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We’re heading into the Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) season, but in truth, Black Friday is just the start of the whole end-of-year holiday season craziness.
We slide straight from Thanksgiving into BFCM into early Christmas shopping, and then we head into “New Year, New You” deals … Which means there’s no slowing down on UGC ads for the rest of the year. If anything, they’re going to be ramping up!
Here’s another truth for you: There’s no collection of universal ad formats that dominate during the holiday season. Successful formats vary from year to year and also change by niche. So if you’re planning your UGC ads strategy, it’s less about cookie-cutter templates and more about strategic adaptations of proven concepts.
That being said, here are 10 UGC ad formats that have been shown to work during these kinds of hyped-up holiday rushes. Take them and make ‘em your own!
10 Adaptable UGC Formats for Holiday Success
1. Holiday- or BFCM Enhanced Testimonials
Authentic testimonials are always winners. People want to see and hear someone else talking about the thing they’re considering. Those virtual human-to-human interactions matter, and that doesn’t change over the holidays.
Take your proven testimonial ads and revamp them with a BFCM/Christmas banner or overlay. If possible, create a whole new testimonial in which your creator specifically references the occasion. This type of UGC can attract new buyers, but it’s particularly effective for audiences who already know your brand and just need a gentle nudge to make a purchase.
2. “Best Deal of the Year” Storytelling
Take your client’s proven storytelling format and amp it up with urgency messaging. Instead of the usual “Here’s how this product changed my life” narrative, get your creators to frame it as “Here’s how this product changed my life, and now you can get it at the best price it’s been all year.”
The story structure stays the same (problem, discovery, transformation), but every beat should include subtle reminders about the fact that this is a limited-time opportunity. This format is particularly effective because it maintains the emotional connection of storytelling while also creating a sense of urgency around the deal’s timing.
3. Gift-Focused Problem/Solution
The classic problem-solution format always works well.
You can give it a holiday makeover by reframing the problem as a gift-giving dilemma, which is effective because everyone’s looking for gift ideas over the holidays. Cyber Monday is usually an excellent starting point for gift-giving UGC angles, because everyone’s bought for themselves over Black Friday, and Cyber Monday needs a reframe to maintain a high level of success.
For example, instead of “I struggled with dry skin,” tweak it to “I never knew what to get my sister until I found this amazing skincare set.” This format taps into that universal gift anxiety. We all want to give amazing presents, but choosing something both meaningful and practical can be tricky.
4. Christmas/BFCM Countdown Testimonials
Countdowns play right into the psychology of selling. Countdown testimonials combine the trust-building power of real-person testimonials with just the right amount of holiday urgency to drive action. It’s a win-win for everyone!
Get your creator to share their genuine experience, but weave in messaging like “I’m SO glad I discovered this before BFCM specials”, or something like “I’m already ordering extras as gifts for all my friends.” This kind of format is surprisingly effective because it doesn’t feel pushy. It’s just someone sharing how genuinely excited they are about something they’ve found and encouraging others to check it out while it’s still available or at a good price. It works for BFCM, Christmas, and more!
5. Review-Style Sale Announcements
These are basically just regular product reviews, but with a nod to the current sale. For example, “I’ve been using this for months, and I just saw it’s 30% off for Black Friday. If you’ve been thinking about it, don’t waste this opportunity!”
The review-style script gives the viewer the insight they need into the product and builds some trust. The mention of the sale gives them a reason to act fast. It’s the perfect targeted UGC ad for people who are already familiar with the brand but need a slight nudge to take the next step.
6. “Three Reasons Why” (BFCM/Holiday Edition)
The “Three reasons why I love this product” format has been proven time and again to work. Give it a couple of little tweaks to make it more relevant to the BFCm or holiday season, and you’ve got a high chance of having a winner.
One reason might be a general issue, such as product quality. Another could be how it makes a perfect gift (slanted towards the upcoming holiday), and reason three focuses on the current deal value.
One of the best aspects of this format is that it’s highly scalable. You can brief a bunch of different creators with the same structure and different reasoning, or use it across a whole product line.
7. Early BFCM/Christmas Shopping Lifestyle
Show viewers how they integrate your product into their pre-holiday or pre-BFCM preparation routine. Maybe something like a creator organizing their gift list and including your product, or using your supplement as part of their “getting ready for the holiday rush” routine.
This really works for those organized shoppers who pride themselves on planning ahead. It’s an excellent way to target those more thoughtful buyers as part of a smart strategy, because it’s not always about impulse buying!
8. Retargeting Sale Reminders
A retargeting sales reminder works nicely for warm audiences. Get your creators to revisit products they’ve shared with their audience before, like “Remember that [product] I showed you a few months ago? Well, it’s finally on sale for Black Friday!”
The bonus of this kind of UGC is that there’s minimal production. You don’t have to go into detailed benefits. You’re just bringing the product to their attention once again and giving them a good reason to act now. Short, sweet, and with the offer front and center.
9. Bundle Gift Guides
For something a little different, try getting your creators to showcase multiple products in one video as curated gift sets or “personal favorites”. Not only does it boost trust, but it’s also a good opportunity to increase AOV (average order value), as viewers are likely to buy more than just a single item.
This sort of style makes the bundling feel helpful rather than salesy. It doesn’t feel quite like selling or upselling, but more like curated advice. It works well for brands that already have bundled products, but equally well for those without (a sneaky chance to upsell without viewers realizing it).
10. Last Chance Holiday/BFCM Urgency
You can use this with any proven format. Just add a layer of scarcity and urgency. “Last chance” messaging is always a winner, and so is “Only 100 left” or “Almost out of stock!”
In the case of BFCM and other holidays, this really works because the urgency is genuine… Anyone who’s ever done holiday gift shopping knows how time flies, and anyone who’s shopped at BFCM knows how stock flies off the shelves!
Industry-Specific UGC Adaptations
These ad formats can be used across industries, but some work better for certain types of brands.
- Beauty brands see huge success with before/after transformations tied to holiday events, like “getting ready for New Year’s Eve” or “holiday party prep.” The urgency comes from wanting to look your best for specific upcoming occasions.
- Fashion brands can drum up excitement with outfit creation content, like showing how to style pieces for holiday parties, family gatherings, or vacation travel.
- Supplement brands can tap into the “prep for holiday season” or the “New Year, New You” trends. Position your holiday deals as the perfect way to boost your energy, make a fresh start, or get back on track with your wellness goals.
The Long and Short of It
The BFCM season might be a more buzzy, exciting time than the rest of the year, but the marketing principles when it comes to UGC don’t change.
It’s not about finding magical new formats or going wild on the strategy. Just remember where your audience is at this point in time and strategically evolve what already works by tweaking your messaging or adding a dash of BFCM or holiday pizzazz.
Start with your proven performers from throughout the year, then layer in holiday-specific elements, such as gift positioning, seasonal urgency, and promoting your deal. Test multiple variations of the concepts that show early promise, and don’t be afraid to rapidly iterate when something catches fire.
Your holiday creative strategy should feel like an amplified, adapted version of your regular winning playbook, not a completely different approach.
Give these 10 UGC ad formats a try this BFCM and holiday season and see how they work for you!
Ready To Turn Your Existing UGC Winners Into Holiday Gold?
At Hustler Marketing, we specialize in taking brands’ proven creative concepts and adapting them for peak holiday performance. We know how to identify your top-performing formats, strategically layer in seasonal elements, and scale successful concepts quickly during the crucial holiday rush.
Don’t let this season pass by with generic holiday creatives. Let’s build a data-driven approach that turns your best content into holiday conversion machines.
Get in touch with us to start planning your holiday UGC strategy now.
