Holiday 2025: Meeting Shoppers Where Value and Convenience Converge

Holiday 2025 is shaping up to be a season defined by caution and opportunity. Canadians are planning to spend more than last year, but they are also demanding sharper value. Nearly 90% of Canadians are actively looking for holiday deals, according to JLL Canada. That makes value forward messaging essential this season, especially in DOOH campaigns that can rotate creative to highlight promotions in real time.

For advertisers, this holiday season is not about pushing volume, it is about showing up in the right context, with the right message, at the right time. Adapt Media makes this possible by connecting national reach with neighbourhood level relevance. With coverage across more than 8,000 communities, from Circle K and multicultural grocery stores to ServiceOntario and DriveTest Centres, Adapt reaches everyday Canadians where they live, shop, and make decisions. Pair that reach with dynamic DOOH triggers and mobile retargeting, and campaigns become measurable, timely, and relevant.

To resonate with Canadian shoppers this holiday season, advertisers should adjust strategies to match shifting behaviour. Four practical approaches stand out:

1. Value Forward Messaging

Highlight promotions, bundles, and offers during high traffic periods. With nearly nine in ten shoppers deal hunting, this type of creative has immediate impact.

2. Dynamic Triggers

Rotate creative based on weather or time of day. Show hot beverage ads during cold mornings or gift reminders during evening commutes.

3. Cultural Relevance

Use Adapt’s multicultural network to connect with diverse communities. Campaigns that reflect traditions and highlight relevant products build stronger loyalty.

4. Always On Visibility

Google research shows that shopping extends from October to the New Year. Campaigns that stay live across this full window capture intent at every stage, not just during Cyber Week.

Think with Google research shows that holiday shoppers now define value through three factors: 

1. Price, 
2. Product confidence, and
3. Purchase convenience.

Consumers are researching more, delaying spontaneous purchases, and validating decisions across multiple touchpoints.

For brands, this shift means creative must do more than entertain. It must reassure, clarify, and deliver urgency. Advertisers that fail to meet these expectations risk being filtered out of the consideration set long before shoppers ever step into a store.

Adapt Media bridges the gap between cautious, research driven online journeys and offline purchase decisions.

• National reach, local relevance: Our placements span major cities and smaller towns, ensuring advertisers can cover Canada end to end.
• Neighbourhood level engagement: Whether it is a multicultural grocery store in Toronto, a rural convenience store in Quebec, or a DriveTest Centre in Ontario, Adapt’s presence connects with Canadians in authentic, everyday environments.
• Measurable results: With Datalytica, campaigns move beyond awareness by tying OOH and DOOH impressions to mobile retargeting and in store visits.

In a season where Canadians expect higher prices, relevance and trust are what keep brands top of mind.

Google reports that 92% of shoppers research online before visiting a store. At the same time, Canadians overwhelmingly plan to do much of their actual buying in store. JLL Canada found that 74% of Canadians plan to shop in store this holiday season. That underscores the importance of real world presence through Adapt’s convenience, multicultural, and government service networks.

Our DOOH screens in high traffic, high intent environments place brand messaging in front of shoppers at the exact moment they are moving from research to purchase. Paired with mobile retargeting, advertisers can reinforce messages post exposure, measure store visits, and refine campaigns in real time.

Canada’s billboard and outdoor advertising market is projected to grow at 11.1% CAGR through 2030, according to Grand View Research. This demonstrates that OOH and DOOH are not legacy channels but high growth opportunities where advertisers are doubling down.

OOH is now a full funnel channel. With DOOH and mobile integration, it delivers reach, context, and attribution in one package. For media buyers, investing in OOH this season is not a fallback option, it is a smart way to align with market growth while proving ROI.

Agencies face mounting pressure to do more with less: stretching budgets while showing measurable results. Adapt provides the tools to answer the toughest client questions:

• Did the campaign drive foot traffic?
• Did it reach shoppers actively searching for deals?
• Was spend allocated responsibly?

With Adapt, the answer is yes, backed by data. Our combination of national coverage, dynamic DOOH, mobile retargeting, and Datalytica attribution proves impact in a season where every dollar counts.

Holiday 2025 is not business as usual. Canadians are spending more, but they are cautious and deliberate. Nearly 90% are deal hunters, three quarters plan to shop in store, and most validate their choices online before completing a purchase.

Adapt Media helps brands win in this environment by pairing national coverage with neighbourhood level relevance, delivering dynamic DOOH creative, and proving impact through mobile retargeting and attribution.

The Canadian OOH market is expanding rapidly, and this holiday season it is the channel built to deliver value where shoppers live, shop, and decide.

Call to Action: Contact us and get your custom holiday media plan.

Q&A

How can brands use OOH to reach Canadian holiday shoppers?

Brands can use OOH to connect with Canadians in the flow of daily life, from convenience stores to multicultural grocers and ServiceOntario locations. OOH captures attention in trusted, high-traffic environments and can be paired with mobile retargeting to extend the impact and measure store visits.

What role does mobile retargeting play in DOOH campaigns?

Mobile retargeting reinforces messages seen on OOH or DOOH screens by reaching the same audiences on their phones. This helps drive recall, supports path-to-purchase decisions, and provides measurable attribution to prove ROI.

Why is value forward messaging important this holiday season?

Nearly 90% of Canadians are actively looking for deals. Creative that highlights promotions, bundles, and price confidence resonates more strongly and ensures campaigns connect with shoppers who are cautious about spending.

Which Canadian networks give brands the best holiday coverage?

The strongest coverage comes from a mix of national and neighbourhood-level networks. Adapt’s placements span more than 8,000 communities across Canada, including convenience stores, multicultural grocers, DriveTest Centres, and ServiceOntario offices, ensuring brands are present where holiday decisions are made.

How do agencies measure ROI from OOH holiday campaigns?

Agencies can measure ROI by combining OOH impressions with mobile retargeting data and in-store attribution. With Datalytica, Adapt provides real-time reporting that shows how exposure translates into visits, sales, and brand lift.

How soon should brands launch holiday OOH campaigns in 2025?

Brands should launch holiday out-of-home (OOH) campaigns by early October 2025 to capture early shoppers. Most holiday purchase intent begins in mid-October and peaks in November. Launching by Q4’s start ensures maximum visibility during critical decision-making periods.

Book a demo to see how Adapt powers your holiday DOOH strategy.