With small annual holiday allowances, Americans have come to rely on national days for their extended weekends. Some of these have crept over the pond – Halloween spending is now more than £400m; some 13m celebrate Thanksgiving (even if it’s just a turkey with friends); and the Super Bowl has caught the imagination even if it means staying up until the early hours to watch (our alumni partner brand, Hickory’s, hosts one of the biggest parties in its Chester site).
One export that the jury is still out on is Black Friday. Having been popularised by the likes of Amazon it has seeped into the fabric of our shopping behaviour, with brands and customers alike embracing the chance to get some bargains or shift some stock before Christmas. Back in the 50s, Black Friday became known for being the only time when businesses were in the black. Luckily, some of its more depraved acts haven’t caught on in the UK – nobody has pepper sprayed their fellow shoppers to get a discounted pair of trainers.
As brands are becoming more protective about their brands and margins, shoppers are growing more conscious – over a quarter of shoppers now actively choose brands and retailers with a strong sustainable focus to buy from during Black Friday.
With all this in mind, we find ourselves intrigued about the future of Black Friday. Do brands still think Black Friday is worth it? Is it a drug they can wean themselves off?
This is why we’d like to invite you to respond to our Black Friday Survey. If you work in a brand, especially if you’re involved in your brand’s decision-making around Black Friday, we want to dig into your motivations and strategies around Black Friday.
This survey will be completely anonymous, with no brands attached to the responses, so please give us your candid answers. We’ll come back to you in a few weeks and share the insights.
Thank you!