We all are familiar with Black Friday, which is a popular term for the Friday after Thanksgiving, and also the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. It is the most significant sale event of the year everyone is looking for in the United States, and the trend has caught up with other regions. This year, we have Black Friday on 25th of November.
Both for brands and retailers, it is a great time of the year to increase traffic and sales, use this opportunity to clear stock before the Christmas season, and to acquire new customers. During this vital moment in the shopping calendar, several marketing strategies are being used to create conscious psychological pressure such as promoting campaigns “out of stock” and “limited-time offers” which increase consumers’ anticipatory regret – a.k.a. “fear of missing out” or FOMO.
Image Source: Unsplash
For luxury brands, however, it can be doubtful to have a Black Friday campaign, since the retail event has become synonymous with big discounts. This prospect doesn’t typically scream “luxury”. You may even find yourself wanting to hibernate on November 25th, instead choosing to focus on preparing your promotions for the much more glamorous festive period. It can be said that it all starts and ends in people’s minds.
But what if we told you that Black Friday doesn't have to involve loud, flashing advertisements, crashed websites, and voluminous online carts that are abandoned at the checkout? That it might generate money throughout the holiday season and into the new year rather than having to be a single day of increasing orders?
Let’s consider some Black Friday marketing ideas for high-end brands:
1. Longer Store Hours
Opening your store early or keeping it open later might help generate enthusiasm for Black Friday. By doing this, you may draw in customers who are out and about early or late without having to give them significant discounts.
2. Exclusive Experience
Focus on providing in-store customers with an exceptional customer experience. On this day, for instance, you may provide a complimentary personal shopper service. Similar promotions include offering double reward points, champagne service in-store, and free product customization. For your most devoted consumers, this might even be organized as an invitation-only event. By creating memorable experiences, you’ll build authentic relationships with your customers that lead to long-term loyalty.
3. Emphasizing Brand Positioning
If you’re a brand that prides itself on being classy, high-end, and exclusive, incorporate this messaging into your campaign. Take your copy and design. Instead of promoting text that begs customers to “Buy Now Before It’s Gone”, use a more elegant tone of voice when discussing tempting incentives like VIP offers, special giveaways, and upscale goods.
To give an example, Charlotte Tilbury, featured their signature sparkle and flashes of gold in their promotion last year. They enhanced their traditional color palette with a Black Friday splash of monochrome or sleek metallics.
Image Source: Charlotte Tilbury
4. Gifting Lists
Customers will be visiting your online store as well to check if there are any discounts. Instead of offering them discounts, invite them to discover holiday collections and gift lists. High-end brands like Fendi and Channel have been creating holiday or gifting lists for their customers to explore. Gucci, as well, didn’t offer price reductions. Instead, the brand promoted bags as the ultimate gift for the holiday season and doubled down on the campaign with recognizable brand visuals.
Image Source: Gucci
However, if a luxury brand wants to have a Black Friday campaign in the traditional way, there are ways without damaging the brand image.
Discounts in Partner Retail Stores
In your flagship shop or your own retail location, you might not want to lower pricing if you are a luxury brand. However, you have the option of giving discounts through your partner merchants or other methods. For instance, high-end department stores or even off-retail outlets may provide your items with a limited number of discounts.
Extend Your Promotion
Every year, Black Friday expands in extent and duration. Order volumes for the other days of the Black Friday week have increased by more than twice as much, according to our research. By extending your campaign, you may take advantage of the enthusiasm of consumers to purchase in the days prior to Black Friday (and the days that follow). You may retain a calm tone that fits with your high-end positioning and is appealing to your audience by extending the duration of your promotion.
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