Christmas Brand Activation: It’s the People Who Bring the Magic
September 2026
Christmas planning starts far earlier than most brands think with recruitment for seasonal talent already underway well before the season hits. And we’d know, because we’re the ones helping to find them.
At a time of year when consumer attention is being pulled in every direction possible, and the window to make an impression is extremely short, it puts even more pressure on a Christmas marketing campaign or brand activation to ‘win’. But here’s the thing: it’s not just the activation that makes or breaks a campaign, but the people delivering it.
Customers want magic at Christmas. Don’t we all? Expectations run high, and so does the willingness to spend. Brands need to stand out fast. There’s no room for lackluster starts or staff staring aimlessly at their mobile phones instead of the crowd in front of them.
“Who you have representing your brand can make a huge difference! When being bombarded with so many options, it’s often the event staff who move the needle from browsing to buying.”, comments Florence ‘Flo’ Reavie-Corker, Head of Purity People.
Event Staffing Built for Brand Activation
Matching people to brands, briefs and audience fits with precision isn’t just important at Christmas, it’s what Purity People do every single day.
But what does ‘the right fit’ look like in practice?
“It starts right back at the time of recruitment. First and foremost, we recruit people who genuinely care about delivering a great experience. Our staff bring high energy and resilience, which through long shifts and cold venues, can be put to the test!”
“Our in-house training manager makes sure every staff member is fully immersed in the brand before they start work on campaigns. Nothing beats trying, tasting or seeing the product first-hand – it’s this authenticity which builds trust with customers. It helps massively when we match people with brands they’re genuinely passionate about.”
Our people are ‘Christmas-ready’: managing queues while maintaining the magic, having ‘gifting-mindset’ conversations and upselling without a pushy sales pitch.
“There’s never a quiet season…”
Ask anyone who works in event staffing, there’s never downtime. Promotional staffing and event, hospitality and corporate staffing ramp up in the latter months as retail activations and Christmas parties are in full swing.
“There’s a huge number of staff needed once grottos and winter wonderlands start popping up. My advice? Get organised and get in touch early.”
Product sampling during the festive period isn’t just reserved for mulled wine and mince pies. We worked with Belhaven Brewery’s on its ‘Belhaven Black’ campaign across Greene King pubs in Scotland, helping drive brand awareness of its locally brewed 4.2% stout.
Purity People brand ambassadors engaged consumers by distributing thousands of samples across 33 venues, and gathered valuable consumer feedback to help Belhaven better understand drinking preferences and opportunities to convert loyal stout drinkers.
High Energy All Campaign
Being proactive is a great start. While it might seem obvious, approaching customers instead of waiting for them makes a huge difference.
Our people matter to us , which is why we feel so passionately about making sure they are supported throughout the campaign. Team leaders are empowered to give spot incentives and run on-the-day challenges to keep energies high.
“Staff shouldn’t be left to fend for themselves once on a job. We run regular focus sessions with them so they’re heard and included, feeding relevant insights straight back to clients throughout, not just at the end.”
“We can’t give away all our secrets, but let’s just say years of experience have taught us a trick or two for keeping staff engaged and having a genuinely good time.”
Happy staff = Happy customers = Happy brand. It’s pretty simple really!
