8 Top Thanksgiving Social Media Posts and Campaigns [Infographic]

No matter the season, the best social media campaign will echo your audience’s values; offer a fresh take on a familiar product, service or industry; and create a memorable brand experience. Today, we’re walking you through real-world examples, rapid-fire post ideas and ready-to-copy post templates that can transform a single social media post into a full-fledged, multichannel story.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, we’re serving up some of the best Thanksgiving social media posts in recent memory. And we’re sharing advice on how to (pumpkin) spice up your content marketing, weave in seasonal marketing hooks and align every social media post with bigger Thanksgiving marketing goals.

Top Thanksgiving Social Media Campaigns

1. Embracing Friendsgiving With Target
2. A Whole Foods Holiday Collaboration
3. Coca-Cola: More Than Just Carbonation
4. food52 ‘SIDES Week’
5. Butterball’s ‘Time Is of the Essence’
6. This or That with Walmart
7. How to Use Trends with Abercrombie
8. Creatively Cracking Jokes with Ulta Beauty
9. Macy’s 2025 Thanksgiving Campaign

1. Embracing Friendsgiving With Target

The reality of Thanksgiving for many younger generations is that they don’t necessarily live close to family, and they’re less likely to have time off work. This is where Friendsgiving comes in — a gathering of pals to enjoy dinner and create Instagram-worthy Thanksgiving images.

That’s the true joy of Friendsgiving: you, your friends, vibes — and the perfect post to prove it.

Target recognized that with their Pinterest post, which hoped to inspire by offering “Friendsgiving ideas to serve up and share.”

Why It Works

Target leaned into one of its core customer bases’ favorite pastimes: Celebrating Thanksgiving with like-minded friends. By publishing simple yet colorful Thanksgiving ideas, the retailer removed friction for DIY hosts.

Target even linked readers to a full-length article complete with visually appealing, step-by-step media post ideas that you could implement in your Friendsgiving this year.

And why was this campaign a smart move? According to Green Giant research (yes, the veggies), almost 50% of surveyed consumers planned to spend more than $75 on Friendsgiving, and 25% were spending more than $100. It’s a rich opportunity to get in front of customers who want fun memories and are willing to pay to create them.

2. A Whole Foods Holiday Collaboration

Successful lifestyle influencer Bonnie Barton, known as Flashesofstyle online, partnered with Whole Foods to showcase an easy way to create a fall bouquet that can be used as a Thanksgiving decoration. 

This is a great example of using store items to create an aesthetically pleasing reel. It’s functional, practical and interesting to viewers

whether they make their own bouquet or not.

Why It Works

What’s great about this post is that it checks a lot of social media boxes. It’s:

• Co-branded.
• Influencer-driven.
• Topically aware.

It’s also very visual, personal and tactical. Viewers can gather interesting tips to spruce up their Thanksgiving decorations in the future, all while staying within budget and impressing family with their floral arrangement skills. It proves that a single Thanksgiving Facebook post or Instagram reel can serve as both inspiration and a direct path to purchase — powerful proof of social media marketing done right.

3. Coca-Cola: More Than Just Carbonation

People cook with Coca-Cola and use the bottles for decoration?

Apparently so.

At least, that’s the message the beverage maker conveyed in its Thanksgiving campaign on Pinterest.

In a truly resourceful example of squeaking every last bit of marketing value out of your product, Coca-Cola prompted fans and children to turn each bottle into a colorful turkey. 

Why It Works

Whereas some of the companies on this list are explicitly food brands with close ties to Thanksgiving, Coca-Cola isn’t really. That doesn’t stop the carbonated soft drink manufacturer from elbowing its way into the Thanksgiving cheer — a reminder that creative Thanksgiving marketing ideas can work for any industry.

With creative displays of tangential use cases and simple product-based recipes, Coca-Cola used its social posts to solidify its brand image and association with all things Thanksgiving. The content proved that even a simple media post can extend a product’s relevance beyond its traditional use case.

4. food52 “SIDES Week”

What do you get when you stir together a community of foodies, influencers and seasonal recipes?

A delectable social media campaign from food52.

As the name suggests, the company got its start sharing weekly recipes with followers. One holiday season, food52 embarked on a “SIDES Week,” sharing new recipes for Thanksgiving dinner sides and tagging contributors.

If you were looking to expand your Thanksgiving plates with some foodie-approved sides, gather fresh Thanksgiving image inspiration or just want to salivate at casserole, this campaign was a gift.

