Louise Findlay-Wilson, managing director at digital PR agency, Energy PR, offers her advice on the steps brands should take to ensure their Black Friday strategy doesn’t damage their reputation.

Whilst Black Friday sales might seem like a recent retail trend, the day was actually established in the 1940s.

In 1939, business leaders in the US asked Roosevelt to move Thanksgiving back a week so the festive shopping season could start earlier. After several years of confusion, Americans settled in to celebrating Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November, ensuring retailers can always start their holiday sales before December.

Since then, the Friday after Thanksgiving has become one of the most important trading days for businesses and is no longer confined to the US. Many retailers now offer heavily advertised sales with ‘enormously’ slashed prices. It’s become such a consumption phenomenon that many sales continue to the following Monday (now known as ‘Cyber Monday’), or for the whole week (‘Cyber Week’). This year, we saw some ‘Black Friday’ sales beginning as early as October.

But just because Black Friday is a real revenue opportunity for retailers and brands, doesn’t mean it’s without risk.

Dangerous Discounts

The ever-growing sales period is attracting more scepticism and disengagement from consumers every year. Many are becoming more wary of the misleading marketing tactics and false deals, that some retailers push. And for good reason. In 2018, a Which? investigation revealed that nearly 90 per cent of Black Friday deals could be found cheaper or at the same price at other times of the year.

There’s also the risk of simply disappointing customers or giving them a negative experience. A survey of more than 3,000 UK adults by Starling Bank found that nine in ten have overspent on Black Friday in the past, spending £511.90 more than budgeted on average. What’s more, three in ten shoppers have then regretted their Black Friday purchases.

It’s hard to shake off a bad retail experience as it is, so could brands be arming consumers with the tools to tarnish their reputation?

Getting it Right

Here are our five tips for doing Black Friday right:

1. Use Black Friday to Build Relationships

Instead of treating Black Friday solely as a sales event, brands can use it as an opportunity to strengthen customer relationships and sense of community. For example, many retailers reward their members with exclusive early access to sales, emphasising loyalty and exclusivity.

2. Opt-Out to Stand Out

Some brands choose to avoid Black Friday altogether to challenge the culture of excessive consumerism and differentiate themselves. IKEA launched its ‘Green Friday’ to encourage sustainable and affordable shopping, and promote its Buyback & Resell scheme which allows customers to sell their furniture back to the business. These strategies align with the brands’ environmental values and resonate with consumers seeking sustainable alternatives.

3. Combine Black Friday with Green Initiatives

For brands that still want to participate in Black Friday but counter its negative associations, combining it with sustainability campaigns can also be effective. Highlighting products made with recycled or ethically sourced materials can appeal to eco-conscious consumers, or even donating a percentage of Black Friday sales to environmental charities.

4. Limit Sales to Prevent Devaluing Your Brand

To combat the risk of sales fatigue, consider limiting Black Friday promotions to the specific Black Friday and Cyber Monday period, This avoids training consumers to expect a deal at every turn and reinforces the value of the brand.

5. Balance Promotions with Value-Focused Messaging

While discounts are a major draw for Black Friday, brands can avoid being overshadowed by price wars or potentially devaluing the brand by focusing on other aspects of their value proposition. Communications activity designed to highlight superior quality, craftsmanship, or the brand’s unique role in customers’ lives can create a deeper connection. Content like expert advice articles, how-to guides, or stories featuring audience-generated content can reinforce these values and position the brand as more than just a bargain option.

In Conclusion

While Black Friday is undoubtedly a huge revenue generator, it is often as much a brand risk as it is a sales opportunity. For a brand to cut through the noise and protect its reputation, it must offer much more than just a discounted offer or a cheap marketing tactic.