The best Black Friday campaigns from 2024

We’re fully into the swing of summer – and for many, colder nights and festivities might seem like a mere spec on the horizon.

However, for marketers, we know that the calendar moves fast.

Brands will already be looking to get ahead and set themselves up for a successful Black Friday and Cyber Monday spending period.

In this blog, we’ll share three of our favourite Black Friday campaigns from 2023. We’ll look at why they were so successful, and give you top tips on how to build on the strengths of these campaigns.

What is Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM)?

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two of the biggest sales events of the year. Previously day-long affairs, BFCM has now become a week-long shopping holiday for those looking to save some serious pennies. 

For brands, it’s the perfect opportunity to generate sales, increase revenue, and create a sense of urgency.

Falling on the Friday after Thanksgiving, Black Friday is a popular time for consumers to snap up deals and get ahead with their Christmas shopping. Popular items that go on sale during this period include electronics, toys, home furnishings, and apparel. 

The eCommerce bang that follows, Cyber Monday, sees products continue to be boosted at a discounted rate. Traditionally, Black Friday was for in-person sales, whilst Cyber Monday was for digital deals. Nowadays, this spnding period is a blend of both online and offline.

When is Black Friday?

In 2024, Black Friday will fall on Friday the 29th of November.

When is Cyber Monday?

Cyber Monday, or the Cyber weekend, follows straight after. With deals lasting a full four days, this spending period will end on Cyber Monday, falling on 2 December 2024.

When do Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) offers start?

Drumroll - it depends! 

The main event takes place on the last weekend of November, however, we can safely predict most brands will be kicking off their Black Friday sales early. In 2024, the deals started rolling in more than a month before the big day.

We can predict Black Friday deals in 2024 taking place as early as October.

In part, this is due Amazon's 2nd Prime Day sale, which acts as a kick-off to the holiday shopping season. So, for consumers, it means you’ll get two months of impressive deals from retailers like Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart, Target, Home Depot to name just a few.

For brands, it means the pressure is on. Get your marketing started early, and you’ll reap the rewards for months to come.

Where can you find the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals?

You’ll be able to secure bargains both in-store and online. For online deals specifically, Amazon is always a firm favourite.

Typically, Amazon will offer the most competitive prices and the widest range of products. 

Why is Black Friday and Cyber Monday so important for Gen Z?

Well, for today’s young consumers, times are tough and money is tight. In fact, 75% of Gen Zers in the UK (72% US) have made changes to their spending habits because of the rising cost-of-living. 

This doesn’t mean they want to stop spending entirely. Instead, they’ll be seeking out the best discounts on the market. 

How you can use student discounts to capture Gen Z...

Pion research has revealed that 89% of Gen Zers in the UK and 90% in the US want to see special offers and Black Friday promotions during this period. Stackable discounts are an absolute must this year.

If you’re unfamiliar with this term, we’ll break it down: a stackable discount is anything that comes in tandem with an already existing discount. Think a student discount coupled with free delivery, or a free gift.

Make sure that stackable offers have a prominent position on your brand’s homepage so that your target audience is immediately engaged upon their first site visit. And don’t forget about social and email promotion, in the build-up too. 

If you’re unsure where to start, get in touch with the Pion team today for more information and ideas on how you can turn browsers into repeat purchasers long after BFCM. 

Extra incentives 

Stackable discounts are great, but Gen Z are always looking for more.

This is an exciting time in the Gen Z calendar, and boosting engagement through additional offers will keep them hooked and encourage them to share your brand with friends.

What does the data tell us?

We asked Gen Z what type of offers would make them more likely to spend with a brand during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

• Percent off deals (54%)
• Free shipping (52%)
• Stackable discounts (32%)
• Exclusive student discounts (32%)

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What were the best Black Friday campaigns in 2023?

So, onto the good stuff.

What were some of the most standout campaigns of 2024, and why did they resonate so much with young consumers?

TikTok partners with Venmo

In 2024, TikTok Shop dropped some exciting news ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday: they teamed up with Venmo.

From November 30 to December 2, first-time shoppers on TikTok Shop in the U.S. could score 25% off when they spend $45 (up to $20 off) by using Venmo at checkout. And if you were a user who had shopped there before, you were still in luck: spend $85 and get 25% off (up to $35 off) when you select Venmo.

Alexis Sowa, Venmo’s VP and GM, shared: “This collaboration with TikTok Shop shows our mutual focus on community and commerce. We’re excited to offer another secure and seamless checkout option, along with exclusive deals, to help customers stretch their holiday budgets even further.”

TikTok and Venmo deserve a shout-out, for making it easier (and more rewarding) to shop for the season’s best finds. Love.  

Why did it work?

This campaign worked because it really understood what Gen Z wants: community, convenience, and savings. TikTok Shop has already built a strong following of people who love discovering new trends, and by teaming up with Venmo, they made it even easier for customers to get in on the action.

The timing was spot on, launching right before Black Friday and Cyber Monday when users are already ready to shop.

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Google’s Black Owned Friday

2024 was the fifth year of Google’s annual ‘Black Owned Friday’ event.

The program aims to help shine a light on Black-owned and operated businesses, and filter some of the Black Friday spending towards these companies.

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“Black-owned Friday, created by Google in partnership with the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc., is all about celebrating Black-owned businesses and encouraging everyone to search, shop and support Black-owned.”

The 2024 campaign’s main event? A short film directed by the talented Rodney Lucas, known for his work and his roots in Chicago’s south side. The film featured rapper GloRilla, comedian Druski, and influencer Jayda Cheaves, who all brought their own energy to the project.

In the ad, Druski toured three Black-owned businesses in Georgia: Royal Crown Barber Shop, The Wellness Spot yoga studio, and Wadada Healthy Market & Juice Bar, using Google Maps to guide the way. With a mix of humor and genuine storytelling, Druski highlighted what made each spot special, giving viewers a real taste of what these businesses had to offer.

Why did it work?

‍Redirecting the focus of Black Friday onto black-owned businesses (during the busiest shopping period of the year) is both impactful and culturally important. Equally, it bought more visibility to vendors and brands: the event encourages shoppers to support Black and local businesses year-round.

Jaded London

There’s no brand quite as cool as Jaded London. Young consumers are obsessed with this brand for its distinctive and edgy style – but with style, comes cost. The remedy to this? Discounts, of course.

In 2023, Jaded London invested in on-platform media with Pion. They saw some incredible results.

Why did it work?

We highlighted earlier the importance of stackable discounts in capturing Gen Z spend – and Jaded London is a great case study of this.

They made their discounts stackable and highlighted these extra incentives during Cyber Week via their social presence and targeted campaigns.

As a result, sales soared across both the UK and the US. In the UK, they got an increase of 197% in orders (YoY). In the US, they increased revenue by 175% during this period. 

Mega stuff.  Go stackable or go home.

Want to learn how you can absolutely master your Black Friday & Cyber Monday marketing this year?

We've got all the resources you could possibly need, right here. Check out our Black Friday, Cyber Monday Hub and get ready to soar.