Quad

At Quad, we’ve long understood that physical brand experiences leave a lasting impression on consumers. The holiday season makes this especially clear. New research from The Harris Poll, presented by Quad, shows 76% of Americans say visiting physical stores feels like a holiday ritual. One that gets them in the holiday spirit and helps them feel more connected to family and friends. The research also shows consumers are more comfortable buying high-quality, higher-priced items in-store, and trust a deal is “real” when they see it in-store. Interestingly – or perhaps not – it’s Millennials and digital-native Gen Z leading this trend. You can view the full findings of our Return of Touch research here: https://bit.ly/4pPBr8t In a world that’s always online, it serves as a powerful reminder that in-person moments drive trust, action and connection. When thoughtfully combined with digital, these physical touchpoints create the greatest impact with measurable results. I’m excited to see how marketers harness this renewed appetite for in-person connection — not just this holiday season, but all year long.

The real holiday magic? It’s offline. 📬✨ Backed by new data from Quad × The Harris Poll.

The season’s biggest shopping moments are happening offline. 🛍️📬 Discover what’s driving consumers in the latest Quad x Harris Poll survey.

From strategy to screens to sales, we make retail media easy. In-Store Connect delivers full-funnel performance with less complexity and more control.

The joy of discovery is back. (Yes, really.) New research from Quad and The Harris Poll just confirmed what many of us have been feeling: shopping in person is having a moment again. Seventy-four percent of consumers say it’s the best way to spark holiday spirit. Not just convenient. Not just another option. The best way. It’s like the lyric says, “Everything old is new again.” After years of swiping, tapping, and one-click buying, people are craving something they can actually touch. They want to see, feel, and experience what they’re getting for the people they care about. They especially want those serendipitous finds—you know, the ones that somehow become “the perfect gift.” (66% say that’s happened to them… it totally has for me.) Here’s what stood out to me: * 76% say going to stores feels like a holiday ritual (and honestly, they’re right—but fewer Mariah Carey vibes, please.) * 63% say they find more unique gifts in stores than online * 72% feel more confident about quality when they shop IRL * And Gen Z and Millennials, the “born-online” generations, are leading the charge back into stores. (Turns out presence > pixels.) And here comes the surprise twist: catalogs. Yep, those glossy, tactile, mailbox-friendly, alert-free zones are suddenly cool again. Fifty-four percent of Gen Z say they get excited when one arrives. Nostalgia? Maybe. But more likely it’s that moment of calm, the scroll break, the inspiration they can actually hold in their hands. As the The New York Times reported earlier this week, Nordstrom just released a 100-page holiday catalog, glossy pages, stickers, “give it” and “get it” tags, and I love it. As Olivia Kim’s SVP of Creative Nordstrom, said, “I’m a big fan of tactile, old-school ways of communicating.” The message for brands? Balance matters. Digital still drives reach, but physical experiences, whether in-store or in-hand, build trust, spark discovery, and create the kind of emotional connection algorithms can’t fake. Consumers are telling us what they want. (Maybe they’ve been saying it all along.) Look at the research in the first comment!

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