Holiday campaign reactions 2026

Key findings: What are Americans’ opinions?

• Seth Rogen is getting a warm welcome at Sephora. Around 3 in 4 viewers (76%) say he’s a clever choice, and support is even stronger among people who relate to his beauty-gifting struggle.
• The Muppets are giving Walmart a boost. An impressive 87% say the characters make Walmart more appealing, although far fewer say the campaign would get them shopping.
• Target shoppers are focused on their budgets. Nearly 2 in 3 (62%) say affordability matters more than thoughtfulness when buying gifts, making the “Giftonomics class” the campaign’s most popular feature.
• Levi’s is getting attention with an unexpected creative approach. The spooky Christmas mix stands out most to 37% of viewers, while the handmade production is also getting people talking.
• Away from all the holiday sparkle, Wet Ones is getting mixed reactions. A majority (56%) like the cheeky hand-illusion campaign, but 31% don’t. And 68% agree with the decision to keep the ads out of New York’s subway system.

Sephora: Sethphora

Seth Rogen has a holiday shopping list, but picking out beauty gifts isn’t exactly his area of expertise. In Sephora’s We All Sephora campaign, the actor heads into a store looking for presents for friends and family, with a Beauty Advisor helping him figure out everything from skincare to fragrances.

Created with GUT New York and directed by Jason Woliner.

The Verdict: Seth Rogen proves an unexpected hit, winning over 76%

Americans seem pretty happy with Sephora’s unexpected holiday star. About 3 in 4 viewers think Rogen is a clever choice for the campaign, and his gift-shopping confusion is something plenty of people can relate to.

• 3 in 4 approve of the casting. Some 76% say Rogen is a clever choice for Sephora. Just 7% would rather have seen a beauty expert.
• The gifting struggle hits home. Among viewers who relate to feeling lost when buying beauty gifts, 85% think he’s a clever choice. That drops to 55% among those who relate less or not at all.
• It’s more about gift buyers than Seth Rogen fans. Around 37% think the campaign is aimed at people shopping for gifts, compared with 17% who say it’s mainly for fans of the actor.
• People wouldn’t mind seeing more of him. Store-staff comedy is the most popular follow-up idea at 30%, followed by watching Rogen try beauty products at 22%.
• Urban viewers see the gift-shopping connection most. Almost half (49%) identify gift buyers as the main audience, compared with 30% of suburban viewers.
• Women are keen to see Rogen learn a few beauty tricks. When asked what they’d most like to see in a follow-up ad, 23% of women chose Rogen learning beauty tips.

Walmart: A Who Knew Carol with the Muppets

Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and the rest of the Muppets are back for the holidays, this time helping Walmart put its own spin on a Christmas classic. Inspired by The Muppet Christmas Carol, A Who Knew Carol stars Walton Goggins as Ebenezer Scrooge, with plenty of familiar Muppet faces joining the fun.

The Verdict: 87% think the Muppets are a good look for Walmart

The Muppets are getting plenty of love. Nearly 9 in 10 respondents say the characters make Walmart more appealing, particularly by making the brand feel more fun or modern.

But there’s a difference between enjoying a holiday ad and actually wanting to shop.

• The Muppets are a hit. A huge 87% say the characters make Walmart more appealing, while just 2% think the campaign feels forced.
• Not everyone is heading to the store. Around 37% say the campaign would encourage them to check out deals or shop more. Almost exactly the same number (38%) would simply enjoy or share the ad.
• Muppet fans are especially into it. Among fans of the characters, 69% describe the campaign as fun and relatable, compared with 23% of other respondents.
• Deals are still the biggest draw. Discounts are the top reason to shop at 39%, followed by the Muppets themselves at 35%. Gifts and fast delivery also get attention.
• Fast delivery matters to families. Around 1 in 2 respondents with two children (50%) choose it as a reason to shop, compared with 24% of those without children.
• Women are more likely to check the deals. Around 24% say they’d browse Walmart’s holiday offers, compared with 14% of men.

Target: Academy of Giftology

Target is taking holiday shoppers back to school. Its new Academy of Giftology is a fictional school dedicated to the art of finding the right gift, with comedian D’Arcy Carden taking on the role of Chief Giftologist.

The campaign brings a little classroom comedy to familiar holiday shopping challenges, with courses including Gifting 101, Giftletics, and Giftonomics.

Created by Mythology and directed by Lucia Aniello.

The Verdict: It’s the thought that counts, but 62% are watching the price tag

Target’s gifting academy is getting noticed, but Americans are keeping one eye on their holiday budgets. Almost 2 in 3 say affordability matters more than thoughtfulness when buying gifts, and the academy’s budget class is getting the most interest.

• Giftonomics is the class people want. The budget gifting course comes out on top at 37%, ahead of Gifting 101 at 28%.
• Price matters most. Some 62% say affordability is more important when buying gifts, compared with 38% who put thoughtfulness first.
• The school concept catches attention. Around 32% say the academy idea stands out most about the campaign. Just 6% choose the gift ideas themselves.
• Some shoppers are holding out for a sale. About 27% would wait for a discount, while 25% would head to Target now.
• Women are particularly interested in budget gifting. Some 42% choose Giftonomics as their favorite class, compared with 29% of men.
• Higher earners respond more positively. Among respondents earning $100,000 or more individually, 66% react positively to the ad, compared with 38% of those earning under $25,000.
• Urban shoppers show more interest in visiting Target. Around 66% say they plan to visit or browse Target’s gifts, compared with 39% of suburban respondents.

