The Fourth of July brings fireworks, barbecues, and a golden opportunity for brands to connect with consumers who are actively planning events, traveling, shopping, and scrolling.
Whether they’re hunting for grilling gear, booking a last-minute flight, or stocking up on red, white, and blue everything, audiences are primed to spend—and they’re doing it online.
For marketers, this is one of those “don’t miss the boat” moments. Programmatic advertising gives you the tools to reach the right people with the right message, exactly when they’re most likely to take action.
Instead of tossing some banner ads into the digital void and hoping for clicks, you’re using data to place timely, relevant ads across devices and platforms without wasting budget or momentum.
Let’s discuss some practical programmatic strategies for Independence Day, helping you understand what consumers are doing, how to target them effectively, and how to make the most of your holiday advertising budget—before the last sparkler fizzles out.
The Growing Importance of the Fourth of July for Marketers
Independence Day holds a firm spot on the calendar as a cultural, emotional, and economic milestone.
For many Americans, it’s both a holiday and a tradition packed with meaning. It marks time with family, a sense of national pride, and the unofficial start of summer. That mix of sentiment and seasonal energy creates a perfect backdrop for consumer activity—and a prime opening for marketers.
The Fourth brings people together around cookouts, road trips, and fireworks—events that often require planning, spending, and last-minute shopping. That surge in activity translates to a surge in digital behavior. People are searching, browsing, and buying across devices in the days leading up to the celebration.
When people care deeply about a holiday, they’re more engaged. And when they’re more engaged, they’re more likely to notice relevant, timely messaging. That’s exactly what makes this holiday a strategic sweet spot for programmatic campaigns.
Understanding Your Audience: Key Fourth of July Consumer Trends
Before diving into your programmatic strategy, it’s important to know who you’re trying to reach.
Independence Day taps into a wide range of behaviors and interests, from backyard grilling to cross-country travel. To shape a smart campaign, you’ll want a clear view of how Americans typically engage with the holiday.
According to the National Retail Federation, in 2024, 87% of consumers were expected to celebrate the Fourth of July, with each person spending an average of $90.42 on food. That’s a lot of burgers and potato salad.
On top of that, 31% of shoppers planned to pick up patriotic items. Think flags, themed apparel, and other festive touches.
Celebration styles vary, but some patterns are clear. Among the people expected to participate in some kind of Fourth of July activity, 44% planned to buy fireworks or attend a professional display, 31% were getting ready to host or attend a cookout, and 13% planned to travel more than 25 miles away from home.
Travel played a major role in 2024’s Independence Day plans. Statista data showed that over 70 million Americans were expected to travel more than 50 miles, marking a record high. Out of that group, 60.6 million were expected to drive, 5.7 million would fly, and another 4.6 million were likely to travel by train or other methods.
All the numbers tell a story of activity, movement, and spending. Consumers are shopping for food, gearing up for events, and preparing for trips. That kind of momentum creates ideal conditions for programmatic campaigns.
Whether you’re promoting travel deals, retail discounts, or event-related services, targeting your message around these behaviors can help your ads reach people who are already in motion—and ready to act.
Crafting a Programmatic Advertising Strategy for the Fourth of July
Now that you have a better understanding of who your audience is, it’s time to create your programmatic advertising strategy.
Let’s break this down step-by-step:
1. Audience Segmentation
In programmatic advertising, targeting is everything. The beauty of this method is the ability to segment your audience based on specific behaviors and characteristics.
For the Fourth of July, here’s how you can segment your audience:
- Foodies and Grillmasters: If you’re in the food industry, be it barbecue supplies or snacks, target those who are planning to host cookouts. Tailor your messaging to emphasize grilling essentials and party packs.
- Fireworks Fans: If you’re selling fireworks or related products, target consumers who are likely to attend or watch professional displays. This can be based on geographic data or user interest in fireworks-related content.
- Travelers: With so many people traveling for the holiday, targeting those on the move can be highly effective. Customize ads for products or services that cater to travelers, such as luggage, road trip essentials, or local experiences at destinations.
2. Creative Strategies
Your ad creatives should reflect the holiday spirit. That means vibrant, patriotic visuals and messaging that’s fun, festive, and, most importantly, relevant. Here are a few ideas for creative strategies:
- Patriotic Designs: Use red, white, and blue colors in your ads, and highlight products with fireworks, stars, or flags. Think of your creatives as visual fireworks that catch attention instantly.
