Black Friday is no longer a one-day, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shopping frenzy. Instead, it’s developed into a month-long event that kicks off the moment November arrives.
While this extended shopping season aims to maximize brand sales opportunities, it can also lead to deal fatigue, diluted messaging, and consumer confusion.
Research by Which? in 2024 found that nearly 90% of Black Friday deals were the same price or cheaper at other times of the year, leaving shoppers wondering if they’re getting a deal at all, and PwC discovered that consumers are overwhelmed by the number of promotions they’re faced with – with 42% of consumers say they find the volume of deals during sales events like Black Friday to be "excessive and stressful".
As inboxes flood with “exclusive” deals from the start of November, shoppers may find themselves asking: “When is Black Friday again?”
The prolonged sales period makes it harder for brands to stand out, as consumers become overwhelmed and tune out repetitive marketing, often immediately swiping to delete any email with Black Friday in the subject line.
Additionally, shoppers are savvier than ever. Many are skeptical about the quality of deals, suspecting discounts might not be as impressive as advertised. We’ve all seen the theory that prices are raised just before Black Friday to make the deals look more appealing.
Traditional Black Friday advertising can easily get lost among TV ads, billboards, and hundreds of email campaigns, especially as it’s so close to Christmas, leading consumers to block it out altogether.
In an era of crowded advertising channels, influencers provide a direct, relatable way to reach your desired audiences. Here’s why:
Cutting through the noise
Unlike mainstream ads that risk being overlooked, influencer content integrates seamlessly into platforms where audiences are already engaged. Instagram stories, TikTok videos, and YouTube reviews provide a natural setting for creators to showcase deals without feeling forced – this type of content is their bread and butter.
Building brand affinity
Influencers nurture long-term relationships with their followers, which translates to trust. For example, Saffron Barker’s partnership with Gymshark has been established over time, making her the go-to source for her audience during sales events. When she promotes Gymshark’s Black Friday deals, it feels authentic because her audience knows her affinity for the brand.
This year, she spoke about the activewear brands' highly anticipated sale across her YouTube channel, Instagram, and even Snapchat. The advertising on Snapchat was part of their new beta program called “Sponsored Snap”. The feature is currently available to brands who spend a minimum of £400k quarterly on Snapchat advertising and is set to become an emerging way to connect with Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences in real-time.
Conversion power
Data doesn’t lie—brands that track year-round influencer performance can identify which creators drive the most sales. For instance, platforms like Snapchat offer metrics that reveal how specific influencers, like those promoting luxury items such as Prada boots, perform during major shopping events. This data-driven approach ensures brands invest in creators who deliver results.
Personalized messaging
Influencers tailor their content to resonate with their audience, ensuring Black Friday promotions feel relevant rather than generic – their audiences are quick to jump in when a partnership doesn’t feel authentic or aligned. Whether it’s a travel video or sharing tips and recommendations with their audience, this approach creates a sense of urgency and relatability that traditional advertising struggles to achieve.
Each year we work with our long-term partner, Surfshark VPN, on an epic, global Black Friday campaign with creators across verticals like travel, lifestyle, and comedy. This year, over 153 pieces of creator content went live on YouTube and each creator put their personalized spin on the Black Friday sale message…
Calfreezy is a mega-creator with over 4 million followers. His Surfshark-sponsored video for Black Friday made it into the YouTube trending page! In Cal’s video, he headed to the US to try viral TikTok food, and he shared how using Surfshark was an essential part of his trip booking process as it ensured his private details remained private when booking his flights and accommodation.
Jessica Kellgren-Fozard is a regularly returning creator on our Surfshark campaign. In her content, she regularly speaks candidly about gender inclusivity, and in her video for Black Friday, she speaks about how some of her favorite non-binary television characters feature in the series ‘Adventure Time’. She knows that the series isn’t always easy to access everywhere in the world, so she encouraged her audience to make the most of Surfshark’s Black Friday sale to use the VPN to watch their favorite shows wherever they are in the world.
Our Surfshark creators approached the Black Friday campaign by ensuring it aligned with the concept of their video as a whole and was in line with their typical content style.
According to data from Adobe, between 10am and 2pm on Black Friday 2024, $11.3 million was spent online every minute.
“Crossing the $10 billion mark is a big e-commerce milestone for Black Friday, for a day that in the past was more anchored towards in-store shopping,” Vivek Pandya, lead analyst at Adobe Digital Insights, told Retail Dive, “And with consumers getting more comfortable with everything from mobile shopping to chatbots, we have tailwinds that can prop up online growth for Black Friday moving forward.”
Despite more influencers breaking into the mainstream, social media is where Influencer Marketing thrives, therefore, collaborating with content creators is the ideal way to connect with shoppers who prefer to make their purchases online.
Providing your influencer partners with custom links to your products will allow you to attribute the sales, and discover who the best converters are. This is a great way to identify suitable long-term influencer partners.
By prioritizing Influencer Marketing over traditional channels, brands can cut through the noise and connect with consumers in a way that feels both impactful and authentic. Black Friday may no longer be a one-day wonder, but with the right influencers, it can still be a sales event that delivers.
Reflect on this year’s learnings, and shape your strategy for 2025 early to beat the competition.
Reach out to us at hello@digitalvoices.com to start shaping next year’s strategy now.
