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I’m still energized from Think Retail, our annual holiday-readiness showcase for marketers.
So many of you are already juggling a million things on your to-do lists, especially as peak shopping season kicks off. And, of course, you know better than anybody that the consumer journey is more complex than ever: Most shoppers hit at least five online touchpoints before buying, and Google or YouTube is present in 86% of those journeys.1
On top of that, people are in a constant state of “ambient shopping” — especially during the holidays. At least half of holiday shoppers are making a purchase at any given moment, from October all the way through the new year.2
We recognize the resilience this demands from marketers. While this complexity presents a challenge, it also represents one of the greatest opportunities we’ve ever faced. If you’re feeling just as energized as I am to drive growth this holiday season (and in 2026), then I want to share my top three takeaways from this year’s Think Retail keynote.
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Watch highlights from Think Retail 2025 to catch up on the latest retail ads innovations, trends, and actionable best practices.
1. Capture demand at both ends: Massive scale and hyperspecific trends
The new era of AI-powered discovery is creating two new dynamics that retailers are facing. The first is sheer scale. We see over one billion shopping searches daily, and 60% of them show broad intent.3 That’s a massive audience open to discovery — not just searching directly for your brand. At the same time, there’s the speed of trends. Niche trends explode overnight, like search interest for “rugby shirt” hitting a 10-year high. Your strategy must capture both the massive, broad audience and the unplannable, specific-trend seeker.
TransUnion data shows retailers running Google Search and YouTube together drive 31% higher ROAS than all other media combined.
2. Drive performance with the Power Pack
When I’m asked how to manage this new complexity, my guidance is straightforward: Win with our suite of AI-powered campaigns. The Power Pack combines Performance Max, Demand Gen, and AI Max for Search to drive results across the full Google ecosystem. We know this combination works. TransUnion data shows retailers running Google Search and YouTube together drive 31% higher ROAS than all other media combined.4
Watch the video
Google and YouTube helped Canadian clothing brand Aritzia break into the U.S. market and grow 5X faster than the average U.S. clothing brand.
3. Win where culture, creators, and commerce meet: YouTube
Video isn’t optional for your holiday plans. It’s a must-have. For today’s viewers, video means YouTube. It’s the epicenter of culture and home to billions of fans watching everything from game day to gift guides across every screen.
This creates huge opportunities, whether you are partnering with the most-trusted creators, leaning into new shoppable ads on YouTube Masthead (our prime homepage real estate), or exploring new omnichannel offerings in Demand Gen. This dynamic intersection of culture, creators, and commerce is your single greatest opportunity this holiday season.
For today’s viewers, video means YouTube. It’s the epicenter of culture and home to billions of fans watching everything.
The world of retail is constantly shifting, and we know the pressure is high. But the truth is, there has never been a more exciting time to be in this business. The same AI reshaping consumer discovery also gives you the tools to manage that complexity, turning unpredictability into your advantage. You bring the strategy, creativity, and ambition. We’re here to provide the technology and the partnership to help you unleash it.
Listen to an audio summary of Think Retail 2025 here.
