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# Creators Still Can't Crack Christmas Ad Budgets
- URL: https://adjacent.media/signals/creators-still-cant-crack-christmas-ad-budgets/
- Published: 2026-11-07T11:15:07.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-07T11:15:07.000Z
- Description: Despite year-round creator dominance in marketing, major retailers from John Lewis onward are still reserving their biggest seasonal spends for traditional celebrities and established talent. Holiday campaigns remain the last bastion of legacy media gatekeeping.
- Author: Jonathan Greene
- Tags: #signal, theme-brand, creator economy mechanics, marketing strategy, seasonal campaigns

Source: [Digiday](https://digiday.com/marketing/future-of-marketing-briefing-creators-had-a-big-year-christmas-still-went-to-the-celebrities/?utm%5Fcampaign=digidaydis&utm%5Fmedium=rss&utm%5Fsource=general-rss)

Despite year-round creator dominance in marketing, major retailers from John Lewis onward are still reserving their biggest seasonal spends for traditional celebrities and established talent. Holiday campaigns remain the last bastion of legacy media gatekeeping. Brands treat creators as year-round cost-efficient content engines but don't trust them with the high-stakes, high-spend moments that define brand perception and Q4 revenue. The creator economy's growth has hit an institutional trust boundary that celebrity status still crosses more easily.