Why It Works

Bringing a stellar side to Thanksgiving dinner is a great way to one-up your annoying aunt and express gratitude to the glory of a huge meal. And food52 gave customers just that opportunity.

By staying true to its roots and posting weekly recipes, food52 delivered brand consistency. Putting a Thanksgiving spin on its namesake was a no-brainer. Followers of the food brand already knew they could trust the quality and the source of food52 recipe ideas, and they got a chance to engage with like-minded commenters in a meaningful, supportive way.

An online community extends the reach of your brand voice, and it defines your image on social media. And that’s something food52 can be thankful for, because they cultivated a passionate and polite following during a time of giving and gratitude — proof that strategic media marketing can nurture loyal fans long after the last slice of pie.

5. Butterball’s “Time Is of the Essence”

Turkey seller Butterball is probably more excited about Thanksgiving than your average brand. Thanksgiving Day is not just a one-off affair; the lead-up and the leftovers are just as important.

In this Instagram post, the company slapped its brand colors and logo on a simple November calendar to emphasize its humorous side. The meme offered a change from Butterball’s conventional marketing style — heavy on hi-res photography and juicy turkeys — while also intuitively promoting the urgency of its campaign. 

The countdown to Thanksgiving begins early, and Butterball was perfectly positioned to capitalize on sales.

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Una publicación compartida por Butterball (@butterballturkey)

Why It Works

Butterball stretched the definition of a holiday season marketing campaign. In Butterball’s universe, Thanksgiving is a month-long holiday with loved ones, pumpkin pie and gravy.  No need to contain Turkey Day to the fourth Thursday of November!

This post built excitement and appreciation for Thanksgiving while at the same time setting the stage for continued Thanksgiving reminders even after the holiday has passed. There are still plenty of leftovers — and endless opportunities for post-Thanksgiving recipe reels.

6. This or That with Walmart

Walmart is a master of visually appealing content on Instagram, while still appealing to the average person. Its Thanksgiving post is a GIF that asks age-old questions like “Pumpkin or pecan pie?” and “Mashed or sweet potatoes?”  Classic poll-style media post ideas like this are great for sparking comments and shares.

Why It Works

This GIF was perfect for a Thanksgiving post because it was nice to look at and fits in well with the typical holiday theme while remaining branded as Walmart. The caption mentioned that the stores are closed during the holiday, but still encourages online interaction by asking questions that users can answer in the comments — a tried-and-true social media marketing tactic.

7. How to Use Trends with Abercrombie

Abercrombie and Fitch is one of the most interesting brands, with its early 2000s popularity waning only to come back in full force. Part of the reason for this trend-friendly return was the smart usage of social media. The brand’s 2022 post on TikTok is a great example of this — and a reminder that even a fashion-first media post can become a high-engagement Thanksgiving celebration. 

@abercrombie It's our favorite look too, @Chase.dexter #abercrombie ♬ original sound – abercrombie & fitch

Why It Works

TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms. Abercrombie tapped into that massive audience to share content on a popular topic — what to wear for Thanksgiving. This strategy ticked several boxes:

• Collaboration.
• Gets on board with the Fall Favorites trend.
• Uses a popular social media platform.

This gets the audience thinking about what they’re going to wear to the next fall gathering and might encourage them to head on over to the brand’s website to scout something out. It’s a quick lesson in leveraging seasonal marketing moments to push product discovery.

8. Creatively Cracking Jokes with Ulta Beauty

On Twitter/X, Ulta Beauty took an unexpected approach to its Thanksgiving Day post. Taking the idea of the pie chart to the next level, it gently poked fun at some of the stressors that come with the holiday, all while connecting to its specific target audience. 

Why it Works

This was a relatively simple post, but its simplicity was one of its strengths. Not only was it creative and a little funny, but the image itself could be used across platforms. The image was visually appealing but also encouraged interaction without being too pushy. Talk about a win-win! 

9. Macy’s: A Purpose-Driven Partnership

Between November 1st and December 24th, 2025, Macy’s partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) for an omnichannel holiday campaign that successfully raised over $3.1 million. The retailer integrated the partnership into every touchpoint, allowing customers to round up purchases in-store, donate online or buy limited-edition collectible items — including a plush bear and a tote bag featuring artwork specifically designed by BBBS youth.

And for the social element, the brand featured real-life “Big and Little” mentorship matches in their official campaign materials and across social channels to tell authentic stories. Macy’s even integrated the partnership into its most iconic real-world events, having BBBS youth march alongside the Tom Turkey float in the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Why It Works 

What’s great about this campaign is that it checked a lot of social media and marketing boxes. It was:

• Co-branded.
• Purpose-driven.
• Highly experiential.

