THE BOLT: Multisensory, Multigenerational, and More Local Than Ever — Inside 2025’s Holiday Marketing Shakeup⚡️
- Ashlinn Kingston
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
November delivered a full lineup of holiday sparks and standout marketing moments, from Austin’s Small Business Passport and Gen Z’s shift toward value-driven shopping to big-brand pivots, viral film campaigns, and even scented billboards. Welcome to this month’s edition of The BOLT. We’re breaking down the campaigns, cultural trends, and immersive experiences that grabbed our attention and shaped the season’s creative landscape.
Deck your passport, not the halls. Austin, you're in luck.
Back for its second year, the ATX Small Business Passport is once again encouraging Austinites to shop local this holiday season. Featuring a wide variety of participating shops, including BookWoman, Kindred Spirits, and 7th Street Candle Co., the program rewards individuals for supporting small businesses throughout the city. It’s a simple, community-driven way to inspire local spending while celebrating the diverse makers and retailers that make Austin unique.
Here's how it works:
All you have to do is visit a local business
Check out what they have and mark up your passport
And the rewards will speak for themselves
So grab your passport, start checking out the shops, and make your holiday shopping a little more local and a lot more fun
Gen Z is reshaping the holiday shopping
Due to reduced spending and broader economic uncertainty, Gen Z is redefining the holiday season. Where holiday marketing once emphasized luxury and aspiration, it has shifted toward connection, personalization, and relatability, with younger consumers prioritizing offerings that feel attainable and genuinely useful. As a result, brands are focusing more on what customers need through value-driven messaging, immersive experiences, and influencer-led content. Urban Outfitters’ Everything, Everywhere, All the Time campaign reflects this shift through Canva-powered wishlist templates, real-world activations like a giant puffer-inspired bounce house in New York, and creator and celebrity events in Los Angeles. Together, these touchpoints reinforce the brand’s commitment to meeting communities where they are for the moments that matter most.
Credit: Urban Outfitters
Credit: PR Newswire
American Eagle tries to bring something new to the table with Martha Stewart…
American Eagle has been a major topic in the marketing world after its recent Sydney Sweeney campaign stirred controversy, prompting the brand to broaden its reach beyond Gen Z. With consumer sentiment weighed down by the economy, the retailer is shifting toward more uplifting, multigenerational messaging designed to inspire confidence and connection. As part of this repositioning, American Eagle tapped Martha Stewart to headline its new holiday campaign, Give Great Jeans. Her image awareness among Gen Z has grown 33% from 2020 to 2024, putting her on par with millennials and making her an unexpected yet strategic fit. The move reinforces CMO Craig Brommers’ now-famous mantra: “Boring is the enemy of great marketing...”
Credit: American Eagle
Did anyone else watch Timothee Chalamet’s 18-minute Zoom call?
The Marty Supreme marketing campaign may be one of the strongest 360 campaigns of the season. With a viral 18-minute Zoom call, a sold-out jacket, and a blimp, the new A24 comedy has created a full cultural moment. What began as a meta marketing comedy sketch quickly turned into a fully realized activation, blurring the line between parody and real-world promotion. The now-iconic Marty Supreme jacket has already been called a must-have fashion piece, proving that the film’s impact is reaching far beyond the screen.
Stop and smell the signage.
Do you smell that? Bath & Body Works has taken over Grand Central Station and select movie theaters with a full-on fragrance experience that completely transforms the space.
Normally, when we think of marketing, we think of the usual senses—sight, sound, and touch—but brands are starting to go far beyond the basics. Let’s talk scent marketing. Gen Z doesn’t want more ads; they want experiences. And brands are listening. Other brands like Rare Beauty and Billie are shaking things up with scented billboards that you can actually smell as you walk by. Tapping into the different senses, especially smell, is one of the quickest ways to set yourself apart and turn a moment into a memory.
Credit: Bath & Body Works
Trending Now
TikTok brainrot. Instagram addicts. We scroll a lot, so trust us, we know what works (and what doesn’t). As we head into December, there are plenty of trends worth leaning into. If you're a business owner, this one is for you — jumping on social trends that make sense for your brand can increase visibility and engagement.
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