Are Media has unveiled its Christmas 2026 commercial platform, with new research identifying ‘joymaxxing’ as a key consumer behaviour set to shape festive planning.
The publisher said Australians are seeking a “return on emotion” this Christmas, with joy, connection and meaningful experiences expected to influence spending across food, gifting, entertaining and decorating.
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What is ‘joymaxxing’?
‘Joymaxxing’ refers to consumers prioritising festive experiences that feel meaningful, memorable and worth the spend. Are Media previewed the insight to brand partners at The Australian Women’s Weekly Test Kitchen in Sydney on 8 July.
The research also highlights a changing path to purchase. Are Media said AI is playing a larger role in discovery, but trusted publishers remain influential when Australians decide what to buy, cook, gift and celebrate.
Trust remains central to Christmas planning
According to the research, 55 per cent of Australian women expect to combine AI with trusted publishers when planning Christmas. It also found 78 per cent prefer trusted publishers as a source of festive inspiration.
More than three in four respondents said they trust publisher recommendations over influencer recommendations. More than nine in 10 women remain responsible for planning Christmas across food, entertaining, decorating and gifting.
The findings come as cost-of-living pressures continue to influence consumer behaviour. Are Media said 84 per cent of Australians are more price conscious, while 74 per cent are cautious with discretionary spending.
Even so, almost half expect to spend more than $500 this Christmas, pointing to a more intentional approach to festive spending.
Jocelin Abbey, Director of Content & Consumer Growth at Are Media, said the findings show trust remains a valuable currency for consumers and brands.
“Australians are looking for a return on emotion as much as a return on spend. They’re seeking ideas they can trust, recommendations they can act on and inspiration that genuinely makes life easier,” Abbey said.
“AI is changing how people discover ideas, but it isn’t replacing the validation of trusted sources. If anything, it’s making trusted brands like The Weekly and Better Homes and Gardens more valuable because we’re helping consumers cut through the noise with recommendations they have confidence in.”
Are Visible launches for brands
Are Media has also launched Are Visible, an AI visibility and content intelligence platform developed in partnership with Peec AI.
The platform is designed to help brands understand how they appear across AI-powered search and recommendation platforms. It also identifies visibility gaps and supports the development of trusted content to improve discoverability.
Anna Quinn, Sales Director at Are Media, said the product extends the trust Are Media has built with Australian audiences.
“Our audiences don’t just consume our content. They act on it. They cook our recipes, buy our recommendations, visit the destinations we feature and bring our ideas into their everyday lives. That’s a level of trust that’s incredibly powerful,” Quinn said.
“Are Visible is an extension of that trust. It helps brands create the kind of authoritative content that earns recommendations not just from people, but increasingly from AI.”
Six Christmas platforms for advertisers
Are Media has developed six integrated Christmas platforms across The Australian Women’s Weekly, Better Homes & Gardens and Home Beautiful. The platforms are designed to help brands connect with Australian women across the 90-day festive season.
Christmas at Are Media
- At The Christmas Table: A new The Australian Women’s Weekly vodcast hosted by Food Director Fran Abdallaoui and Friends of The Weekly, exploring the food, traditions and celebrations that bring Australians together at Christmas. The platform will be supported by social content featuring Laura Sharrad, Depinder Chhibber and Karima-Chloe Hazim.
- A Joyful Aussie Christmas: Better Homes & Gardens Editor Megan Osborne will host iconic Australians sharing festive traditions, recipes, entertaining tips and holiday mishaps across vodcast, digital and social.
- The Best Christmas Ever: A Better Homes & Gardens community initiative inviting Australians to nominate someone deserving of an unforgettable Christmas, with weekly surprise community drops.
- The Ultimate Dessert Showdown: An audience-led campaign celebrating Australia’s most-loved Christmas desserts across the Better Homes & Gardens ecosystem, supported by weekly voting, recipe content and social engagement.
- Lights, Camera, Christmas: Home Beautiful’s video-first Christmas platform covering decorating, entertaining, gifting and home transformation across social, YouTube, digital and print.
- Amazon Storefront: A commerce platform building on the Better Homes & Gardens publisher-led Amazon storefront, linking editorial inspiration with curated shopping collections, commerce content and editorial email campaigns.
The research is based on Are Media’s Christmas Survey, conducted in June 2026 with a sample of 622 respondents.
Top image: Frances Abdallaoui, The Australian Women’s Weekly; Anna Quinn, Sales Director, Are Media; Megan Osborne, Editor, Better Homes & Gardens; and Laura Sharrad, chef and contributor, The Australian Women’s Weekly