New Ozone research finds consumers are looking to relevance, trusted content and the right moment as brands battle for attention during the Golden Quarter
AI might be dominating marketers’ conversations, but it isn’t dominating Christmas shopping lists. Just 8% of UK consumers cite AI tools as a primary influence on what they will buy this Christmas, according to new research commissioned by Ozone, the leading digital advertising business, and conducted by OnePoll.
Among Gen Z, the figure reaches only 17%, suggesting AI has a greater role in younger shoppers’ decisions, but remains a primary influence for a minority. The findings point to a disconnect between the prominence of AI in marketing and retail and the role consumers themselves say it will play when deciding where and what to purchase this Golden Quarter.
When consumers were asked which source they trust most when making a Christmas purchase decision, just 4% selected AI tools, compared with 27% who selected professional publisher content and 6% who chose influencers or creators.
Trusted publisher content still shapes festive planning
The findings suggest AI has a role in Christmas purchase decisions, particularly among younger shoppers, but it has yet to displace the sources consumers already trust. When purchase decisions are on the line, professional publisher content is seen as the most trusted source by more than a quarter of consumers.
That appetite for publisher content also carries into festive planning. More than a third (36%) of UK consumers say they will read gift ideas and gift guides during the Christmas period, rising to 43% of Gen Z and 44% of Millennials.
Publisher content performs particularly strongly among Millennials, with 34% citing this as the source they trust most when making a Christmas purchase decision.
Alex Maude, Head of Insights & Research at Ozone said: “While AI is now part of a much broader discovery mix, what’s clear is that trusted publishers – including those across the Ozone platform – still sit at the heart of how consumers discover and make decisions. When it matters, people turn to sources they know and trust – and brands that align with them stand to gain the most.
We see this play out across our Audience Connection Platform as the golden quarter gathers pace. Sales & Promotions engagement typically grows 10x during Black Friday week, while autumn favourites like Strictly Come Dancing and The Celebrity Traitors are driving Reality TV page views up by around a quarter year on year.
For brands, being louder won’t necessarily earn attention or trust. Showing up at the right moment, with a message that genuinely connects, in an environment people trust, is what matters. Across Ozone, we can see how, where and when these audiences are engaging, combining that intelligence with scale and creative capabilities to help brands make those moments count.”
For Christmas advertisers, relevance beats repetition
The research also challenges the temptation for brands to simply turn up the frequency during the Golden Quarter. When asked what makes them more likely to pay attention to advertising or think positively about a brand, 40% of consumers chose advertising that feels relevant to what they are doing or thinking about.
A further 34% chose being shown advertising at the right moment rather than being shown the same advert repeatedly, while 31% selected advertising that provokes an emotional response. Among Millennials, the demand for relevance is even greater, with 50% saying an ad that feels relevant to what they are doing or thinking about makes them more likely to pay attention or think positively about the brand.
Taken together, the findings point to a clear challenge for brands competing for attention during the Golden Quarter: winning Christmas isn’t necessarily about reaching consumers more often but being relevant when they do.
Sources:
Ozone x OnePoll Christmas Survey 2026. Consumer market research commissioned by Ozone and conducted by OnePoll among a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults (by age, gender, and region). Fieldwork was carried out between 24 and 29 June 2026.
Ozone 2025-2026
