Staying true to your brand during the 2024 Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.
In 2023, Black Friday was unhinged. Sales and discounts started in October (Black Friday fell on Nov 24) with businesses seemingly making knee-jerk reactions to stay ahead of their competitors by offering bigger and better discounts. It’s renowned as a money-making period and shoppers are eager to spend – in fact 65% of Australian consumers will delay purchasing until it’s Black Friday weekend.
There’s points to be made about the icky-feeling of mass consumption and more serious arguments about the environmental impact of worldwide sale events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BCFM). Even the phrase ‘Black Friday’ itself even has murky beginnings.
If your brand does does not prioritise low-cost products, it can feel tricky to feel aligned to promotions that offer large discounts. So how do we navigate the BFCM period while also staying true to brand values?
A Global Sale Event
Black Friday and Cyber Monday have evolved into global retail phenomena, far removed from their American origins. With e-commerce, these events now influence businesses around the world, from small boutiques to multinational brands.
When a promotion is worldwide (or at least across Western markets), it can make your brand seem irrelevant by not being involved, especially if direct competitors have Black Friday sales; you don’t want to lose potential customers to a competitor simply because they are cheaper.
On the flipside, while the scale of the opportunity can be tempting, it’s important to recognise that not every business needs to adopt the one-size-fits-all approach of slashing prices. Instead, consider how participating in BFCM aligns with your long-term brand goals. Do these sales reflect your brand values, or are you bending to external pressures? It’s essential to step back and evaluate what you want to achieve during this period—whether that’s increased visibility, customer acquisition, or a strategic boost in revenue. Remember, your brand doesn’t have to mimic others. You can create your own rules for how to engage with BFCM, ensuring that your participation reflects your core principles.
Reaching New Customers
Black Friday and Cyber Monday can provide an opportunity to reach new audiences, but it’s important to approach this strategically. Rather than focusing solely on heavy discounts to attract bargain hunters, think about how you can introduce your brand to new customers in a way that highlights your values and unique offerings. You might offer bundles or exclusive products, positioning them as limited-time opportunities rather than just steep discounts.
With a strategy focused on new conversions and extending brand reach you will, hopefully, attract new long-term customers and by using BFCM as a platform to showcase what you stand for, you can attract customers who resonate with your ethos, rather than those only interested in a short-term deal.
Rewarding Loyal Customers
Another benefit of Black Friday sales is the ability to reward loyal customers with discounted products or exclusive offers. Whether it’s early access to sales, personalised discounts, or gifts with purchase (GWP), this can be a chance to deepen relationships with those who already love your brand.
If you have a loyalty program or customer email segments that highlight your return customers (sidenote: you definitely should!), this is the time to offer early-access to sales or exclusive GWPs. This is a great strategy for products like beauty or consumables that can be purchased regularly, allowing customers to “stock up” on their favourite items while they are on special.
Rewarding loyalty can help strengthen long-term customer retention and foster genuine connections. Importantly, these kinds of offers align with the principle of valuing quality over quantity, making them a more strategic fit for brands that don’t want to participate in the race to the bottom with extreme discounts.
Boycotting Black Friday
For some brands, the most authentic way to stay true to their values during Black Friday and Cyber Monday might be to not participate at all. In recent years, there’s been a rise in businesses that actively boycott the event, instead opting to close stores, donate a portion of profits to charity, or run campaigns that promote conscious consumption.
Patagonia has been opting out of Black Friday since 2011 using it instead as an opportunity to draw attention to the environmental impact of the fashion industry. Deceim (The Ordinary) closed down it’s website and stores on Black Friday 2023 and instead ran a ‘Slowvember’ campaign with discounts offered for the whole month of November to encourage more conscious consumption. Luxury Australian brand Mia Fratino closes their stores on Black Friday and Cyber Monday as a fight against the mass consumerism and over consumption.
If your brand stands for sustainability, craftsmanship, or ethical practices, boycotting BFCM may actually strengthen your relationship with your audience, sending a clear message that you don’t support mass consumerism or profit at any cost. The key here is to communicate your reasons transparently, making it clear why you’re opting out and how it ties into your brand's purpose. Boycotting isn’t about missing out on sales—it’s about reinforcing your identity and values in a meaningful way.
Approach BCFM With Intention
Black Friday and Cyber Monday may be powerful sales drivers, but, as with any business decision, evaluate what your brand stands for and align with that. Whether you choose to participate with % discounts, tailored offers, reward loyal customers, or even opt out entirely, the key is to stay true to your values.
In a marketplace saturated with crazy discounts and mass consumerism, authenticity stands out. Use this period not only as an opportunity to drive sales, but also to reinforce your brand value proposition. By approaching BFCM with intention, you can make decisions that align with your long-term goals while still engaging your audience in meaningful ways.
