When Holiday Ads Start Giving Back

Every holiday season our screens fill with commercials promising joy. But lately, they’re also offering something deeper: the chance to give back. As the holiday lights flicker on and streaming screens light up with cheerful classics and binge‑worthy new releases, a subtle shift is underway in how brands are showing up. It’s not simply about “buy this for someone you love”; increasingly, it’s “buy this and support something you believe in.” For the modern holiday season, the intersection of commerce and compassion is going digital, and the medium at the center of that shift is connected TV (CTV).

Why This Matters Now

On one level, it’s straightforward: more people than ever are watching streaming platforms, and fewer are tethered to old‑school cable schedules. Reporters and analysts note that for many households in 2025, streaming is the norm, not the novelty. Advertisers are responding accordingly: A 2025 industry snapshot found that around 58 percent of marketers expect their holiday CTV ad budgets to increase, up from 41 percent just a year earlier. At the same time, a consumer‑facing survey indicates that 59 percent of viewers say CTV ads will shape their holiday shopping, a 43 percent year‑over‑year jump. In short, the audience is there, the investment is there, and attention is shifting. For brands, that presents both an opportunity and a responsibility.

The holidays have always been about buying, gifts, décor, special meals, etc., but there’s a growing parallel narrative: giving. Consumers increasingly expect their purchases to align with values, support causes, or reflect social purpose. On CTV, this expectation manifests in a few new ways:

• Ads are more frequently speaking to why you should buy, not just what you should buy.
• Brands are forging alliances with charities or missions, “when you buy X, we’ll give Y.”
• Streaming leverages deeper user data for targeting, enabling messages to feel more personal and better aligned with what the viewer cares about.

Consider how a retailer might use a CTV spot: Picture warm holiday imagery, a family gathered around a screen, and a message: “This season, purchase this gadget and we’ll donate 10 percent to clean water access in underserved regions.” That single ad sits at the nexus of tangible shopping and meaningful giving.

3 Trends Shaping the Season

1. Reaching the viewer where they are: Streaming habits are entrenched, and viewers are receptive. On CTV, ads aren’t just interruptions, they’re part of the viewing experience. Data show high proportions of viewers want personalization and relevancy in holiday season ads: 71 percent prefer ads tailored to their interests, and 69 percent expect them to match the content they’re watching. For brands, the creative imperative is clear: your message must feel relevant, human and timely.
2. Blending commerce with purpose: When brands lean into purpose, the payoff can extend beyond a single sale. By aligning with a cause during the holidays, when generosity is culturally salient, companies can deepen engagement and build brand affinity. Nonprofits bring authenticity. Brands bring scale. CTV brings the canvas. It’s worth noting that during the holidays, audiences are already in a different mindset. They're more open to inspiration, more willing to pause and reflect, and yes, more willing to spend, especially when there’s meaning behind the spend.
3. The timeframe is getting longer: The holiday season used to be a compact campaign window: post‑Thanksgiving through December. But today, viewing patterns show that the “holiday mindset” stretches beyond December itself. Streaming platforms report that viewership of holiday‑themed content can stay elevated well into the new year and even brighten during off‑months. What does that mean for brands? Start earlier, stay relevant, and think of giving not just as a December moment but a season‑wide (or even year‑round) narrative.

Purpose That Connects: Make it Personal, Measurable, and Actionable This Holiday Season

Holiday viewers respond when giving feels authentic and relevant to their moment. Ads that show tangible impact, like “funds one meal” or “plants one tree,” and clear mechanics — e.g., “10 percent of every purchase in December” resonate. Shoppers and donors alike act when campaigns are credible, timely, and tailored to what they’re watching, with generosity still strong even in a tighter economy.

CTV now enables action from the couch through interactive, shoppable, and QR-enabled formats, turning impressions into donations and purchases. Success comes from outcomes, not clicks: measure impact upfront, target specifically, and build trust with verifiable claims. Campaigns that combine meaningful purpose with clear value capture attention, drive engagement, and create measurable results.

How Streaming Can Redefine the Spirit of Giving

As the glow of the TV fills our homes this holiday season, it’s worth remembering that those same screens can light something greater than a living room: they can light generosity. In the right hands, an ad isn’t just a pitch; it’s an invitation to do good. And when that happens, the holidays begin to feel like what they were always meant to be: a season of giving.

Kris Johns is the CEO and founder of The AdGood Foundation, dedicated to transforming unused advertising inventory into a powerful tool for social change.