Observed Signal · Mar 15, 2026 · Marketing Strategy · Source: Playable ApS News Monitor · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Unlock Q5 Marketing: Capitalize on Post-Holiday Opportunities!
Q5 marketing refers to the period from December 26th to early/mid‑January when consumer shopping remains active but competition and ad costs often fall. Playable’s analysis shows a decline in live campaigns and session metrics on its platform after December 23, 2024, while Facebook and Instagram CPMs dropped sharply post‑Christmas. Consumer data from the National Retail Federation indicates a large share of shoppers remain active in the week after Christmas, using sales, gift cards, or making returns. The article outlines five strategies for Q5—leveraging New Year positioning, social promotion, gamification, repurposing Christmas campaigns, and automation—and stresses evaluating whether lower costs offset reduced engagement in early January.
Provides actionable seasonal marketing data and tactics (ad cost declines, consumer activity, platform metrics) relevant to marketers and martech vendors but is not industry‑shifting.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Q5 marketing is defined as the period after Christmas (December 26) through early/mid‑January.
- Playable reports an average of 1,484 live campaigns per week; that fell to 1,225 during Dec 23–29, 2024 and to 884 the week of Dec 30–Jan 5, a ~25% drop after Dec 23.
- Playable observed weekly average sessions per campaign of 4,719 versus 4,289 during Dec 23–29, 2024 (about a 9% decrease).
- Facebook CPM dropped ~29% from late November ($19.23) to the post‑Christmas period ($13.65) in 2024; Instagram CPM fell ~35% from $20.34 to $13.24 by Dec 30, 2024.
- National Retail Federation data cited: 71% of consumers planned to shop in the week following Dec 25; 48% to use holiday sales, 26% to use gift cards, and 16% for returns/exchanges.
Connected Companies & Entities
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