The 2025 holiday advertising season has emerged as the strongest yet in the US, according to new emotional response data from System1. Findings from the company’s Test Your Ad platform and Competitive Edge database show that this year’s most effective holiday campaigns shared a common creative DNA rooted in characters, consistency, and storytelling.
As brands leaned into the emotional core of the season, happiness dominated viewer responses, accounting for nearly 70 percent of emotions measured. Neutral reactions dropped to just 20 percent, roughly half the level typically seen in everyday television advertising. The result was a holiday landscape filled with warmth, nostalgia, and memorable brand moments that resonated far beyond short-term promotion.
System1’s analysis points to a clear creative takeaway for US advertisers. Holiday ads perform best when they emphasize right-brained creative features that support long-term brand building, including strong characters with agency, a clear sense of place, progressing narratives, melodic music, and distinctive brand assets.
Characters played a central role in this year’s standout work. Rather than relying on celebrity appearances, many brands doubled down on familiar or newly introduced brand personas. Kroger continued the momentum of its Krojis characters first introduced in 2019, Dunkin’ brought its Munchkins to life, and Apple introduced a whimsical group of woodland creatures to spotlight the iPhone 17.
These characters did more than entertain. They built emotional bonds that made the brands easier to remember and harder to ignore.
Consistency also proved to be a major driver of success. Several brands returned to beloved holiday classics, reinforcing the power of familiarity. Hershey’s Bells, now a holiday staple for 35 years, and M&M’s They Do Exist, which debuted in 1996, continued to charm audiences. Amazon’s Joy Ride, first introduced in 2023, is quickly becoming a seasonal fixture, while Coca-Cola refreshed its iconic Holidays Are Coming spot by preserving its most recognizable elements, including the red trucks and classic soundtrack. System1’s data suggests that sticking with what works can be just as effective as introducing something new.
Storytelling remained the emotional backbone of the season. The highest-performing ads delivered authentic, human-centered narratives that put feeling ahead of product. Disney told the story of a child whose doodle comes to life after Santa mistakes it for a wish. Hobby Lobby connected its products to heartfelt moments without making them the focal point.
Lincoln followed a young entrepreneur selling hot chocolate from her father’s car, building to a quietly charitable conclusion. These campaigns reinforced the idea that brands earn lasting mental availability when they focus on people first.
Ads are scored on a 1.0 Star to 5.9 Star scale, with only one percent earning the coveted 5 Star rating.
- Hershey’s “Bells” – 5.9 Stars | Uplift versus Candy & Gum category +2.3 Stars
- Coca-Cola “Holidays Are Coming” – 5.9 Stars | Uplift versus Water, Juices, Soft Drinks & Cold Drinks category +3.3 Stars
- Dunkin’ “The Little Holiday Munchkin” – 5.9 Stars | Uplift versus Fast Food & Coffee Shops category +2.4 Stars
- M&M’s “They Do Exist” – 5.9 Stars | Uplift versus Candy & Gum category +2.3 Stars
- Kroger “Operation Gingerbread” – 5.9 Stars | Uplift versus Supermarkets category +3.3 Stars
- Sephora “It’s Time!!! w/ Mariah Carey” – 5.9 Stars | Uplift versus Cosmetics & Fragrances category +4.0 Stars
- Disney “Holiday Short: Best Christmas Ever” – 5.9 Stars | Uplift versus Television & Streaming Services +3.8 Stars
- Amazon “Joy Ride” – 5.7 Stars | Uplift versus Retailers category +3.1 Stars
- The Farmer’s Dog “Thanks For Being Our Dogs” – 5.6 Stars | Uplift versus Pet Food & Accessories category +2.4 Stars
- PetSmart “Holiday Story: Grooming” – 5.5 Stars | Uplift versus Pet Food & Accessories category +2.4 Stars
- Best Buy “Cookie” – 5.5 Stars | Uplift versus Retailers category + 2.8 Stars
- Apple “A Critter Carol” – 5.3 Stars | Uplift versus Smartphones category +3.1 Stars
- Hobby Lobby “Drawing Pad” – 5.3 Stars | Uplift versus Retailers category +2.6 Stars
- Ferrero Rocher “Raise a Rocher” – 5.1 Stars | Uplift versus Candy & Gum category +1.5 Stars
- Lincoln “The Little Entrepreneur” – 5.1 Stars | Uplift versus Automobiles category +2.8 Stars
“The holidays are a time when consumers want to feel joy, warmth, and familiarity, and this year’s ads are delivering a strong dose of happiness and nostalgia,” said Vanessa Chin, SVP of Marketing at System1. “Advertisers can tap into these feelings by leaning into characters, consistency, and storytelling to tug at the heart and create moments that people remember and share.”
Together, the results paint a clear picture. In a crowded media environment, the brands that won the 2025 holiday season were not the loudest or flashiest, but the ones that made people feel something familiar, joyful, and worth revisiting.
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