8 New Year’s marketing ideas & examples

Table of contents

• • 1. Relive the year with a round-up

  • 2. Focus on New Year's resolutions

  • 3. Give back to your audience

  • 4. Run a contest to build your subscriber base

• 5. Make the New Year's Eve party memorable

• 6. Help your audience get a "fresh start"

• 7. Run in-store or site-wide promotions

• 8. Make your VIPs feel special

New Year. New you. New opportunities to engage your audience in fresh, inspiring ways.

With the holidays winding down, your audience is likely relaxed, soaking in the post-Christmas lull. They're not in a rush. They're reflecting on the past year and contemplating their aspirations for the next one.

It's a prime opportunity for you to send thoughtful, engaging messages that capture their attention. The challenge lies in knowing exactly what to talk about or what to do to inspire action without overwhelming your audience during a restful time.

While we can't plan your entire New Year's strategy, we can showcase 8 New Year's marketing ideas that will resonate with your audience (and perhaps secure a sale or two) as you both look forward to new beginnings.

1. Relive the year with a round-up

Take it from Spotify: looking back at the last 12 months is a good way to tell a heartwarming and nostalgic story about what the year meant for you and your customers.

Highlighting trending items from the year is one ebay you can do this. It allows you to subtly introduce your bestsellers to customers who may have missed them and remind the ones who loved them why they loved them.

But your "looking back" campaign can also be less promotional, showcasing how your brand has grown and what you've achieved throughout the year. Providing insights like this can strengthen your bond with your audience and invite them to come back to your brand and keep shopping.

Now, you could just tell a story here-nothing wrong with that. But you can also do what kids' prebiotic supplement brand Begin Health does and round out (pun intended) your brand's yearly highlights with reviews from happy moms and their stomachache-free kiddos.

New Year's marketing tip: Notice how Begin Health also includes a referral link in their New Year's marketing email, incentivizing customers to share the email with their friends. It's a smart way to enlist your existing customers in helping you get new customers in the door.

2. Focus on New Year's resolutions

New Year's resolutions are a classic. People love setting goals for themselves at the start of the year. It's a great opportunity to align with your audience's ambitions and position your brand as a trusted resource and authority on their path to achieving their goals.

Think about what resolutions your customers are likely to have. For a tech brand, the focus might be on productivity and time management habits. For a beauty or apparel brand, the focus might be encouraging customers to embrace their individuality by sharing makeup tutorials or fashion tips that inspire them to celebrate who they truly are.

For a fitness brand, it's an easy win: create a campaign around healthier living and use customer stories to show how your products fit in. Or, do what workout supplement brand Naked Nutrition did and simply explain to your audience how to set, track, and attain their goals.

New Year's marketing tip: Add even more value to your New Year's resolution campaign with a simple freebie-like a downloadable planner-to help your subscribers stay on top of their resolutions. Or, take inspiration from Naked Nutrition's email and offer a simple, no-strings-attached quiz to help your audience get a head start on their New Year's resolutions.

3. Give back to your audience

Holiday marketing fatigue is real. By the time November hits, people are already overwhelmed with endless promotions, deals, and marketing messages. And who can blame them? With so many brands clamoring for attention, it's no surprise when even loyal customers start tuning out.

So, how do you reach your audience without adding to the problem? By flipping the script. Instead of pushing for another sale, end the year by showing your appreciation for your customer base with a heartfelt giveaway. When done right, a giveaway feels like a gift rather than a grab for attention.

Take olive oil brand Graza and their 2022 end-of-year giveaway as an example. All their audience had to do to enter? Drop a follow and tag a friend in the comment section of Graza's Instagram. That's it. A few seconds of work for a chance to win over $300 worth of products. If that doesn't say "thank you," we don't know what does.

4. Run a contest to build your subscriber base

After the holiday rush, there's a good chance a lot of your customers will want to take a break from shopping for a while. But that doesn't mean they won't be open to engaging with brands in fun, low-pressure ways.

This is where contests shine-they allow your audience to interact with your brand without the "buy now" pressure. And the start of a new year is the perfect time to run a contest, tapping into people's desire for fresh beginnings and trying new things.

