Why Seasonal Content Actually Works.
I feel like Black Friday was everywhere this year.
And I'll be honest: a few years ago I thought Black Friday was too American to really work in the UK. Remember that video? A full camera crew waiting to capture the mad crowds bursting through the shop doors, and in true British fashion, one bloke casually strolls in…
We don't have Thanksgiving. Surely we don't need a shopping event wedged randomly into late November. It's always felt a bit forced to me.
And yet, this year, my inbox, social feeds, and even my letterbox were absolutely hammered with Black Friday content. For a whole month. And even into December, it’s still going. Not just the usual suspects either. I saw offers from software companies and a local plumber on the same day.
And the thing that gets me? It's working better than ever.
On paper, seasonal campaigns shouldn't work. They're predictable. Oversaturated. Everyone's doing them, which means you're competing for attention at the noisiest possible time. Plus, people aren’t stupid; they know the "limited time offer" probably isn't that limited, and that the "biggest sale of the year" will almost definitely be repeated in January.
It's marketing at its most transparent. We all know what’s going on. So surely that kills the magic, right?
But here’s the funny thing: our brains don’t seem to care.
Seasonal content taps into something deeper than rational decision-making. When every brand starts talking about the same thing, it creates something bigger. You're not just being sold to, you're part of something bigger, something that we’re all collectively participating in. I heard more people talking about offers this year than ever before. It's social proof on steroids.
There's also that sneaky deadline effect. Deep down you know there'll be another sale, but the end date creates urgency. "Ends Sunday" hits different, even when the logical part of your brain knows better.
And let's not forget, people are actively looking for this content. Search volume spikes. Intent is high. You're not interrupting someone's day, you're giving them exactly what they want at the right moment.
This year we ran more seasonal campaigns for clients than ever before, and the results have been consistently strong.
A Halloween campaign outperformed monthly regular content by 81%*. The early Black Friday numbers are showing a 102%* increase. And I’m not even remotely worried about the upcoming “12 Days of Christmas” series.
We’ve noticed a few things:
Start earlier than feels comfortable and fully commit. Half-arsed digital content gets lost in the noise. But if you lean into the season, match the energy of the moment, and actually give people a reason to engage now, they will.
Black Friday 2025 has felt different in the UK. More brands, longer campaigns, bigger budgets. What looked like it was fading has clearly adapted and bounced back. It’s become an expectation.
It’s not just Black Friday. Think: Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, and even ‘back-to-school’. Every seasonal moment is a chance for brands to cut through with content people are already primed to receive. Even niche industry dates work if your audience cares.
Brands worry they’re just ‘jumping on the bandwagon’, but it’s about more than slapping a pumpkin or a love heart on everything. When your audience is subconsciously primed and the expectation is already there, they’re open to you. The hard part is done.
I might have been wrong about Black Friday for us Brits. I think maybe we just needed time to adapt. The question now isn't whether seasonal content works. It's how you’re using it to engage your audience.
It needs careful crafting. Yes, it’s seasonal. But it’s also strategic.
*Source: FMCG Brand - Google Analytics, October-November vs. June-July 2025