How Sound Shapes Holiday Storytelling for Brands
The holidays are one of the most inspirational times of the year – and if you’re a marketer, also one of the most stressful. Whether you’re creating ads, social content, immersive experiences, entertainment or broadcast themes, it’s a tough time to get the attention of your audience. As always, audio is a big part of the decision, but in a world where everything has been done, how do brands make an impact during the holidays using sound?
Ah, the holidays, a time to relax, unwind, and recharge – but, not for brand managers, marketing folks, and creative production teams. Even if you’ve planned for months, it’s always a mad dash to New Years. Here at SAM we’ve been a part of these end-of-year pushes for over 30 years, and we’ve learned a few things about effectively reaching ears during this season. As you might have guessed, it always comes back to authenticity – to the season, to your audience, to your brand.
Emotion and Familiarity, Without Predictability
There is a natural tendency at holiday time to tap into nostalgia and warmth. But for music selection, that’s just the start. The real artistry comes from then relating those emotions to your audience and your brand. Instead of using the same bells-and-choir palette everyone expects, the most effective audio blends unique variations of holiday music with authentic brand DNA. Here are a few of our more recent favorites…
Airbnb | Santastrophe
What we love: Familiar holiday classic with a poetic Airbnb spin.
Amazon | Joy Ride
What we love: Unique Beatles cover creates a warm holiday memory.
Coca-Cola | Holidays Are Coming
What we love: Original holiday-themed track that magically blends with the nostalgic “Always Coca-Cola” tag.
Disney | Best Christmas Ever
What we love: Memorable theme from Toy Story plays into the magic of the holidays like only Disney can.
CNN | New Years Eve Live
What we love: Classic big band holiday vibe with all the personality and humor of Anderson and Andy.
Adding Yule to the Fire
Sound is one of the most powerful brand assets when it comes to driving high attention and fluency [Source: System1]. And this is especially so during the holiday season in fast‑paced digital environments where the right music and storytelling can mean the difference between generating interest and getting lost in the holiday rush.
Developing effective holiday audio takes a willingness to push creative bounds. It doesn’t abandon nostalgia, but evolves it. The process begins by determining how you want your audience to feel and identifying the musical elements that can evoke those emotions – a magical orchestra arrangement, a unique cover of a classic song, or a holiday reimagining of your brand theme. When those elements fully align with your values and creative storytelling, the result can be attention-grabbing and genuinely moving.
At SAM, we’ve spent decades shaping how consumers hear the holiday season – from major broadcasts to national advertising campaigns, social content, and experiential activations. This season, the brands that audiences remember most will be the ones that risk a little more to deliver holiday storytelling that sounds as magical as it looks.