2024 Peak may still be fresh in your mind, but shopping habits are evolving fast. Brands are gearing up for an earlier and more intense Peak, meaning reward and incentive providers must be proactive.

It’s not just about the 2025 Peak season. From Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day to Back-to-School and Black Friday, every event is an opportunity to drive engagement and maximize sales.

Planning ahead keeps businesses agile and ahead of the competition, no matter the season.

The global gift card market is projected to reach $1,897 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 10.46% — highlighting the increasing reliance on gift cards as flexible, instant, and effective engagement tools.

Discount Expectations Are Rising

Shoppers are more discount-savvy than ever, and brands are responding with increased promotions. With consumers still feeling the cost-of-living pinch, even small increases in discounts can give you a competitive edge.

For providers: Cashback, loyalty rewards, and incentives can be paired with discounted gift cards to meet consumer demand for value.

Action point: Explore “Spend & Get” promotions, e.g., Spend $50, get a $10 gift card, and consider how to replicate them in your rewards structure.

Brands Are Moving Early — You Need to Keep Up

Despite an extra day between Cyber Monday and Christmas Eve in 2025, fewer weekends in December mean brands will launch promotions earlier.

For providers: Expect gift card promotions to launch sooner than usual.

Action point: Adjust your marketing cadence. Work with gift card partners to align with earlier brand offers.

Cyber Monday Lands Late in 2025

Cyber Monday falls on December 1, 2025, running directly into the Holiday season.

With digital gift cards growing 17.1% YoY, they’ll be central to sustaining momentum past traditional shipping cut-offs, letting shoppers buy right up to Christmas Day.

For providers: Feature digital gift cards prominently in your marketplace or incentive program, especially mid-to-late December.

Action point: Check your catalogue — do you have enough digital options available? Are your redemption systems optimized for instant delivery?

Keep Up with Brand Changes and Artwork Updates

Brands will refresh gift card artwork, branding, and promotions more frequently throughout the year.

For providers: Stay on top of creative updates. Outdated visuals could mean missing key seasonal marketing moments.

Action point: Set up a system to check for new creative assets regularly. Work with gift card partners to ensure you receive updates.

The Rise of “Fake Friday”

Brands are launching promotions before Black Friday, with Fake Friday (November 21, 2025) becoming a key date in the retail calendar.

For providers: Early discounts create more engagement opportunities.

Action point: Review 2024 performance — did early promotions work? If so, plan to promote incentives earlier in 2025.

Make 2025 Your Most Profitable Year Yet — with Tillo

2025 will be more competitive, dynamic, and full of opportunities to grow revenue through gift cards. Success isn’t just about keeping up — it’s about staying ahead. That’s where Tillo comes in.

What Makes Us Different

• Our People – An expert team makes working with Tillo effortless, from onboarding to ongoing support

• Our Technology – An award-winning platform simplifies gift card management with real-time updates

• Our Customer Service – The only gift card provider certified for Customer Service Excellence

• Our Leadership – We power leading rewards and incentive brands with data-driven strategies

The brands are getting ready. Are you set to make 2025 your most profitable year yet?