New data from TripleLift shows brands shifting budgets and investing in creative excellence to win Q4’s biggest shopping moments – with off-site retail media ad spend set to peak during Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM). The Christmas Retail Media guide from leading Creative SSP TripleLift shows that 46% of marketers are reallocating budgets and 23% are introducing incremental investment to extend reach beyond retailer platforms in Q4.
Spending this Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) is expected to outperform last year, with 80% of UK retailers anticipating higher sales than last year, and festive retail sales forecast to rise 3.2% year-on-year. Marketers hoping for a piece of this action are looking to close the distance between awareness and conversion; according to TripleLift’s data, more than half (59%) plan to increase retail media spend by up to 20% this quarter, underscoring how BFCM has transformed into a month-long shopping season amid economic uncertainty.
Why off-site matters during peak season
Major shopping events remain critical for brands. TripleLift reports that marketers allocate 40–50% of Q4 budgets during November’s peak, focusing heavily on conversion-driven tactics. Proprietary data highlights the impact of tentpole events: ad spend surged 289% during Prime’s October Big Deals Days compared to typical daily spend, across formats like Native, Display, Video, and Native REC. Top-spending verticals included Hardlines, Home & Garden, Style & Fashion, Food & Drink, Pets, and Retail.
“The intense competition around Black Friday requires a change in approach,” said Frazer Locke, SVP International Sales at TripleLift. “Discounts alone aren’t enough – you need a strategic, data-driven narrative that converts peaks into lasting momentum. Brands should leverage first-party data from lead-in campaigns to refine targeting and extend reach via contextual environments and lookalike audiences.”
Locke added that marketers should use insights beyond the peak period: “Unifying on-site and off-site efforts and prioritising creative excellence will keep consumers engaged long after the holiday lights come down.”
Five tips for sustainable visibility
TripleLift advises marketers to adopt a mindset of continuous engagement:
- Perfect audience targeting – Seasonal segment strategies dominate (75%), reflecting timing’s importance.
- Focus on creative excellence – 80% of marketers cite creative as a key performance driver; AI-enhanced, personalised formats are essential.
- Bet on high-performing formats – Native (79%) and video (75%) deliver strong ROI during peak season.
- Measure beyond ROAS – Include metrics like incrementality, new customer acquisition, and lifetime value.
- Turn peaks into momentum – Use BFCM insights to sustain engagement throughout the holiday season.
As retail media matures, off-site retail media strategies are proving vital for brands seeking both immediate impact and long-term growth – during Black Friday and beyond.
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