Advertising is about data – target markets and ad spend and performance. But it’s also about feelings.

Part of the key thing is for a retailer to show that they understand where a consumer is coming from and how they’re feeling at this particular point, said Jeremy Goldman, a marketing and retail analyst at Insider Intelligence.

And right now, a lot of them are feeling the pain of inflation. This means brands need to take a sensitive approach. Kaitlin Ceckowski, a marketing analyst at Mintel, said advertisers are avoiding shots of presents spilling out from under the tree. Instead, they’re focusing on family time at the dinner table or around the fireplace.

“Those are things that we know consumers are still going to be doing and enjoying about the holiday season, but don’t necessarily have any ties to prices,” she said.

Retailers are also featuring less expensive stocking stuffers, not just big-ticket items. That’s hard to do with cars, jewelry and electronics. Brands in those categories are focusing on “quality, longevity, durability,” Ceckowski said – because these speak to value, too.