Key Takeaways:
• 2025 is the first true “AI Christmas.” Consumers are using ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, Claude, and others—not Google—to find gifts, compare prices, and make buying decisions.
• If your company isn’t optimized for AI (AEO), you’re invisible. AI answer engines give only 2–4 recommendations not 10 blue Google links.
• AI shopping surged this year: Black Friday AI-driven shopping traffic up 805% YoY (Adobe).
• $44.2 billion was spent online between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday. That’s a 7.7% increase with AI influencing billions of those purchases.
• Retail foot traffic declined 3.6%, meaning shopping has shifted decisively online and AI-assisted.
• Target, Walmart, and top retailers are already using AEO-style optimization to win the top AI placements.
• If your competitors adopt AEO before you do, they will quietly steal your December sales without spending more than you.
• AEO must be implemented immediately to capture Christmas demand already flooding ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, and others.
2025 will go down as the first true “AI Christmas.”
That’s right.
The first Christmas where your prospects aren’t searching the old way…
They’re asking AI.
And most companies B2C or B2B – have no idea what to do, how to prepare, or what must change right now.
Worse…many companies don’t know they’re already invisible.
Because this year—more than ever—if you’re not optimized for AI, you will not be found.
Your competitors will quietly capture sales that should be yours… without outspending you… simply by out-positioning you with Answer Engine Optimization (AEO).
And yes—there is still time, but not much.
Let’s break down 7 things every marketer, advertising director, and company president must know about the First AI Christmas.
1. AI Christmas Has Already Begun—and the Numbers Are Explosive
Between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, Adobe reports:
• $44.2 billion spent online
• 7.7% YoY growth
• Billions of dollars influenced directly by AI shopping tools
And here’s the shocker:
Black Friday AI-driven traffic to retail surged 805% year-over-year.
(Source: Adobe Digital Insights)
That’s not a typo.
Over 8X growth in a single year.
Consumers didn’t “browse.”
They didn’t “Google.”
They asked AI And AI pointed them to just a handful of product choices.
2. AI Directly Drove $14.2 Billion in Global Sales—$3 Billion in the U.S. Alone
Adobe estimates AI tools—like ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, and Copilot—directly drove:
• $14.2 billion in sales globally
• $3 billion in the U.S.
AI didn’t “influence” the sale.
AI chose which companies to recommend.
This is the new battlefield for marketers.
3. Consumer Behavior Has Completely Changed—AI Is Now a Personal Shopper
Here’s how millions of shoppers behaved this Christmas:
They asked questions like:
• “What’s a great gift for my wife under $100?”
• “What’s the best toy for a 3-year-old boy?”
• “Find me the best price on a sapphire ring.”
• “What are the highest-rated gifts for employees this year?”
• “What are the top software solutions for increasing sales?”
AI responds with 2–4 answers, not the long list of links Google used to provide.
So here’s the million-dollar question:
Is your company showing up in that short list?
If not, the reason is simple:
Your content is not AEO-optimized.
Remember, AI increases your prospect’s confidence in looking for a product or service. AI users spend 2 times more per shopping cart.
Already 42% of AI users have switched brands by using AI.
4. Physical Retail Is Declining—AI-Assisted Online Shopping Is the New Normal
RetailNext reports:
• Black Friday foot traffic fell 3.6%
• Meanwhile, online purchasing surged
• Consumers turned to AI for personalized suggestions, price comparisons, and curated options
Inflation?
Recession fears?
Tariffs?
None of that slowed buyers down.
They simply spent their discretionary income smarter—and AI showed them how.
5. Retail Giants Are Quietly Winning Because They’ve Already Adopted AEO
Target.
Walmart.
Best Buy.
They’ve built AI-enhanced product pages that:
• Answer consumer questions directly
• Use structured AEO-friendly content
• Provide images, descriptions, FAQs, comparisons, and “why choose us” sections
• Are easily read by ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok
These companies are capturing millions in holiday revenue simply because their content is readable and recommendable by AI.
That’s the competitive edge.
6. AEO Is Not Hard. Any company can Dominate their Vertical. But It Must Be Done Strategically and Scientifically
AEO is not SEO.
AEO is strategic reformatting of your content so AI engines:
• Understand it
• Trust it
• Recommend it
• Include it in the shortlist of answers AI gives to your customers
Whether you’re:
- B2B
- B2C
- Selling high-ticket services
- Selling consumer products
- Generating leads
- Running e-commerce
- Growing a local business
- Selling to retailers
AEO is the difference between being seen and being invisible.
