When it comes to retail, shelf placement is only half the battle. The other half? Making sure shoppers actually recognize, find, and choose your product once they’re in the store.

For emerging consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands, the holiday season is the ultimate stress test. Increased foot traffic and online searches create opportunity—but also fierce competition. That’s why your holiday in-store content strategy must be connected across channels: retail media, PDPs, social, and shopper-facing activations.

Let’s break down what works best.

1. Retail PDP Optimization: Your Digital Shelf

Your product detail page (PDP) is your first impression on a retailer’s site. If it’s weak, you risk losing shoppers before they ever hit the aisle.

Best practices for retail PDP optimization:

Titles that work harder: Include your brand, product type, flavor/variant, and benefit in a clean format.
Optimized bullets: Highlight functional benefits (protein, low sugar, gluten-free), holiday relevance (limited edition, seasonal flavor), and shopper outcomes (family-sized, on-the-go).
Keywords that mirror shopper search terms: Remember, shoppers don’t always search like category managers. Use everyday language that shoppers use to find products.

👉 Example:

Instead of “Sparkling Botanical Beverage, Elderflower,” optimize for “Sparkling Elderflower Drink – Low Sugar Botanical Beverage, 12oz 4-Pack.”

When your PDP is optimized, you’re not just winning search—you’re priming in-store conversion by making your product familiar before the shopper sees it on the shelf.

2. Holiday Content That Converts In-Store

Holiday marketing isn’t just about festive designs or limited-time flavors. It’s about making your brand easy to find and try.

Here’s how:

Recipe content with aisle callouts: Show how your product fits into holiday meals, with specific mentions like “find us in the beverage aisle.” Add QR codes linking to your store locator.
Micro-influencers near top-door stores: Partner with creators local to your highest-velocity retail clusters. Their “found it in my store” content builds credibility and urgency.
Retail media alignment: Sync your social pushes with retailer ad campaigns. Consistency across digital + physical touchpoints amplifies impact.

3. Creating the Halo Effect: Out-of-Store Fuels In-Store

The best holiday activations don’t stop at the shelf. Out-of-store tactics create demand that spills into the aisle.

Think:

Local PR hits in regional markets where you’re gaining distribution.
Paid social with geo-targeting around your top retail partners.
Cross-channel storytelling that links your e-commerce presence with your in-store experience.

This halo drives trial, repeat purchase, and retailer confidence—because nothing builds buyer trust like POS data moving in the right direction.

The Takeaway:

✨ Holiday content isn’t decoration—it’s demand generation.

By combining retail PDP optimization with holiday in-store content, plus smart influencer and retail media integration, emerging CPG brands can punch above their weight during the busiest shopping season of the year.

Remember: Retailers provide access. But it’s your responsibility to generate demand.

Next Step

Not sure if your packaging, PDPs, or retail content are optimized for the holiday push? My Brand Audit uncovers the gaps holding you back and gives you a clear roadmap to drive trial, awareness, and velocity in retail.

Learn more

Holiday Content That Converts In-Store: How to Bridge PDPs, Social, and Shopper Marketing