Activation Gallery: A Look Back at Holiday 2024

DTC toothpaste brand Hismile brought back its limited-edition candy cane flavor for the holidays, this year selling it exclusively at Walmart and through the brand’s website. In stores, a custom, candy cane-themed “Treat your teeth” endcap depicting an oversized version of the SKU stocked the seasonal item along with the brand’s tooth whitening serum. The display touted the flavor as cool, crisp and only at Walmart. 

Coca-Cola Co. promoted its inaugural “Canada’s Kindest Community Contest” at Canadian supermarket chain Metro via festive floorstands depicting a vintage Santa Claus. The displays merchandised six-packs of multiple Coca-Cola-owned soda minis as well as branded Christmas truck figurines as a special incentive with purchases of any two six-packs. A QR code on the floorstands also directed to a landing page where shoppers could enter its cause effort that rewarded a community for its kindness.  

In November, Amazon launched a festive Virtual Holiday Shop that used 3D technology to showcase compelling 360-degree visuals, interactive content and product selections throughout the holiday season. The experience included seasonal and cheerful music, animations and a guided journey through clickable gift ideas, including selections of Amazon's top 100-some gifts, stocking stuffers, holiday decor and premium products. Various dedicated sections of the shop highlighted “next-gen gifts,” “top tech picks,” customer-loved products and on-trend picks across categories.

Helen of Troy’s Olive & June nail brand secured endcap space at Target to merchandise its holiday-themed press-on nail sets and polish gift bundles. The endcap in the retailer’s cosmetics and personal care department encouraged shoppers to “Sleigh Your Mani” this season.

Coca-Cola partnered with Walgreens on an online holiday recipe hub. The account-specific Coca-Cola.com page offered recipes for cocktails, mocktails and food and linked to an e-commerce page within Walgreens.com that offered a BOGO deal on Simply.

Spotted at Harris Teeter, Pepperidge Farm’s Goldfish secured prime merchandising space to highlight its limited-edition Elf Maple Syrup Grahams, inspired by the popular Christmas film “Elf.” Positioned at the end of a perishables aisle, a half-pallet floorstand display is dedicated to the Maple Syrup Grahams, depicting a faceless Buddy the Elf, and stocks the brand’s holiday offerings on the first two shelves with other Goldfish flavors below. 

In November, Coca-Cola rolled out its Sprite Winter Spiced Cranberry flavor, released seasonally, coinciding with the launch of its limited-edition Vanilla Frost flavor exclusively at Kroger in November. At ShopRite, a Christmas tree-shaped display merchandised individual bottles of the Winter Spiced flavor alongside the message “Own the holiday season” in the produce department.

Profusion Cosmetics touted its "Peanuts" Holiday Collection, available exclusively at Walgreens in November and December, via its social media channels as well as in stores. Facebook updates from the brand touted the collection, which included an advent calendar and a brush set, alongside special attributes, including “vegan & cruelty free,” “made from recyclable materials” and “Non-Comedogenic.”