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How Brands Win Q4: Festive Planning Strategies That Work

Jul 24 2025 | Festive Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Retail

We’re almost a quarter away from Q4, but when it comes to festive marketing, the clock is already ticking. If you’re here to plan ahead and map out your festive calendar strategically, you’re not early, you’re right on time.

“Festive marketing isn’t just about the big days like Diwali or Black Friday. The season is made up of a series of high-intent moments. Your audience? They’re already in motion researching, wish listing, and shortlisting weeks (sometimes months) in advance. The smartest brands know this and begin warming up their audiences as early as August.”
Jasvinder Singh Bindra, Commerce Media Director, M+C Saatchi Performance

Show up only on the big day, and you’ve already missed half the game. It’s about showing up at the right place at the right time, especially on mobile, where most of that discovery happens today.

What Do You Plan for in Q4?

Before you ask “When should I start planning?”; take a step back and ask the more important question: “What exactly should I be planning?”

Because timing means nothing if you’re not clear on what your strategy needs to cover.

Creatives: Last-minute approvals? Creative chaos? May be not. Platforms like Meta and TikTok reward brands that test early. If you’re not experimenting with hooks, formats, and CTAs by August or September, you’re already playing catch-up.

Media costs: Q4 media gets expensive. CPIs and CPMs spike hard. Throwing money at it won’t guarantee results. You need smarter budget phasing, early audience warming, and a channel mix that actually works harder for you.

Audience Readiness: Your audience is already planning well before your campaign goes live. Planning ahead means you’re part of that journey and is not showing up late to the party.

What are the Moments to Watch in Q4?

Here’s how it plays out across the globe:

Diwali: It’s not just a cultural celebration, it’s a commercial goldmine. From fashion and beauty to tech and home décor, nearly every category sees a spike in purchase intent.

Tip: Planning should kick off as early as August, with campaigns launching in Sept/Oct. Peak user activity happens 2–3 weeks before Diwali, when conversions surge.

Harbolnas: Indonesia’s own 12/12 mega sale. It’s local, but it plays like a double-digit event with big promotions, flash sales, and exclusive bundles. Over the years, it evolved into a major retail moment, with participation from leading platforms like Tokopedia, Shopee, Lazada, and Zalora.

Tip: Planning should ideally start in September, launch in November, and build momentum right through Dec 11 to 13.

Black Friday & Cyber Monday: Two retail beasts that kicks off after Thanksgiving in the U.S. In recent years, brands have extended BFCM into week-long or even month-long promotions, with shoppers beginning their purchase research well in advance.

Tip: Start planning in August, go live in Oct/Nov, and expect peak conversions during Black Friday Week.

Christmas/New Year: The final stretch and the most emotionally charged phase of the Q4 festive calendar, these holidays are not just cultural milestones they’re peak moments for gifting, travel, lifestyle upgrades, and self-spending. Unlike flash-sale events like 11/11 or Black Friday, the Christmas–New Year period is driven more by sentiment, storytelling, and brand connection. For marketers, this is the time to shift from performance spikes to sustained engagement, using creative that resonates emotionally, bundled offers, year-end wrap-ups, and fresh starts messaging to capture attention.

Tip: Planning to begin as early as July, with campaign launch from Oct onwards, and Nov to Dec seeing the most festive action.

Different Markets, Same Playbook

Sure, every region has its quirks, but some festive truths hold up no matter where you are.

1. Audience start early and plan deliberately

82% of Diwali shoppers plan festive purchases in advance.
Over 50% of BFCM buyers start with early holiday sales and promotions.
Shoppers wishlist products ahead of time, especially during Harbolnas, to make purchase decisions easier when sales hit.

2. They’re highly digital, but not passive

Online video, especially YouTube, plays a massive role in pre-purchase research. 9 in 10 festive shoppers use it.
Platforms like TikTok (where 43% of Gen Z starts product discovery) are gaining traction for festive exploration.
Indonesians are particularly engaged with live shopping, with conversion rates hitting up to 30% a key interactive trend to tap into.

