September Seasonal Segments
As we enter September, the team at Gourmet Ads have refreshed our Seasonal Segments to help brand advertisers capture attention during the busiest months of the year. This is the time when the sun crosses the celestial equator, marking the transition into fall and the start of cooler days. From October through December, audiences are actively planning celebrations, shopping events, and holiday meals. The color of seasonal produce becomes an important indicator of ripeness and freshness, while the comforting feeling of autumn gives September a sense of a fresh start. By leveraging our proprietary contextual targeting technology, your brand can reach grocery buyers and household cooks at the exact moment they are making purchase decisions.
Seasonal Changes: The Shift into Fall
September marks the beginning of the busiest months for advertisers, with key seasonal segments and holidays driving high engagement.
- Halloween: Pumpkin bakes, party menus, and trick-or-treat guides; ideal for confectionery, snacks, and beverages.
- Día de los Muertos: Latin households planning ofrendas with pan de muerto, mole, masa dishes, and celebratory sweets.
- Thanksgiving: Turkey brines, stuffing, pie pairings, and hosting lists; perfect for turkeys, sides, desserts, and drinks. Canadian Thanksgiving and the September Equinox also serve as important seasonal marks.
- Black Friday: Shoppers hunting deals on kitchen gadgets and appliances; align with circulars, reviews, and deal pages.
- Cyber Monday: Online shoppers searching for gadgets, cookware, and pantry top-ups; ideal for e-commerce conversions.
- Hanukkah: Recipes and traditions including latkes, brisket, sufganiyot, and kosher-certified staples.
- Christmas: Baking marathons, roasts, cheeses and chocolates, sparkling beverages, grazing boards, and food gifts.
Each of these segments presents a unique opportunity for brands to connect with audiences during these seasonal marks.
Seasonal Changes: The Shift into Fall
As the Gregorian calendar turns to September, the northern hemisphere slowly transitions into fall, bringing a renewed sense of wonder and anticipation. This time of year is marked by the sun crossing the northern point of the equator, signaling a shift in natural patterns and the beginning of cooler days. Across the USA, the change is celebrated with a variety of holidays that highlight the earth's natural resources and the abundance of seasonal foods. Thanksgiving, in particular, stands out as a cherished occasion to gather with loved ones and enjoy traditional dishes that reflect the harvest. As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, September feels like a fresh start—filled with opportunities to savor the unique flavors and colors that only this season can bring.
October: Halloween & Día de los Muertos
October kicks off the season with Halloween, when intent surges across recipes for pumpkin bakes, party menus, and trick-or-treat guides. These pages are ideal environments for advertising confectionery, beverages, and snack products. Speaking with friends and family about party menus and favorite Halloween treats is a big part of the celebration, creating opportunities for lively conversations and engagement.
Running alongside, Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) connects deeply with Latin households preparing ofrendas. Flowers, especially marigolds, are a traditional and essential part of the ofrenda, symbolizing remembrance and guiding spirits. Contextual activity is strongest around traditional foods such as pan de muerto, masa dishes, mole, and celebratory sweets. For brands seeking to connect authentically with Hispanic audiences, this segment provides rich opportunities.
November: Thanksgiving, Black Friday & Cyber Monday
November is anchored by Thanksgiving, where audiences search and engage with recipes for turkey brines, stuffing, pies, and hosting checklists. Advertisers in categories such as turkeys, sides, desserts, and beverages can place their brands directly in front of shoppers preparing their holiday feasts. Note: Planning your shopping lists and recipes ahead of time is essential to ensure you have all the ingredients and supplies needed for a successful Thanksgiving.
Immediately after comes the retail surge. Black Friday drives shoppers to big-box stores, comparing deals on kitchen gadgets, appliances, and cookware. Early deals are often available, so starting your shopping early can help secure the best offers. Contextual intent spikes on circulars, review pages, and "best air-fryer" guides. Following quickly, Cyber Monday shifts the activity online as audiences hunt for e-commerce savings across gadgets, cookware, and pantry top-ups. Both retail-heavy segments are designed to align with purchase-driven audiences at scale.
December: Hanukkah and Christmas
December delivers two highly intent-rich segments. Hanukkah brings queries for latkes, brisket, sufganiyot, and kosher-certified staples. With audiences searching for recipes and holiday how-tos, this is a powerful environment for brands that cater to Jewish households. The heart of traditional Hanukkah dishes, like the tender center of a perfectly cooked brisket or the core of a sufganiyah, plays a central role in these celebrations.
Finally, the season peaks with Christmas. Consumers engage with baking marathons, roast centerpieces, cheese and chocolate pairings, sparkling beverages, grazing boards, and food gifts. Festive reds, especially from apples and other seasonal produce, add visual appeal to holiday recipes and food presentations. From holiday recipes to gift guides, the Christmas segment delivers unparalleled reach and frequency across food-loving audiences preparing for their most significant celebration of the year.
Media Planning for Holidays and Staying Ahead
Media planning and buying is always forward looking, with brands and agencies wanting to stay ahead of key consumer moments. Many partners ask us to keep them up to date with what is happening over the next three to four months so they can align campaigns with the strongest intent signals. Our monthly Seasonal Segments are designed to do exactly that, providing a clear view of upcoming opportunities and ensuring advertisers can plan, budget, and activate campaigns with confidence. Advertisers can apply these insights directly to their campaign planning to maximize effectiveness and reach.
Beyond seasonal roll-outs, Gourmet Ads offers a comprehensive Advertising Calendar covering media opportunities throughout the year and across multiple years for sustained impact. From the Super Bowl and Chinese New Year to Valentine's Day, Ramadan, Mother's Day, Back-to-School, and more, this calendar maps out high-intent moments where contextual targeting delivers impact. Use it to plan your campaigns months or even years in advance and maintain year-round relevance.
How to Activate Seasonal and Year-Round Segments
All of our Seasonal Segments—as well as year-round opportunities from the Advertising Calendar—are live and can be activated in either of two ways:
- Programmatic Deals: Plug directly into your preferred DSP and scale instantly.
- Managed Campaigns: Work with our team to build and optimize campaigns tailored to your brand objectives, including targeting specific site locations for maximum relevance.
We also build custom contextual segments at the URL level—targeting around your brand, competitors, or niche themes, and even specific site locations—with turnaround typically same day or next.
Take the Next Step
Seasonal moments and perennial occasions alike create powerful signals of consumer intent. Gourmet Ads ensures your brand shows up in context, when grocery buyers and household cooks are seeking inspiration and solutions.
Contact your Gourmet Ads Account Manager to plan which segments or events to prioritize or Download our Media Kit.
