This isn’t surprising:

November is when that spend really starts to play out, though, with 53% of respondents saying that’s when they’ll exhaust most of their holiday budget.

That spend is likely from ecommerce brands or retailers that make their quarter during Black Friday. For those brands, December is about riding the fumes and saving cash for a post-Christmas push.

Ad spend can be a leading economic indicator, so this is good news:

Concerns about a recession or inflation seem to be fading among the marketers surveyed, with 86% saying they plan to spend at least as much on holiday ads this year as they did last.

Sephora with a timely example of the good and bad of sales.

First the good, they’ve created routines and anticipations around their sales because they only do 2 a year. Constant sales can devalue brand perception. This approach maintains luxury standing while making the sale feel like a treat for customers vs. a money grab.

The bad, you gotta be prepared. General infrastructure stability seems like an internet-wide issue right now, but if you know this is one of your biggest moments you need to provide a good experience. It’s TSwift Ticketmaster all over again.

The unbundling and splintering continues as BuzzFeed (the darling of modern media brands) looks to sell off prior acquisitions (at a loss) to help pay down debt.

The reality is, BuzzFeed as a public media company has failed and the dismantling has begun.

Beware building a brand on someone else’s platform and algorithms.