Levi’s: Let’s Get Fuzzy

Levi’s has mixed a little monster movie magic into its holiday campaign. In Let’s Get Fuzzy, a giant yeti named Gus crashes a holiday get-together at a snowy cabin. But things take a turn when he discovers a cozy red sweater and suddenly fits right in.

The 60-second film was created by Blinkink using stop-motion animation, with handcrafted sets, clay characters, and miniature Levi’s clothing.

The Verdict: 37% think a little spooky belongs in Christmas

The mix of spooky and festive is what gets Americans’ attention first. More than 1 in 3 choose the unusual theme as the most memorable part of the campaign, while the handmade production is another talking point.

And there’s an interesting question here: can people actually tell the difference between handmade creative and AI?

• The spooky holiday mix grabs attention. Some 37% say it’s what stands out most, ahead of the clay characters at 25%.
• Handmade feels special. Around 2 in 3 say knowing the campaign was made by hand makes it feel more special.
• AI isn’t always easy to spot. More than 1 in 3 (35%) aren’t confident they could tell handmade animation apart from AI-generated creative.
• People who appreciate the craft are more interested in the clothes. Among those who place a high value on the handmade production, 72% want to explore the collection, compared with 32% of other respondents.
• Liking the ad doesn’t always mean wanting to shop. Even among viewers who are less interested in the clothing, 71% still like the commercial. That climbs to 96% among those who are very interested in the collection.
• Horror fans are super into it. Some 83% like or love the ad, compared with 72% of other viewers.
• Urban viewers are bigger fans. Around 53% say they love the commercial, compared with 33% of rural viewers.

Campaigns that caught our attention

Wet Ones’ Just For Hands Campaign

Wet Ones has taken a cheeky approach to advertising its hand wipes, and the result is getting plenty of attention. Its Just For Hands campaign features extreme close-up photos of fingers arranged to look like bare bottoms. Take another look, and the illusion becomes clear. They’re actually hands.

Created by BBH USA, the campaign launched in October and appeared across New York City, including Times Square and bus shelters. The ads were also rejected by New York City’s subway system for being too risqué, giving people something else to talk about.

The message behind it all? Wet Ones are made for hands, not other body parts.

The Verdict: 56% are into the joke, but it’s not for everyone

Americans are divided on Wet Ones’ unusual creative. A majority (56%) respond positively, but 31% don’t like it. And while the joke is getting attention, there’s a question over whether people are remembering what the brand is trying to say.

• The cheeky creative wins over a majority of viewers. More than half (56%) react positively to the campaign, compared with 31% who aren’t fans.
• Most agree with the subway decision. More than 2 in 3 (68%) support keeping the ads off New York’s subways, while just 14% disagree.
• Buying interest is mixed. Around 35% say the campaign makes them more likely to buy Wet Ones, but 25% say it actually puts them off.

And some audiences are enjoying the joke more than others.

• Bus commuters are giving it two thumbs up. An impressive 82% like the campaign, compared with 46% of other commuters.
• There’s a noticeable age difference. Among 30- to 34-year-olds, 74% react positively, compared with 41% of 25- to 29-year-olds.
• Urban viewers show more buying interest. Some 56% say the ad makes them more likely to buy Wet Ones, compared with 26% of suburban respondents.

SKIMS: The $148 Advent Calendar

SKIMS has landed in hot water over its $148 advent calendar, and it’s not hard to see why people are talking. Behind its 12 doors are items including bobby pins, scrunchies, and four keychains.

The calendar has faced criticism over its…well, underwhelming contents. SKIMS is now offering buyers a full refund or store credit.

The Verdict: 76% think SKIMS’ $148 calendar is a total ripoff

Americans aren’t exactly rushing to defend the calendar’s price tag. More than 3 in 4 respondents call the contents a total ripoff, and most say they’d spend considerably less on a similar advent calendar.

• The price tag isn’t winning people over. A huge 76% call the contents a total ripoff, while just 2% think the price is fair because it’s SKIMS.
• Most would spend under $50. Around 66% say they’d pay less than $50 for an advent calendar like this. Just 2% would consider spending between $100 and $148.
• What’s inside matters more than the label. Item quality is the most important factor for 39% of respondents, while only 4% put the brand name first.
• The refund isn’t convincing everyone. Some 30% see the offer as damage control, while 20% believe it shows genuine accountability.

For journalists

This data is free to use with credit. Please credit OnePulse and link to this page. Full data is available on request. Please contact candyd.casidsid@onepulse.com.

About OnePulse

OnePulse is a real-time consumer insights platform serving the UK and US. Over 500 brands and agencies use OnePulse to run surveys, called Pulses, and get fast answers from real consumers.

Methodology

For each campaign, we surveyed 500 US adults using the OnePulse platform. Pulsers (respondents) shared their reactions, opinions on the creative, and—where relevant—how the ads influenced their interest in shopping. Because some questions were tailored to each campaign, results aren’t always directly comparable. Shopping insights reflect what people say they’d do, not their actual purchases. All figures are rounded to the nearest whole number, so some totals may not add up to exactly 100%.