The 2026 Holiday Season Starts Long Before December

For marketers, the holiday season has officially become more complex, more competitive, and significantly longer.

Consumers are no longer waiting for Thanksgiving weekend to begin shopping. In fact, 60% of holiday shoppers start their holiday purchasing journey at least two months before the season reaches its peak. That means the brands winning in December are often the ones that started building awareness, trust, and consideration in October and November—if not sooner.  

This shift creates a new challenge. Consumers are making decisions over a longer period of time, across more channels, and with more options than ever before.

The key to success is reaching them while preferences are still forming.

Audio is uniquely positioned to do exactly that. 89% of listeners say they have learned about a new brand or product through an audio ad, making audio a powerful channel for discovery during the inspiration phase of holiday shopping.

Why Are Trusted Recommendations More Important Than Brand Loyalty?

Holiday shopping has become increasingly recommendation-driven.

Consumers are navigating endless choice, fluctuating prices, and a constant stream of promotional messaging. As a result, trust is becoming a deciding factor. Personal recommendations rank as the number one driver of what makes a holiday wish list.  

This trend aligns with broader consumer behavior. Today's consumers are actively seeking authentic human connection in an increasingly algorithmic media environment. 90% say it is important to know media is created by a real person, and 92% believe nothing can replace human connection.  

Trusted audio personalities play an important role in that dynamic as:

• 80% of listeners consider their favorite hosts a friend.  
• 78% trust their favorite radio host's product recommendations.  
• 79% trust recommendations from audio hosts across radio and podcasts.  
• Podcast hosts are 5X more influential than social influencers.  

For holiday marketers, here’s a huge opportunity to move beyond traditional advertising and tap into trusted voices that already have established relationships with consumers.

What Makes Audio Ads So Effective During Holiday Shopping?

Holiday purchases happen in those everyday moments.

A shopper is driving to work. Running errands. Picking up groceries. Browsing ideas on their phone. Planning a weekend visit to a store.

On top of that, 85% of consumers say radio is the last media they consume before shopping. At the same time, 1 in 3 holiday shoppers visit a new store during the season, even after researching online.  

That combination means purchase decisions remain fluid right up until the point of action.

For brands, the goal is staying top of mind during the moments when shoppers are deciding where to spend their holiday budgets. And audio helps brands remain relevant when consideration matters most.  

How Audio Amplifies the Rest of the Media Mix

Holiday campaigns rarely rely on a single channel. True success comes from making every channel work harder together.

When audio is added to the mix, campaign performance improves across other media platforms:

• +83% social performance
• +109% digital and social engagement
• +47% branded search activity  

Audio also reinforces trust, increases recall, and keeps brands present during purchase consideration moments. Research consistently shows that audio can boost awareness, consideration, purchase intent, and consumer action throughout the funnel.  

For marketers facing increased pressure to deliver measurable outcomes during the holiday season, audio serves as both a performance enhancer and a trusted connection point

Why the Holidays Live on iHeart

From the moment stations flip to holiday music through year-end celebrations, iHeart becomes part of how consumers experience the season.

Key iHeart holiday touchpoints include:

• More than 80 stations nationwide flipping to 24/7 holiday music.  
• Holiday listening doubling when stations make the seasonal switch.  
• More than 100 holiday events across the country, including the iconic iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour and local market celebrations.  

Beyond the season itself, iHeart reaches 9 out of 10 Americans every month through radio, podcasts, streaming, influencers, and live events.  

The network includes more than 860 owned radio stations, 6,000+ affiliates, 1,100+ on-air personalities, and over 170 million monthly podcast downloads, creating a unique combination of national scale and local influence.  

FAQs

When should brands start planning holiday campaigns? 
Consumers are starting earlier, with 60% beginning holiday shopping at least two months before the season peaks. Brands should focus on building awareness and inspiration in early fall, not just during December.  

Why is audio important during the holiday season? 
Audio reaches consumers during inspiration, consideration, and purchase moments. It also delivers messages through trusted voices that audiences already know and value.

Do audio campaigns improve performance across other media? 
Yes! Audio contributes to +83% social performance, +109% digital and social engagement, and +47% branded search activity when included in the media mix.  

How can brands activate with iHeart during the holidays? 
Brands can connect with consumers through holiday music sponsorships, the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour, podcast gift guide integrations, holiday episode series, on-air promotions, local events, sweepstakes, and custom seasonal partnerships.  

The Key Opportunity for the 2026 Holiday Season

The brands that win the holidays in 2026 will be the most trusted, the most relevant, and the most present in the moments that matter.

As consumers continue searching for authentic connection and real recommendations, audio offers marketers something increasingly valuable: human influence at scale. Through trusted voices, live experiences, and the power of cultural moments, brands can connect with holiday shoppers before decisions are made and while memories are being created.  

Ready to connect with holiday shoppers through Guaranteed Human content, trusted voices, and the season's biggest cultural moments? Let's talk.