What Holiday Shoppers Expect From Brands In Q4

Multicultural holiday shoppers are facing real economic pressure, but most do not plan to cut their holiday gift spending. Four in five expect to spend the same or more than last year, suggesting that gifting remains a priority , but each purchase has to work harder / feel more worthwhile.

Intelligence Center from My Code’s July Culture 360 Retail & Shopping Study finds that broad visibility and familiar holiday messaging can put a product into consideration, but brands still have to earn selection. For multicultural shoppers, gift selection is closely connected to the recipient, the relationship, and whether a product feels personally and culturally relevant.

Nostalgia still matters, but it may not be enough on its own . While non-multicultural shoppers place comparatively greater weight on cultural relevance alongside it. Eight in ten say they want advertising created with people like them in mind.

These expectations will matter even more as Q4 shopping intensifies. Multicultural shoppers may be committed to gifting, but that does not guarantee commitment to any particular brand. Brands still have to make the case for why their product is relevant.

In this Culture 360 Executive Summary

• Why holiday gifting remains protected even as everyday costs put pressure on household budgets

• How joy, personalization, and the relationship with the recipient shape gift selection

• Why multicultural shoppers respond to a balance of cultural relevance and nostalgia

• How brands and retailers can turn these expectations into strategies that earn selection in Q4.