The holiday marketing season is officially in full swing and this week’s stories show how brands and platforms are blending AI innovation, emotional storytelling, and trust-driven strategy to win attention. 🚀

Google and Yahoo began enforcing stricter rules for bulk email senders (5,000+ daily emails) in 2024, requiring authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), spam rates below 0.1%, and one-click unsubscribes. Non-compliant senders now face rejections and delivery blocks, with Google ramping up enforcement through the 2025 holiday season. Microsoft followed suit, announcing its own crackdown on Outlook, Hotmail domains, with full rejection of non-compliant mail starting May 5, 2025. Why it matters: Email marketing is entering a compliance-first era. Marketers must ensure domain authentication, list hygiene, and engagement-driven strategies or risk losing inbox placement entirely.

Holiday inboxes are chaos, and Mailbox Providers get tougher on who gets in. To win inbox placement, marketers must focus on four things: understand how deliverability works, build a strong sender reputation, stay consistent, and monitor key metrics like bounce and spam rates. Clean lists, steady send volume, and authenticated domains (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are now non-negotiable. Why it matters: Your email isn’t competing just with brands; it’s competing with algorithms. This season, trust, engagement, and stability determine who gets seen.

TikTok is hosting its first-ever U.S. Creator Awards on Dec. 18 at the Hollywood Palladium, themed “New Era, New Icons.” The show will honor creators across 13 categories, from Creator of the Year and Video of the Year to TikTok For Good and Immediately Added to Cart (sponsored by TikTok Shop). Fans can vote between Nov. 18–Dec. 5, and the event will stream live on TikTok and Tubi. Why it matters:
TikTok’s awards mark its push to cement cultural dominance and deepen ties with creators — while subtly promoting its ecommerce and editing tools. It’s a strategic mix of celebration and brand integration, proving that influencer culture is now mainstream entertainment.

TikTok is expanding access to its new Bulletin Boards, a feature that lets creators and brands send one-to-many updates (text, images, or short videos) directly to followers, similar to Instagram’s Broadcast Channels. Fans can join a creator’s board to receive key announcements, giving creators a new tool to boost engagement beyond the For You feed. Why it matters: Bulletin Boards mark TikTok’s next step toward private community building and direct engagement, letting creators maintain connection amid algorithm shifts. It’s also a subtle move toward DM-based loyalty, helping brands communicate with their most dedicated followers in-app.

A new Reuters report reveals that up to 10% of Meta’s annual ad revenue, roughly $16 billion, may come from scam or illegal ads, including fake e-commerce, investment schemes, and banned products. Internal documents show Meta’s apps were linked to a third of all successful U.S. scams, and enforcement has been lax: small advertisers allegedly get 8 strikes before removal, while big spenders can exceed 500. Why it matters: Meta’s ad integrity crisis exposes the conflict between safety and profit. While the company claims a 58% drop in scam reports this year, the report raises hard questions about trust, brand safety, and platform accountability.

A new Goldman Sachs survey shows 54% of Gen Z interns reject AI in creative work, preferring human-only input, while most are fine with AI-assisted-but human-verified support in areas like shopping (49%) and finance (70%). Only a small fraction embraces fully automated outputs. Why it matters: Marketers targeting Gen Z should balance automation with authenticity, keep creative work human-led, but lean on AI for shopping suggestions or financial tools, where trust barriers are lower.

Starbucks’ 2025 holiday campaign, “Drawn Together,” tells the story of two marker-drawn characters on its signature red-and-green cups who reconnect after being separated, all set to “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by The Proclaimers. The minimalist animation, crafted by artist Geoff McFetridge, celebrates themes of togetherness and cozy connection, aligning with the brand’s push to reclaim stores as social “third places.” Why it matters: Beyond festive feels, this campaign marks Starbucks’ U.S. creative debut with agency Anomaly and signals its marketing-led turnaround strategy under CEO Brian Niccol. By pairing emotional storytelling with its signature cups, Starbucks leans on nostalgia, artistry, and brand warmth to rekindle connection amid a tough spending climate.

Coca-Cola’s 2025 “Refresh Your Holidays” campaign revives its classic “Holidays Are Coming” ad, now powered by generative AI, blending nostalgia with tech-driven storytelling. Despite backlash, the brand says the AI version is among its best-performing ads ever, scoring record highs in association and conversion metrics. Alongside it, a more traditional spot, “A Holiday Memory,” ties together Coke’s signature Christmas icons, Santa, trucks, and snow globes, across global markets. Why it matters: Coca-Cola’s holiday push showcases how legacy brands can balance heritage with innovation, using AI to scale creativity while reinforcing timeless brand assets.

Hope you love today’s news! Feel free to reply to this email anytime with feedback or article suggestions.

Thanks for reading,
— Sam C.