- Limited-Time Offers: The Fourth of July is all about exclusivity. Consider creating limited-time offers or discounts, as they will incentivize immediate action.
- Dynamic Creatives: Programmatic ads can dynamically adjust based on consumer behavior, making your message even more effective.
3. Cross-Platform Targeting
Consumers are on multiple devices throughout the day, especially during holidays when they’re juggling travel plans, cookouts, and social media scrolls. That’s why programmatic ads should reach people across all their devices:
- Mobile: People are on their phones researching recipes, event details, or booking last-minute travel. Mobile programmatic ads allow you to target them in real-time with timely offers.
- Desktop: A lot of consumers will sit down at their computers to finalize travel plans or order food. Ensure your ads are visible on desktops, especially for those doing last-minute shopping.
- Social media and OTT: The Fourth of July is the perfect time to run ads across social media platforms and streaming services. Use social media to target users who have shown interest in holiday-related topics. With over-the-top (OTT) platforms, you can reach audiences while they’re watching holiday specials or live events.
4. Timely Messaging
Timing is everything when it comes to programmatic ads during a holiday. People make purchasing decisions leading up to the event, and others wait until the last minute.
To capitalize on this, your messaging needs to be timely:
- Early Bird Deals: Start your campaign early to capture the shoppers who are planning their celebrations in advance. Use phrases like “Get Ready for the Fourth: Early Access to Sale!”
- Countdowns and Flash Sales: As the day approaches, countdowns and flash sales can create urgency and FOMO (fear of missing out). Run ads promoting “Last-Minute Deals for Your Fourth of July Celebration” just before the holiday hits.
5. Geolocation Targeting for Travelers
Since many consumers will be traveling over the Fourth of July, geolocation targeting is a powerful tool to tailor your ads. For example, if people are traveling to specific cities or states, you can promote location-specific offers, such as:
- Local discounts for travelers in a certain region.
- Suggestions for nearby restaurants or attractions based on their travel plans.
- Travel essentials or services tailored to people on the go.
Geofencing can help you target individuals when they’re near key landmarks like fireworks displays or popular vacation spots.
Why Partnering with an AI Programmatic Advertising Company Gives You an Edge
Running programmatic ads manually can be like playing darts in the dark: you might hit something, but it won’t always be the right target.
That’s where AI comes in, and more importantly, where working with a team that knows how to wield AI effectively can make all the difference.
Smarter Targeting, Less Guesswork
An experienced programmatic partner uses AI to analyze real-time data, everything from location to search behavior. That insight allows your campaigns to find and follow the right people across devices and platforms, increasing the chances of conversion while reducing wasted impressions.
Real-Time Optimization
Things move fast in the digital world. AI allows campaigns to adjust in real time, tweaking bids, refreshing creative, and redirecting budget based on what’s performing.
Instead of letting underperforming ads run all day, AI helps fine-tune your strategy by the hour, maximizing efficiency and ROI.
Expanded Reach Beyond Big Platforms
While Google and Meta may dominate the conversation, they’re just part of the ecosystem. With the right partner, you can use AI to tap into premium inventory across connected TV, digital audio, mobile apps, news sites, and more. That means broader reach without spreading your budget too thin.
Strategy + Automation = Better Results
AI delivers the automation, but expert teams bring the strategy. A programmatic company blends both, aligning your campaign with seasonal trends, performance goals, and creative best practices.
That synergy gives your Fourth of July campaigns a stronger foundation and a sharper focus.
Supercharge Your Campaigns with AI Programmatic Advertising This Fourth of July
Independence Day brings a surge in consumer attention and spending. If your ads aren’t showing up where people are browsing, shopping, and planning, you’re missing out.
At KPAI, we use AI programmatic advertising to help you reach beyond the usual suspects like Google and Meta. Our team builds precision-targeted awareness and consideration campaigns that deliver assured KPI results by connecting with the right people, at the right moment, on the right platforms—from connected TV to digital video to mobile apps and beyond.
Want to attract new clients, expand your reach, and stay top-of-mind this July 4th? Contact KPAI today!
