Kohl's to Launch Holiday Campaign With Ellie Kemper

The national holiday campaign will debut during the World Series to reach millions of shoppers.

Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Retail

Kohl's to Launch Holiday Campaign With Ellie Kemper

Live Poll

Do you find holiday advertising campaigns featuring celebrity spokespeople effective at influencing your shopping choices?

Kohl's will launch its new holiday advertising campaign titled The North Kohl's on October 23, 2026. The campaign features actor Ellie Kemper, who has served as the brand face for the retailer since March 2025.

Why it matters

The campaign aims to connect the retailer with a broad demographic by highlighting a mix of relevant, high-value brands. It will be distributed across live sports, social media, and in-store displays to reach customers during the critical holiday season.

Kohl's operates more than 1,100 stores across 49 states, supported by a loyalty program with over 30 million members.

The players

Ellie Kemper

The actor has served as the brand face for Kohl's since March 2025.

Michael Bender

He was named the chief executive officer of Kohl's in May 2025.

Arianne Parisi

She became the chief customer officer for the retailer in September 2026.

The details

The marketing push includes a version for Spanish speakers and will integrate thematic elements into physical store signage. The campaign utilizes creator content and sports programming to maintain visibility for the brand.

March 2025: Ellie Kemper began serving as the brand face.
May 2025: Michael Bender was appointed as CEO.
September 2026: Arianne Parisi was named chief customer officer.
October 23, 2026: The campaign premieres during the World Series.

Market Landscape

This campaign aligns with the broader industry trend of leveraging holiday advertising to drive traffic across both digital and physical retail channels. It positions the company to compete for consumer attention against rivals during the busiest shopping window of the year.

Shoppers can expect to see the new campaign themes reflected in local store displays and social media channels starting this week. The focus on high-value brands may influence holiday gift shopping lists and loyalty program usage for millions of current members.

The takeaway

Retailers continue to rely on celebrity-led campaigns to anchor their holiday messaging across diverse media platforms. Consumers should review their loyalty program rewards before the holiday shopping rush to maximize potential savings.