Take AriZona Beverages Co., one of the world's most popular iced tea brands, for example. During their 30th anniversary "Thirsty Thirty" campaign, the brand invited fans to create and submit their own iced tea flavors, name them, design the can-the whole nine yards. The winner would win $10,000 and see their drink hit the shelves.

While this wasn't a New Year's contest, the idea is evergreen. Campaigns like these succeed because they focus on creativity and fun rather than selling, which can make your brand stand out during a period when most of your competitors are focused on pushing post-holiday discounts.

In AriZona's case, the results were staggering: over 27,000 entries, 15,700 of which were new subscribers-all from a single contest. If your goal is to kickstart the year with a fresh group of subscribers, build a contest that aligns with your brand and encourages participation.

5. Make the New Year's Eve party memorable

If there's one thing people love about New Year's Eve, it's the chance to throw a party that sets the tone for the year ahead. If you sell festive clothing, snacks and drinks, or other party gear, this is where your ecommerce brand can step in, positioning your products as must-haves for making the celebration special.

Let's say you're a clothing brand. Which of your statement pieces might be perfect for a New Year's Eve glam look? Think shimmering dresses, dapper suits, or accessories that add sparkle to any outfit, and use language that taps into the celebratory mood: "Shine brighter than the ball drop!" or "Step into the new year in style."

Or, if you're in the food and beverage niche, position your products as go-to party starters. Here, see how charcuterie brand Boarderie's New Year's Eve campaign showcases a perfect centerpiece for a New Year's Eve celebration. It even taps into FOMO by clearly stating that these boards are almost sold out, prompting the audience to place their orders quickly.

New Year's marketing tip: Keep in mind that not everyone is in the mood for a big bash, so make sure your messaging resonates with both the party-goers and the chill crowd. Feel free to keep things low-key. Use your customer data to determine which products resonate most with which customer segments, then promote items like comfortable loungewear, soothing drinks and snacks, or even self-care products for those who may be planning a solo celebration.

6. Help your audience get a "fresh start"

If you don't sell products people can use at a party, don't despair. Beyond the big countdown, New Year's is a time when people are eager to shed the old and embrace new habits, routines, and, yes, even products.

It's more than just a seasonal change-it's a mindset shift. People are thinking about improving their spaces, wardrobes, and lifestyles, so this is the perfect time to reframe your marketing around fresh starts and new opportunities.

Rather than focusing on the "buy now and save 20%" messages typical of end-of-year sales, tap into this feeling of renewal by highlighting how your products fit into the "out with the old, in with the new" mindset. Promote your items as tools for starting fresh, whether that's a new skincare routine, workout gear for those health-focused resolutions, or a home office upgrade for a more organized year.

Bedding brand FluffCo does this beautifully with their "New Year, New Bed!" email campaign. By layering in genuine customer testimonials, the brand makes the idea of change feel tangible and credible. And the section on customer testimonials serves as a gentle nudge, showing that others are already enjoying their bedding to make the upgrade feel worthwhile.

7. Run in-store or site-wide promotions

While many people are wrapping up their holiday shopping, some are always on the lookout for a deal-and you can be the brand that gives it to them. Consider launching a site-wide or in-store promotion to start your New Year sales strong.

Take a look at this New Year's marketing campaign from cruelty-free beauty brand Ciaté London. On the first day of the year, the brand offers up to 50% off site-wide.

If you'd prefer to add a little urgency to your sale, follow home essentials brand Snowe's lead and remind your audience to act now because savings end soon.

New Year's marketing tip: If your business has a physical location, don't forget about in-store promotions. Use digital channels like email or SMS to drive foot traffic to your store by offering exclusive in-person discounts or "store-only" New Year deals.

8. Make your VIPs feel special

If you want to make your most loyal customers feel valued, consider offering them exclusive New Year's deals. Think about how you can offer something unique to this group-whether it's early access to a limited-edition product, a special discount, or even a sneak peek at what's coming in the year ahead.

You can do this over email or SMS, but SMS works particularly well as a VIP channel because it's personal and immediate-like a message from a friend or a loved one. Anyone who's given you access to their phone has given you access to an intimate space. Use that access wisely.

Here, see how skincare brand Rebels Refinery uses SMS to reward their top customers on New Year's. With phrases like "EARLY DROP VIP SMS," "limited edition," "extremely limited," and "early access," they make it impossible to mistake this offer as anything but ultra-exclusive.