Can One Person Own a Holiday?
I’m back with another edition of Marketing I’m Obsessed With, this time about none other than the Queen of Christmas herself, Mariah Carey. Is “All I Want For Christmas Is You” my favorite Christmas song? No, that would be “Little Saint Nick” by the Beach Boys, but it is up there, and there’s little argument to be made that it hasn’t given Mariah an unexpected career turn in recent years.
To tap into what has turned into an empire, Mariah does a Christmas tour most years, has a children’s book, a holiday Barbie doll, a Christmas special, multiple holiday hits, and even a Roblox collab. This is only the tip of the iceberg of how she’s found a way into this particular niche.
When she released her Christmas album in 1994, I doubt this is what she expected. But now, she fully embraces this new reputation, even releasing a video the day after Halloween proclaiming it #MariahSZN (and using the trending audio of her that is so huge on TikTok).
I love all this joy, especially since the song is a bop. But I also do wonder—have we gone too far? Can one person own a holiday or take over the holiday season?
In Mariah’s view, it’s a strong yes; in my own, I admit I’m still unsure. I don’t blame anyone for doing what they need to earn a living (as long as it isn’t at the expense of the humanity of others), but the takeover of a season that stands for so much more is troubling.
There’s no doubt that the capitalistic tendencies and extravagance at this time of year has rapidly increased over the last few years. During COVID, we all welcomed it, looking forward to the cheer during an otherwise incredibly bleak year, but now, that tide hasn’t subsided and we are still left with the abundance of holiday sales, activations, and promotions, including those of Mariah. Black Friday is now a whole week of promotions, and holiday decorations come out earlier and earlier (I’m guilty of this myself). And we all end up a bit overloaded, turning a time of year that is supposed to be about something bigger into a commodity.
I don’t want to begrudge anyone their joy, but I also try to stay mindful of what really matters: spending time with family and friends, enjoying good food, and gift-giving to share some of your love.
As a marketer I say, yes, it’s brilliant; brands need to have strong plans to participate in this time of year. In particular, Mariah’s savvy has prolonged her career, and more power to her.
As a person I say, try taking what works for you and leave the rest.
Lesson Learned: While I don’t blame the queen for sitting atop her throne, I’d rather try to think of other parts of the holiday season. Spending time thinking about how to live responsibly in a capitalistic society doesn’t draw simple conclusions, but focusing on your north star leads you to see past the noise and focus on what matters.
P.S. Many thanks to my intern, Inaaya, who has just wrapped up her time with me. She was a joy to work with, and came up with this delightful idea!
