Lighting Up the Golden Quarter: OOH & Experiential Magic in Malls
As brands and businesses prepare for a significant Q4 – there are data points that indicate improved consumer sentiment, increased confidence and increased seasonal spend, where the elusive Golden Quarter peak could finally return in 2025. How has this quarter evolved, and how can brands and retailers make the most of it?
Quiet industry optimism
If there’s one season where experiential marketing and smart OOH in retail gets to go big, it’s the Holiday season. Malls are a marketer’s dreamland to connect with audiences, drive to store and spread some joy. European countries enjoy many things in common, such as visiting Christmas markets, exchanging gifts, and sharing a meal and it’s not a surprise that in-store visits for Xmas shopping is not only increasing in 2025, but starting earlier. The peak season is upon us, where the 2025 holiday season is poised to be the first quarter trillion-dollar holiday season. Deloitte have predicted an 8% increase in spending from their 2025 global holiday survey, and anticipate that 78% of shoppers plan to participate in October and and November promotional events to get their Christmas shopping done. Campaigns that recognise this slight shift and search for value will come out winning.
The importance of Malls and Stores
Whilst consumer demand for convenience and connection is on the rise and leans to the growth of online shopping, the festive season throws a spanner in the works where shoppers are still unwilling to abandon the tactile experience of in-store and in mall shopping. Although e-commerce grew impressively (by about 8%) in holiday 2024, nearly 80% of holiday sales that year occurred in-store or via wholesale, according to EMarketer. Salesforce asserts that 75% of Gen-Z shoppers plan to shop in-store at some point this holiday season. Experiential spaces in shopping centres provide a significant advantage to online, high street, airports and train stations – where 81% strongly agree this is where they want to touch and feel products. This product engagement creates a sense of connection, ownership and attachment known as the ‘endowment effect’ – and adding the emotional connection to shopping around Christmas further reinforces importance of activating in malls for brands. Tactile experiences can create emotional responses, which influence decision making by activating areas of the brain associated with reward and pleasure towards products.
How OOH and Experiential lights up the festive season in the 3rd space
Q4 and the holidays is more than the transactional, shoppers are seeking experience and that festive atmosphere. Malls are integral to that seasonal experience, where all our Westfield locations dial up the decorations, spirit and holiday cheer. OOH and experiential sites and spaces need to work hard to influence shoppers where it matters the most. Talon Benchmarks in the UK show festive campaigns for OOH delivers - An 57% increase in call to action - A 10% rise in purchase intent - A 67% uplift in brand consideration. The value of the 3rd space to make sure brands are activating close to store and in the right environment is important – with 1 in 2 consumers being influenced by how brands present themselves in physical spaces/locations outside of their store when shopping. Brand experiences bring a captive audience, who are willing to engage and spend long dwell times to experience something new, festive and memorable during their shopping excursions. For Westfield, our engagement rate on experiential activations average to 27% - calculated by those spending longer than a minute in an experiential zone. And with 71% of Gen Z and Millennials prioritising spending on experiences and live events over material goods, it’s clear that audiences are receptive to brand experiences.
How to activate
Christmas Ice Rink Sponsorships
Sponsoring a festive ice rink places your brand at the heart of seasonal entertainment, offering high dwell time and emotional engagement. It’s a great way to associate your brand with joy, family, and tradition while gaining visibility through signage, branded skates, or rink-side activations.
Sampling & Drive-to-Store Experiential Campaigns
These activations allow brands to directly engage shoppers with product trials, exclusive offers, or interactive experiences that encourage immediate store visits. They’re ideal for boosting conversion, building product awareness, and driving measurable footfall.
Christmas Tree Sponsorships & Media Dominations
Sponsoring iconic centrepieces like Christmas trees or securing media domination (e.g. branded wraps, digital screens) ensures high-impact visibility. These placements reinforce brand presence and create strong visual associations with the festive season.
Dynamic Out-of-Home (OOH) Media
Leveraging digital screens and dynamic content allows brands to tailor messaging by time of day, audience, or even weather. This flexibility enhances relevance and engagement, making campaigns more effective and memorable.
Santa Photo Opportunities & Co-Marketing Events
Partnering with popular seasonal experiences like Santa meet-and-greets or themed workshops creates emotional touchpoints. These events offer shared branding, social media amplification, and a chance to connect with families in a meaningful way. Ready to get into the festive spirit with your next experience and OOH campaign? At Westfield Rise, we help create brand activations that connect, inspire and drive action at key seasonal moments - from Halloween to Black Friday and Christmas – we’d love to chat through what we could do together! Contact us at here