3. They crave trust, ease, and value: not just discounts

Shoppers increasingly look beyond price: trust, ease of navigation, and good service are top drivers of confidence during festive purchases especially in India.
Cart abandonment remains high (86% on Indonesian apps), often due to bad UX, extra costs, or forced registration.

4. They’re omnichannel and multi-touchpoint

Festive shoppers use 8+ touchpoints in their journey.
From early wish listing to final checkout, they expect a seamless, cross-platform experience.

5. FOMO drives action, but so does exclusivity

Limited-time offers, flash sales, and early-bird perks create urgency and excitement.
Exclusive access or influencer-led previews help nudge purchase intent earlier in the funnel.

What are the Strategies to Win the Festive Funnel?

Start early or get left behind: July to August is your prep zone. Lock in creative, confirm inventory, and plan your media mix before the noise begins. Use sneak peeks, early-bird promos, and teasers to stay top-of-mind.

Build anticipation: Interactive catalogs. Virtual product displays. Create those add-to-wish list moments ahead of time especially for big events like Harbolnas.

Go Big on Video & Creators: Leverage YouTube, TikTok, and creator-led content. Don’t just run ads. Try tutorials, unboxings, wishlist rundowns, or even live shopping sessions. It’s all about shoppertainment.

Streamline UX: Don’t lose them at checkout. Make it fast, frictionless, and friendly. Offer guest login, remove surprise fees, and make mobile shine.

Go omnichannel and consistent across platforms: From search to social to CRM, your message should feel connected. Unified loyalty programs and retargeting keep your brand in the loop all the way to checkout.

Personalize your promotional calendar: Tailor your offers by audience segment and behaviour. Roll out promos in phases from September to December: think dynamic bundles, timed drops, and channel-specific incentives.

Prep ops as much as creative: Ensure your website and logistics are ready for spikes in traffic. Streamline the checkout process to enhance user-friendliness and provide guest checkout options to minimize registration barriers.

Deals and Flash Sales: Sales do drive action. In fact, 55% of Thanksgiving weekend purchases were promo-driven. Bundle your best offers, add countdowns, and personalize deals to drive urgency and boost ROI.

And where does this all play out? On mobile.

From wish listing to checkout, mobile is where the Q4 festive race is being run. Across key moments like Diwali, Black Friday, Harbolnas, and Christmas, mobile is the dominant driver of discovery, engagement, and conversion.

During Diwali, shopping app installs can spike, especially in categories like jewellery, gifting, and home décor. Fintech apps report a jump in transaction events post-Diwali, while entertainment app installs surge.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday? More than half of transactions now happen on smartphones, especially for younger audiences. And in mobile-first markets like Indonesia, brands lean into mobile strategies for events like Harbolnas, using push notifications, geo-targeting, and mobile-exclusive offers to boost both footfall and conversions.

Best Practices for Mobile-Driven Festive Marketing

Mobile First UX: fast load times, seamless checkout, and clear CTAs are the ones who win big. Ensure websites, emails, and ads are responsive and easy to navigate on every device.

Integrate real-time communication: Use push notifications, SMS, and social messaging to send last-minute deals and reminders.

Personalize every touchpoint: Tailor offers using mobile user data such as browsing habits, app activity, and location.

Combine social media & mobile: Run influencer campaigns, contests, and user-generated content initiatives across mobile-friendly platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp, and TikTok to make purchase a smooth experience

Track and analyse: Use mobile analytics to monitor campaign performance in real-time and adapt quickly as festive trends shift.

In Summary

Q4 isn’t just about showing up, it’s about showing up smart. As festive moments stack up, from Diwali to Harbolnas to BFCM and Christmas, what matters most is how early, how clearly, and how meaningfully you engage. Your shoppers are already on the move. So if you’re reading this now, you’re not behind, you’re right on time.