At Christmas, influencer marketing is like panettone: indispensable, but only when done well. The most forward-thinking brands use this season to create campaigns that capture attention and make a lasting impression. It is the time of year when influencer marketing success stories abound, showing how collaborations can turn Christmas marketing into a powerful tool for connecting with audiences, generating emotion and driving purchases.
Influencer marketing and success stories: power and responsibility
Influencers represent the contemporary evolution of Opinion Leaders, with their impact based on the Two-step flow of communication model developed in the 1940s. In this framework, a brand conveys its message through an influencer who has the complete trust of their audience. This relationship becomes a strategic means of encouraging concrete actions, such as purchases or sign-ups.
Confirming the growing prominence of this phenomenon, “Digital 2024”, the annual report by We Are Social, highlights significant growth in influencer marketing worldwide: digital advertising spend increased by 10% in one year, reaching almost $720 billion spent on advertising in 2023. In particular, investment in influencer marketing activities grew by 17%, underlining the increasingly important role of these figures in communication strategies.
But with great power comes great responsibility: criticism and haters are commonplace, and a single mistake can be fatal to the image of both the leader and the brand.
In short, things have changed considerably since the days of the early internet.
Christmas marketing: making the right choice
Not all influencers are the same, and their characteristics are suited to different Christmas marketing strategies.
Mega influencers: with more than one million followers, they are the celebrities of the moment. They are ideal for campaigns seeking to reach a global audience and for companies able to meet their high costs.
Macro influencers: with between 500,000 and one million followers, they are more “accessible” and therefore ideal for campaigns targeting a broad yet tailored audience. Examples include the many beauty gurus who promote gift sets in tutorials on TikTok.
Micro influencers: they are experts in specific niches, with an established fan base. With between 10,000 and 40,000 followers, they are ideal for highly targeted campaigns.
Nano influencers: they have fewer than 10,000 followers and a small but highly loyal community, making them ideal for authentic campaigns.
Christmas marketing: successful case studies
Travelodge: Christmas is saved
In 2023, UK hotel chain Travelodge put Christmas chaos centre stage with a campaign highlighting the brand’s versatility. Influencers @matthewandryan (446K followers) shared the trials and tribulations of a disastrous Christmas journey, rescued at the last minute by a stay at a Travelodge hotel. Micro-influencer @aspoonfulofalice (9.9K followers) also described how the chain saved her from the stress of the festive season by providing the perfect refuge from family chaos.
The brand addressed the typical challenges of the festive season and positioned itself as a practical and comfortable solution. This humorous storytelling was personal and credible, strengthening the emotional connection with the audience and ensuring a high level of trust and memorability.
travel lodge instagramInfluencer marketing success stories: HP ‘printing emotions’
Since 2022, HP has incorporated into its Christmas marketing a strategy centred on working with influencers who can reach a specific audience of people interested in crafting at home.
Instagram HPThe content is practical and easy to reproduce, highlighting the brand’s role as an enabler of personalised experiences. By focusing on the emotional appeal of Christmas traditions, the campaign strengthens the emotional connection with consumers and reinforces the perception of HP as a partner during the festive season.
Google Meet: no distance
Back in 2020, the Silicon Valley giant used the enforced physical separation to put the Google Meet app in the Christmas spotlight. Through influencers such as @francislola (337K followers), the campaign showed how video calls can bring distant family and friends closer together, addressing the universal need for connection and turning the app into a symbol of emotional closeness during the festive season.
Through an effective mix of technology and storytelling, the brand shifted the focus from purely technical use to the emotional value of staying connected, positioning itself as a facilitator of special moments. Emotional content optimised for Instagram and TikTok, including Stories, Reels and short videos, maximised engagement and reach. The approach proved so successful that it convinced Google's marketers to continue along the same path in subsequent years.
Google MeetThe most talked-about campaign right now?
Google, with a Christmas advert that is sparking more debate than a family dinner filled with barbed remarks. It stars Cyrus Veyssi, TikTok influencer and non-binary personality, who invites viewers to explore the world of skincare products through Google Shopping.
The internet, of course, was quick to respond. Some have praised the tech giant for its inclusivity, while others have accused it of being “too woke”. Some conservative commentators have mocked the campaign, questioning whether this really is the best message for the festive season.
But Google does not seem fazed. A spokesperson explained that the advert is just one part of a much broader project involving dozens of influencers. The aim? To show that Google Shopping is the right place to find everything you need, whether that is the perfect gift or – why not – a cream to combat dry skin.
Whether you like it or not, Google has hit the mark: it has generated buzz, divided opinion and put not only the service but also a message of inclusivity in the spotlight. After all, isn’t that what Christmas is all about?
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