Kohl's To Launch Holiday Campaign During World Series
The retailer will align its broadcast and social media strategy with in-store displays to reach its 30 million members.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Retail
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Kohl's will launch its "The North Kohl's" holiday advertising campaign this Friday during the World Series. The effort features actor Ellie Kemper and will span across live sports, social media, and in-store displays for the retailer's national footprint.
Why it matters
The campaign aims to drive traffic among the retailer's 30 million loyalty members by focusing on high-value brand positioning. It represents a key marketing push under the leadership of CEO Michael Bender and chief customer officer Arianne Parisi.
Kohl's maintains a physical footprint of over 1,100 stores across 49 states, with 80% of Americans living within 15 miles of a location. The company also manages a loyalty program of more than 30 million members.
The players
Kohl's
A national department store operator with over 1,100 locations across 49 states.
Ellie Kemper
An actor who has served as the brand face for Kohl's since March 2025.
Michael Bender
The current CEO of Kohl's who assumed the role in May 2025.
Arianne Parisi
The chief customer officer of Kohl's who joined the executive team in September 2026.
The details
The campaign will integrate across various channels including live sports broadcasts, social media platforms, and influencer-led creator content. Retail operations will reflect these themes through updated in-store signage and product displays. This omnichannel approach is designed to connect the retailer's large physical footprint with its digital-heavy loyalty member base.
Timeline
March 2025: Ellie Kemper began serving as the brand face.
May 2025: Michael Bender was appointed as CEO.
September 2026: Arianne Parisi became chief customer officer.
October 23, 2026: The campaign premieres during the World Series.
Market Landscape
The campaign follows the industry trend of synchronized omnichannel marketing by aligning mass-market broadcast sports buys with in-store physical signage. This strategy underscores the retailer's move to leverage its large physical footprint in conjunction with its digital-first loyalty platform.
Retailers should monitor how this campaign converts the company's 30 million loyalty members into holiday shoppers via social and creator content. Operators should assess whether their own in-store signage aligns with digital marketing efforts to create a unified brand experience.
The takeaway
The campaign emphasizes the importance of integrating influencer content with traditional broadcast reach to engage a broad demographic. Operators should track the conversion rate of loyalty members following high-profile holiday campaigns as a benchmark for their own promotional efforts.
What happens next
The campaign is scheduled to premiere during the World Series on October 23, 2026.
Further reading
For more on evolving consumer engagement strategies, see the Retail section.
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Do you find holiday advertising campaigns featuring celebrity spokespeople effective at influencing your shopping choices?
