Seasonal Creep: How Early Is Too Early?

“Augtober” is officially here as Starbucks and Dunkin’ have announced fall menu drop dates and other brands are following suit with their own spins on pumpkin spice-focused offerings.

Brands need to be careful about constantly creating urgency because if consumers are bombarded with a new holiday, flavor, promotion or limited-time offer every few weeks, they eventually stop paying attention, said Mary Ann O’Brien, Founder and CEO of OBI Creative.

“If everything is a seasonal event, nothing feels special. Seasonal marketing should create excitement, never exhaustion. I'd rather see a brand own a few moments really well than try to capitalize on every possible trend.”

Create Relevance for Guests

Consumers are shopping and planning earlier which means brands are competing harder for attention so if everyone is launching their holiday campaign at the same time, getting there first can help a brand own more of the conversation and capture demand before the competition does, O’Brien explained. There is also a very practical reason this is happening: consumers have more choices than ever, so brands are looking for more opportunities to give people a reason to engage and buy.

“The benefit is that brands have more time to build anticipation and create multiple touchpoints around a seasonal moment. The risk is going too early and diluting the excitement. If I'm seeing Christmas messaging in October, I might be thinking, ‘Really? Already?’ You don't want to turn anticipation into annoyance. The goal shouldn't be to be first. It should be to be relevant.”

FOMO as a Growth Lever

Limited-time offers (LTOs) work because they create urgency and give consumers a reason to act now, but the best ones do more than drive a short-term transaction. Instead, they create conversation, said O’Brien, adding that  a great seasonal product can become a cultural moment. 

“It gives people something to talk about, share on social media and experience with friends and family. It can also bring existing customers back while introducing the brand to new audiences. The ‘limited’ part is important. Scarcity creates Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), and FOMO is a very powerful marketing tool.”

Unite Marketing, Supply Chain, and Sales

In order to effectively plan out seasonal campaigns, teams must factor in elements including supply chain and execution. Marketing, operations, supply chain, creative and sales need to be working together from the beginning, O’Brien stressed. 

“Marketing can't operate in a silo. Before you spend money creating demand, you need to make sure you can actually deliver the product. Know your inventory, production timelines, distribution capabilities and potential demand before you launch.”

Another recommendation: build in contingency plans. If something goes viral, can you fulfill the demand? If inventory runs short, what happens to the customer experience?

“There's nothing worse than spending millions creating demand for something you can't deliver,” O’Brien said. 

Create Tangible Seasonal Moments

The best seasonal marketing makes the product feel like an event, not an advertisement, but ultimately, the best seasonal campaigns combine relevance, scarcity, and a great product, she noted. 

“You can create all the buzz in the world, but if the product isn't worth talking about, the moment won't last.”

Social media is obviously a huge part of promotional efforts, particularly when brands can create content that encourages people to participate rather than simply consume. Influencers and creators can also be incredibly powerful because they bring credibility and help products enter existing communities, O’Brien said, cautioning to not stop at digital and never underestimate FOMO.

“Give people something to experience, share and talk about. Limited-edition packaging, collaborations, pop-ups, sampling, events and unexpected partnerships can all turn a product launch into a moment. If people see everyone else enjoying something they might miss out on, you've created one of the strongest purchase motivators there is.”

Avoid the "Stretching" Trap

One major risk of seasonal creep is customer fatigue leading to loss of engagement because there is a difference between extending a successful campaign and stretching one beyond its natural life, O’Brien explained. 

“If consumers feel like they're seeing the same promotion over and over, the novelty disappears. The answer isn't necessarily shortening every campaign. It's creating different reasons to engage throughout the campaign. Give people new content, experiences, collaborations or reasons to come back rather than simply repeating the same message.”

Customer-First Listening Strategy

To find the seasonal sizzle items that are authentic to a brand, O’Brien suggests teams start with customers, not competitors because the best seasonal ideas often come from listening. Brands should look at what their customers already love about them and ask how they can bring that into a seasonal moment. What products are people already asking for? What behaviors are they already exhibiting? What does the brand have permission to own?

“A seasonal product should feel like a natural extension of the brand. Not something the marketing team invented because a competitor did it first. Look at customer feedback, social conversations, search behavior, sales data and cultural trends. Then find the intersection between what people want and what your brand can uniquely deliver.”