Every year, in November, the same thing happens:
marketing becomes an obstacle course.
According to HubSpot and Hootsuite, more than 68% of marketing teams say the fourth quarter is the most stressful of the year.
And 42% of campaigns launched between November and December undergo changes along the way.
Translation: we work hard, think little, waste energy.
And we forget that right now, in the midst of chaos, a brand’s strategic reputation is at stake.
Because those who arrive in December feeling overwhelmed leave in January already tired.
There’s no point in doing more.
We need to do better, in less time.
The point isn’t to close: it’s to understand
Every November, companies confuse marketing objectives with business objectives.
Everything is measured in clicks, opens, and flash sales, but few ask themselves whether those numbers are truly creating value.
And in the meantime, planning crumbles under the weight of chain approvals.
Every post, every headline, every color goes through three signatures.
Decisions are made when time is running out, and strategy becomes just an elegant way to justify the rush.
The paradox is that brands ask agencies to “bring vision,” but then revert to “how we’ve always done it.”
And while the details are being discussed, the only thing that matters is lost: direction.
At Mentarossa, we see it every year: 70% of customers stop at Black Friday and stop thinking about Christmas, which is actually the perfect time to figure out where to take the brand.
That’s why we’re planning it in August.
Not out of obsession, but out of vision.
November and December are for this purpose
Not to close everything, but to close well.
To regain control—real control, not the one of the last approval—and set the course for the coming year.
Three concrete levers to work on now:
Look at your website, your voice, your content. Do they still represent you?
A mini-audit done today is worth more than a run in January.
Forget the “holiday magic.”
Instead, choose a coherent, heartfelt message that expresses who you are today.
Even a newsletter or an internal video can be a branding tool, if they have a direction.
Ask yourself: who really decides? Who approves what?
Reducing decision-making steps is the first strategic action you can take in November.
Because every day gained in approval is a day given to creativity.
The Unsolicited Advice
Conduct a three-step “end-of-year operational check.”
Block out half a day with your team and write down everything that’s in progress, with realistic dates.
Cancel or postpone anything that can’t deliver measurable results by December 20th.
Goal: Reduce 30% of deadlines that don’t really matter.
Create a shared file with all materials “for approval” and assign a single common deadline.
No approvals after that date.
Goal: Avoid 5 micro-reviews and gain 5 days of useful time.
Write the title of the first campaign or project of the new year.
You don’t need to define it, just give it a name.
Goal: Start 2026 knowing where to start over, not where to repair.
These three steps are worth more than any Christmas discount: they give you back time, clarity, and control.
What we’re doing at Mentarossa right now
In these weeks we are working with brands to:
Creativity comes from strategy.
And strategy comes from timely decisions, not last-minute approvals.
Let’s talk before the panettone arrives.
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