Done right, AEO will:
• Increase leads
• Increase sales
• Increase trust
• Increase authority
• Increase market dominance
Done wrong or not done at all and your company risks sliding into digital obscurity.
7. Your Christmas Advantage Is Still Possible—But Only if You Move Now
There is still time to implement AEO correctly.
But you must act fast.
And you must be ready for the last week of December and January – a powerful buying time.
Every day you delay, your prospects ask AI questions…
And AI recommends competitors instead of you.
AEO is now mandatory for marketers who want December and January sales to grow—not shrink.
The companies who take action now will dominate the First AI Christmas…
And they’ll set themselves up for massive gains in 2026.
Action:
To ensure AI finds you—recommends you—and chooses you this Christmas, contact Michael at my office immediately.
We will:
• Analyze your website and landing pages for AEO gaps
• Rewrite and restructure content using proven direct response principles
• Create AEO-optimized Q&A blocks
• Build AI-friendly authority content
• Position you for top placement in ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, Claude, and others
• Implement quickly—so you benefit during the Christmas and December/January buying surge
Call Michael at CDMG at 615-933-4647 or email him at [email protected].
We’ve been leaders in direct response marketing for over 40 years, with 10,000+ tests, 124 marketing awards, and unmatched skill in blending science, art, copy, and data.
Let us help you dominate this First AI Christmas.
FAQs:
Q: Does AEO work for B2B companies?
Absolutely. AI is becoming the first stop for executives researching vendors, solutions, or services. B2B companies need AEO as urgently as e-commerce brands.
Q: Is AEO expensive?
It’s far less costly than losing sales because AI can’t find you. AEO is one of the highest-ROI marketing strategies available today.
Q: How fast can we implement AEO?
Most companies can begin seeing improvements in as little as 2–4 weeks, depending on website complexity.
Q: Will AEO replace SEO?
AEO is the new SEO. AI assistants are rapidly replacing search engines. Companies that adapt now will dominate their category.
Q: What if my competitors are already doing this?
Then you cannot wait another day. AEO is a winner-take-most environment. The companies who act first lock in authority and trust signals that are difficult to dislodge.
About Craig Huey:
Craig Huey is President of Creative Direct Marketing Group (CDMGinc.com), a 30-year leader in direct response advertising and multi-channel marketing. Under his leadership, CDMG has:
- Tested more than 10,000 digital marketing variables.
- Mailed over 10 million pieces of direct mail in the last year alone.
- Won more than 120 awards for marketing excellence.
Craig is also the publisher of Direct Marketing Update, the trusted newsletter for company presidents and marketing directors looking to maximize ROI with cutting-edge, accountable advertising strategies.
Let CDMG Be Your Partner in Driving Growth
Media Help, Copy Help, Testing Help, D2C, and e-Commerce Help
CDMG is more than an ad agency
Let us be your second opinion
CDMG’s award-winning team, run by marketing veterans Craig and Caleb Huey, is dedicated to improving your advertising, marketing, branding, and bottom line with a proven approach that maximizes response rates and ROI.
With expertise in media, data, digital, and creative strategy, we’ve earned over 120 prestigious awards, in 2024 alone.
Why CDMG?
- Proven Success: 120 prestigious awards in 2024 alone.
- Data-Driven Strategy: We don’t guess. We know what works. Our campaigns are crafted with precision to deliver maximum ROI.
- Expertise Across the Board: From media buying to digital copywriting, testing, and direct-to-consumer strategies—we’ve got it all covered.
- Real Results: We’ve helped launch new products, reposition brands, and turn small businesses into multimillion-dollar success stories.
Let us help with your video needs!
We produce:
• Pre-roll videos
• Video sales letters (VSLs)
• TV commercials
• Infomercials
• Addressable TV
• Videologs
…and much more!
Our team has launched new products… and helped reposition companies to a higher level. Our strategies and tactics have generated leads, and built powerhouse e-commerce programs that have helped turn small businesses into multimillion dollar success stories and grown large companies.
Our formula is data driven, accountable advertising that supercharges your growth. Every campaign is crafted precisely, focusing on what matters most to drive your success.
Let’s discuss your marketing challenges and give you a second opinion.
Contact Michael Oppenheimer at 615-933-4647 or email him at [email protected].
Start transforming your marketing results today with CDMG, Inc.