Generic retailer holiday marketing leaves many Brits cold, frustrated and lonely, Braze research
A survey of 2,000 UK consumers commissioned by Braze, a customer engagement platform, reveals that 2025’s Christmas campaigns are failing to connect with Brits and, in some cases, are doing the opposite.
29.8% say Christmas campaign messages make them feel nothing at all, while just 21.6% feel inspired or excited to shop. The findings also reflect the wider reality of the moment: with 22.49% of people planning to spend less this year.
29.8% feel nothing at all when they see these messages. 21.6% are inspired or excited to shop. 21% feel pressured to spend beyond their means. 21% are frustrated or overwhelmed by irrelevant or excessive messaging. 16% feel guilty for not being able to buy more for others. 8.5% even feel lonely because they have no one to buy for.
“This is a wake up call,” says Georgia Harrison, GM UK&I at Braze. “Behind every campaign is a real human being with hopes, fears, constraints and pressures. When brands lean on one size fits all messaging year after year, they’re not just missing the mark; they’re contributing to real emotional strain."
"The technology exists for genuine, one to one personalisation that helps people feel understood. If marketers want to rekindle the magic of Christmas, we need more empathy, more creativity, and more humanity. In the same way that a friend or family member embodies the magic of Christmas with a well thought out gift tailored to what they know about you, brands need to do the same.”
2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS
Personalisation was a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.
We received a record number of entries and many fantastic examples of the continued resilience and dynamism of the retail space during hugely challenging times.
For a full rundown of all of the shortlisted entries, click here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC in Central London on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
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