Short reads for short attention spans

Gen Z boosts social commerce with Christmas 2025 set for surge

New data shows Gen Z buyers are increasingly comfortable discovering and purchasing products directly through social platforms, blending retail-media, influencer content and platform-native checkout. Early indicators suggest social-commerce will see a significant uplift this Christmas as younger shoppers rely on creators, recommendations and AI-guided discovery to make faster decisions.

Why it matters:

• Christmas campaigns need seamless “ad-to-checkout” pathways, not traffic-only strategies.
• Social commerce is no longer experimental, it’s becoming a core conversion channel for younger audiences.
• Media and creative need to align tightly: authentic creator content + direct purchase links will outperform pure brand assets.

Further reading at Marketing Dive:

How Gen Z is reshaping holiday marketing — and what brands can do about it

TikTok Shop sees major brand uptake ahead of Black Friday / Cyber Monday 2025

TikTok Shop has attracted a wave of major global brands, including Samsung, Ralph Lauren and Disney Store, as they prepare inventory and promotions ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This marks a notable shift from previous years where TikTok Shop was dominated by small and mid-sized sellers. Large advertisers are now integrating TikTok as both discovery and conversion channel.

Why it matters:

• TikTok Shop is rapidly maturing into a mainstream retail platform, not just a Gen Z trend.
• Brands must rethink TikTok as a lower-funnel channel, not just awareness.
• Expect media budgets to shift: TikTok Shop listings + TikTok ads will increasingly be planned together.

Further reading at Business Insider:

TikTok Shop had a major breakthrough heading into its Black Friday sprint

AI-powered shopping tools set to transform Christmas season retail

Retailers are doubling down on AI shopping assistants that help consumers search, compare and buy gifts more easily, from conversational product discovery to personalised recommendations. Major US retailers are testing AI-guided gift finders ahead of peak season, accelerating a shift towards AI being embedded across the full shopping journey.

Why it matters:

• AI-guided discovery may bypass traditional ad paths, shifting attribution, search behaviour and retail-media strategy.
• Brands must optimise product feeds, metadata and reviews to ensure they surface in AI-driven shopping environments.
• Media planning may need to account for “AI-first” discovery as a new behaviour alongside search and social.

Further reading at Axios:

AI takes over the holiday shopping wars