It was also deeply authentic and emotionally resonant. Viewers connect much more strongly with a cause when they see the real faces and stories behind it. By spotlighting actual mentorship matches across its social platforms and bringing them into highly visible, beloved traditions like the Thanksgiving Day Parade, Macy’s turned an abstract charity drive into a tangible, human narrative. It proves that holiday marketing doesn’t just have to be about pushing products — a purpose-driven campaign can seamlessly blend massive brand visibility with meaningful community impact.

Planning Your Thanksgiving Content

Creating an effective Thanksgiving social media strategy means thinking beyond just the holiday itself. Here’s how to plan your content for maximum engagement and impact.

When to Post: A Thanksgiving Content Timeline

Timing is everything when it comes to Thanksgiving social media posts. Here’s a suggested timeline to help you plan around key dates and ensure each social media post lands when audience attention peaks:

Tip: Schedule posts in advance to ensure consistent presence and take advantage of peak engagement times around each event. A content calendar filled with flexible marketing ideas will keep your team ahead of the rush when Thanksgiving time arrives.

Interactive Content Ideas for Thanksgiving

Interactive social media content boosts engagement and helps your brand stand out. Try these ideas:

• UGC challenges: Encourage followers to share their Thanksgiving table, recipes or Friendsgiving moments using a branded hashtag — perfect material for a follow-up post.
• Polls and quizzes: Run polls like “Pumpkin vs. Pecan Pie?” or quizzes about Thanksgiving traditions — easy media post ideas that drive quick replies.
• Contests: Host photo contests for the best holiday decor or most creative leftovers recipe, then spotlight winners in a carousel of Thanksgiving images.
• Live Streams: Go live during meal prep, a Friendsgiving event or while supporting Small Business Saturday. Add a scannable QR code on-screen to direct viewers to exclusive offers.

40+ Thanksgiving Social Media Captions You Can Use Today

Looking for the perfect words? Here’s a caption bank grouped by tone for your Thanksgiving posts. Copy, paste and pair each line with your favorite Thanksgiving images or video clips for instant engagement.

Gratitude

• “Grateful for good food, great company and the little moments that matter most.”
• “Thankful for every memory made this year — happy Thanksgiving, Facebook!”
• “Counting blessings, not calories. Drop a 🦃 if you agree!”
• “Gratitude turns what we have into enough. Share yours in the comments.”
• “Today and every day, we’re thankful for you. #GiveThanks”

Funny

• “Leftovers are for quitters.”
• “I’m just here for the pie.”
• “May your turkey be moist and your Wi-Fi strong.”
• “Let the carbs, the chaos and the cranberry sauce begin.”
• “Our favorite Thanksgiving side? All of them.”

Food

• “Pass the gravy and the gratitude.”
• “Official taste tester of Thanksgiving — any volunteers?”
• “Serving up sides, smiles and epic food.”
• “Feast mode: activated. This is not a drill.”
• “Calories don’t count on Thanksgiving. Science* (*our science).”

B2B & Professional

• “Wishing our partners, clients and team a prosperous holiday season and a very happy Thanksgiving.”
• “Thankful for the opportunity to serve our community this year.”.”
• “Collaboration and gratitude make the best recipe for success.”
• “Grateful for the business relationships that help us grow — happy Thanksgiving, LinkedIn family.”
• “Here’s to a season of thanks, innovation and continued partnership.”

More caption ideas:

• “Gather, give thanks, repeat.”
• “Friendsgiving vibes only — who’s bringing dessert?”
• “Thankful for our small business community. #ShopSmall”
• “Black Friday deals loading … stay tune!”
• “Celebrating tradition, technology and innovation this Thanksgiving.”

Best Thanksgiving Hashtags for Social Media

Pair these hashtags with striking Thanksgiving images for maximum reach.

B2C vs. B2B Social Media Pointers

Remember: Every Facebook post or Instagram story is an opportunity to reinforce brand values and customer relationships.

How Will Your Brand Say “Happy Thanksgiving” This Season?

In developing your Thanksgiving post strategy, think about what messages your audience members really want and need to hear during this complicated time of year. A single well-timed Thanksgiving post or a thoughtful series of images can bridge the gap between brand and community, turning casual scrollers into loyal advocates.

With that as your guide, you’ll be able to create posts your followers will gobble up. Craft each social media post with heart, and your holiday engagement — and revenue — will thank you.

Editor’s Note: Updated September 2026.