10 Reasons This Holiday Season is the Best Thing to Happen to AdTech (Since, Well, Ever)

The CTV Takeover: Your Living Room is Now an Ad Minefield
Forget cozy family movie nights; your TV is now a glowing ad-delivery system. This holiday season, CTV viewership is through the roof, and advertisers are licking their chops. Families are swapping theaters for streaming marathons, and every click to Home Alone is a chance for brands to pitch you something you didn’t know you needed.

And don’t think for a second the data isn’t flowing. Platforms like Roku, Samsung, and Amazon Fire are serving up hyper-targeted ads based on what you watch, where you shop, and probably which socks you’re wearing. Your hot cocoa is barely cool before the algorithm decides you need a new blanket—and you know what? You probably will buy it.

Retail Media: Ads and Shopping Are Now a Match Made in Revenue Heaven

The holiday rush isn’t just in stores; it’s in your feed, on your TV, and following you to the bathroom mirror, thanks to retail media. Walmart, Target, and Amazon have turned their platforms into ad ecosystems that blur the line between browsing and buying. It's commerce in overdrive, baby.

Forget subtlety—this is full-blown retail ad dominance. Brands are throwing ad dollars into these networks like it’s Monopoly money because it works. They’ve turned every product search into an ad auction, ensuring you’re “helpfully reminded” to buy that inflatable reindeer decoration again, just in case you forgot.

AI Creative: Ads Now Write Themselves, Kind Of
Generative AI is the intern that never sleeps. This year, advertisers are cranking out holiday campaigns faster than Santa’s elves on speed. Need a picturesque snow globe with your brand name on it? AI will whip it up faster than you can say, “Merry Christmas!”

But here’s the kicker: creativity is hitting warp speed, but the risk of everything looking the same is real. There’s only so many ways to AI a cozy cabin with twinkling lights before it becomes generic. The real winners are the brands who can harness AI without losing their voice—or their sanity.

Shoppable Ads: Click, Buy, Repeat
It’s the golden age of shoppable ads. TikTok, Roku, and Instagram have figured out how to turn every holiday post into a seamless shopping experience. That adorable dog in a Santa hat? You can buy his leash, his bowl, and probably his trainer—all with one click.

No more fumbling with URLs or scouring Google for that perfect holiday gift. These ads are frictionless, seductive, and annoyingly effective. By the time you realize it was an ad, your credit card has already said, “Ho, ho, hold my beer.”

Cross-Screen Measurement: The Stalker Olympics
AdTech’s holy grail this season is tracking you across every screen you touch. TV, tablet, phone, laptop—congratulations, you’re officially a multi-device data point.

But hey, it’s all for a good cause: helping advertisers figure out what makes you tick—and spend. The latest tools mean brands can see how their heartwarming holiday ads perform whether you’re watching Elf on your TV or doom-scrolling Twitter on your phone. It’s surveillance, but festive!

Personalization: Your Ad Knows You Better Than Your Family Does

“Why yes, I do need that cashmere sweater in my favorite shade of blue!” Personalization is hitting its peak this holiday season, with ads that seem to know exactly what you want, when you want it. Creepy? Absolutely. Effective? You bet.

This isn’t just about slapping your name on an email subject line. It's full-scale, algorithm-powered pandering. And you’ll love every second of it, especially when that perfect gift suggestion saves you a trip to the overcrowded mall.

Programmatic Guaranteed: Ads, But Make Them Fancy
This season, advertisers are playing it safe with programmatic guaranteed deals. They’re locking in prime ad inventory to make sure their holiday campaigns don’t end up in the bargain bin of impressions.

It’s like reserving the best seat at the table before everyone else shows up. And while open auction ads fight it out for scraps, guaranteed buys are sipping eggnog by the fire, knowing their ROI is secure.

Sustainability: Even Ads Are Going Green
Holiday campaigns are getting an eco-makeover, with ad platforms pushing for carbon-neutral practices. It’s the kind of feel-good marketing that makes you forget you’re being sold something.

But let’s not get carried away. The irony of promoting eco-friendly campaigns while encouraging a consumption frenzy isn’t lost on anyone. Still, greenwashing or not, brands know sustainability sells—and this year, they’re wrapping it in recycled paper.

Live Sports: Where Ads Shine Brightest
The World Cup, NFL playoffs, and all the holiday classics are the Super Bowl of advertising. Live sports deliver eyeballs by the millions, and brands are spending like it’s Black Friday on steroids

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There’s nothing quite like a touchdown, a celebratory beer ad, and a sudden urge to buy sneakers. Sports are the one thing people actually watch live, making them a goldmine for advertisers with deep pockets and bigger ambitions.

Privacy First: Because Who Needs Cookies Anyway?
With privacy regulations tightening, this season is a proving ground for contextual advertising and first-party data. Forget cookies; advertisers are baking up smarter, more respectful ways to target you.
The results? Ads that feel less invasive and more relevant. It’s like finding a holiday card that actually feels personal instead of a generic, mass-produced one. Who says AdTech can’t have heart?

JOIN THE DANCE PARTY ON LINKEDIN

Here’s to an incredible year of rhythm, moves, and pure magic. See you all in January for another season of brilliance (and maybe a few more dance-offs).