Peak Season: How Brands Win with Retail Media & a Seasonal Edge

...Retail Media and a clear Seasonal Edge!

Retail Media refers to advertising directly on marketplaces like Amazon or Zalando — exactly where purchasing decisions are made. Buying intent is high, and scatter loss is minimal. You can find a detailed article about this on our blog — feel free to check it out ➝

Seasonal Edge means leveraging seasonal events, moods, and expectations in your brand communication. The more relevant your brand and offer appear in the given moment, the higher your click and conversion rates will be.

Why Retail Media Is Essential During Peak Season

In Q4, competition in the digital advertising space intensifies significantly. At the same time, Retail Media demonstrates its greatest strengths precisely during this period:

• Users are already in a buying mindset

• Highly relevant placements right at the digital shelf

• Efficient, data-driven campaign management

• Predictable and stable cost structures

Especially during high season, this proximity to the actual purchase moment is a decisive advantage.

The Strongest Retail Media Days in Europe

Over recent years, a clear trend has emerged: the strongest Retail Media revenues occur during recurring seasonal peaks. These periods heavily influence budget planning, bidding strategies, and promotional mechanics.

The key revenue peaks include:

• Black Friday Week & Cyber Week (late November) – traditionally the strongest period of the year. On Black Friday 2024 alone, global online sales reached $ 74.4 billion, a 5 % increase compared to the previous year.

• Pre-Christmas period up to December 24 – conversion rates rise due to gift purchases and delivery urgency.

• Singles Day – originally from China, it’s becoming an increasingly relevant shopping event in Europe, showing significant sales spikes.

• Back-to-School & other seasonal promotion weeks – depending on the category, these periods show particularly strong activation phases with clear demand surges.

During these sales windows, purchase intent is especially high. Retailers and brands therefore strategically increase their Retail Media investments to fully capitalize on demand. These peaks are so consistent that they can be planned annually — forming the foundation of a reliable Seasonal Edge.

How to Build Successful Retail Media Campaigns During Peak Season

To ensure your brand doesn’t get lost in the busiest advertising period of the year, you need a combination of strategy, relevance, and creativity. These factors make the difference:

1. Plan early & optimize with data Start campaign planning well in advance and use insights from previous years. Identify which products, keywords, and creatives performed best last Peak Season — and secure premium placements before CPMs spike.

2. Create seasonal relevance Adapt your messages and visuals to reflect current buying motives and moods — from Black Friday Deals to Last-Minute Gifts. The more your campaign resonates with shoppers’ mindsets, the stronger your conversion rates.

3. Use High-Impact Advertising for maximum visibility Amid the flood of offers, attention is everything. Leverage YOC High-Impact formats such as the YOC Understitial® Ad, the YOC Mystery Ad®, or the YOC Universal Display Solution. These formats combine strong visibility with creative interactivity and premium brand storytelling — ideal for capturing attention and driving emotional engagement directly at the digital point of sale.

4. Manage budgets strategically Focus your investments on the most profitable sales days like Singles Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Week. Keep around 10–15% of your budget flexible to react to spontaneous peaks or shifts in competition.

5. Create a consistent shopper journey across all channels Ensure that your messaging and offers remain consistent throughout the shopper journey — across Retail Media placements, email marketing, and owned channels. A coherent tone, visual identity, and promotional logic strengthen recognition and trust in your brand.

Conclusion

The Peak Season isn’t the time for spontaneous decisions — it’s about thoughtful preparation and precise execution. Brands that strategically leverage Retail Media and differentiate themselves with a strong Seasonal Edge secure the best growth opportunities, even amid fierce competition.

And after December 24? Don’t forget: Q5 is one of the most efficient performance phases of the year!

Start your tailored Retail Media campaign for the Peak Season now!

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