’t know exactly when you’re going to see the products.”

But there are also more emotional reasons. After a tough year, consumers are craving the comfort of the holidays. And the early planning that once felt like a chore now feels extra special and imbued with new meaning. One pinner says: “I really want it to be super Christmas-y and kind of over the top this year. … I’ll be going above and beyond with tons of decorations and a tree and activities.”

Hey, I get it. Last weekend, I helped my daughter research her costume for Halloween—a holiday she can’t stop talking about. In June.

Research also shows that Pinners are explicitly looking for help from brands this year in navigating the shifting holiday climate while still making their celebrations feel special. As you develop content, think about designing specifically to meet customers’ early planning needs. For example, Pinners who plan are also more likely to self-gift. This year, we predict they’re also more likely to host for the first time. Consider these different planner archetypes when crafting your content—from the self-gifter and the traditionalist to the shipping-first shopper and rookie host.

Don’t be late to the party. Be the brand they discover first. Show up on time for the earliest holiday planning season ever.