Observed Signal · Oct 12, 2026 · Discussion/Panel · Source: Adweek · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Holiday Value is More Than Price, Say Industry Leaders
In an ADWEEK House group chat co-hosted with Fetch, industry leaders discussed how consumers are becoming more selective in their holiday spending, weighing price, quality, convenience, rewards, and brand experience. Jacqueline Willemsen of Fetch noted that discounts alone don't earn attention; brands must create relationships. Jessica Brown of WPP Media highlighted decision fatigue as a hurdle, emphasizing the need for easy decisions. Alex Stone of Horizon Media pointed out that consumers want to 'win' with every purchase, factoring in rewards. The panel also debated metrics: Amie Owen of Flywheel cautioned against over-reliance on ROAS, while Lauren Newman of Button stressed lifetime value over incrementality. The consensus: holiday campaigns should focus on building lasting customer relationships beyond the season.
The article discusses consumer behavior trends and marketing strategies, but it is not a major industry-shifting news. It provides insights from a panel, which is moderately important for marketers.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Fetch's data shows consumers are spending more but changing what they buy to get better value.
- WPP Media's Jessica Brown says brands must make it easy for consumers to decide, citing decision fatigue.
- Horizon Media's Alex Stone says consumers try to 'win with every purchase,' considering rewards.
- Flywheel's Amie Owen cautions against over-reliance on ROAS without broader business results.
- Button's Lauren Newman argues lifetime value is the key measure of success, not incrementality.
Connected Companies & Entities
5 Entities mapped“Jacqueline Willemsen, general manager of omnichannel and agency at Fetch, urged marketers to consider the trade-offs.”
“Jessica Brown, executive director of marketplace and partnerships at WPP Media, pointed to decision fatigue.”
“Alex Stone, SVP and managing director of enterprise partnerships at Horizon Media, explained consumers try to 'win with every purchase.'”
“Lauren Newman, chief revenue officer at Button, said consumers weigh the 'grief to dollar ratio.'”
“Amie Owen, chief client officer at Flywheel, saw truth in both points about switching brands.”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Longer Holiday Season, Thriftier Consumers Ahead
An ADWEEK House panel co-hosted with Ibotta discussed how data-driven media spend can help brands adapt to changing shopping behaviors during the holiday season. Chris Dungan, VP of client partnerships at Ibotta, and Krystle Rocci, integrated strategy director at Pernod Ricard, highlighted that consumers are shopping earlier and elongating their purchasing period. Ibotta's first-party data enables Pernod to measure and attribute the success of promotions, helping to intercept consumers in their decision path. The panel emphasized the importance of moving beyond impressions to target the right moments and mindset. Promotions are effective for attracting new or lapsed buyers, but fostering repeat purchases and exploring the full brand portfolio are key loyalty tests. The discussion underscored the value of first-party data and strategic promotions in driving incremental sales and collective brand equity.
Holiday Playbook: Data Insights for Modern Shoppers
During an ADWEEK House panel co-hosted with CVS Media Exchange, industry leaders discussed strategies for engaging diverse holiday shoppers. Wendy Liebmann of WSL emphasized that every holiday shopper is 'many shoppers,' requiring data-driven mapping across touchpoints to connect the right message at the right moment. Gretchen Reisner of CVS Media Exchange highlighted the concept of 'trip missions,' noting that shoppers may switch between planned and last-minute trips, and stressed the importance of identifying signals to tailor messaging. She also cited CVS's ExtraCare loyalty data showing convenience as a key value driver beyond price. Kelly Solomon of Revlon explained that convenience includes bundling products into kits for easy in-store grabs. The panel underscored the need for an end-to-end view combining digital and store performance to optimize channel selection, timing, and messaging.
Amazon turns Thursday Night Football into full-funnel ad pitch
Amazon's Thursday Night Football (TNF) has become a key pitch for attracting both endemic and non-endemic advertisers to its broader advertising ecosystem. The platform leverages Prime Video's sports inventory, combined with Amazon's data and targeting capabilities, to offer full-funnel marketing opportunities. Advertisers like Colgate-Palmolive have seen significant success, with retargeting on Amazon's retail platform driving higher purchase rates and brand awareness. Media buyers note that TNF serves as a gateway for brands to increase spending on Amazon's DSP. Endemic brands appreciate the direct connection between ad exposure and sales data, while non-endemics use TNF to test Amazon's capabilities before expanding their media budgets. Amazon's strategy includes promoting multi-sport buys and upper/lower funnel inventory, aiming to raise ad spending ceiling among advertisers.
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