In partnership with Courage, Sephora Canada has launched a national holiday campaign that merges social listening with real-world OOH visibility—turning private wishlists into public gifting prompts.
The idea comes from a universal holiday behaviour: people drop hints—some subtle, some not-so-subtle—to get the gifts they truly want. Sephora amplified this tradition by inviting consumers to submit their holiday beauty wishlist directly through Instagram DM.
Participants were asked to message @sephoracanada with three simple details: their top Sephora product, who they hoped would gift it, and the city that person lives in.
From private hints to public billboards
Selected submissions were transformed into large-format OOH placements across Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal—turning personal wishlists into bold, high-visibility callouts for holiday gift-givers.
A hybrid of UGC, paid media, and social behaviour
By elevating user-generated messages into paid placements, Sephora created a hybrid creative model that blends community participation with the scale of traditional media. The result: a holiday moment rooted in real consumer voices, amplified across the country.
“Consumers are already telling the world what they want. We just gave them a bigger stage,” reflects the campaign team.
A competitive edge during peak retail season
As holiday gifting competition intensifies, Sephora’s approach cuts through by making the consumer the hero of the message. The campaign reinforces Sephora’s position as a go-to beauty gifting destination while delivering surprise-and-delight impact for fans.
Visibility across Canada’s biggest holiday markets
With placements in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, the brand ensured massive real-world visibility. The billboards serve both the participants and the public—highlighting personal stories within a national media moment.
FAQs about this campaign
What is Sephora Canada’s holiday wishlist campaign?
A national initiative where Sephora turned real consumer wishlists submitted via Instagram DM into large-format OOH billboards across Canada.
How could consumers participate?
Fans were asked to DM @sephoracanada with their top wishlist item, who they wanted it from, and the city that person lives in.
Where were the billboards displayed?
In Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal—three key holiday shopping markets in Canada.
What makes this campaign unique?
It blends UGC, social listening, and paid OOH, turning private holiday hints into public, high-visibility billboards aimed at real gift-givers.
How does this campaign support Sephora’s brand role during the holidays?
It reinforces Sephora as a top gifting destination by merging consumer participation with surprise-and-delight visibility in a busy retail season.
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