Origins of Black Friday 

The term "Black Friday" originated in Philadelphia in the 1960s. At first, it was used to describe the heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic that occurred the day after Thanksgiving due to Christmas shopping. Over time, the term was adopted nationwide, and later globally, becoming synonymous with discounts and special offers, always celebrated on the fourth Friday of November, meaning this date varies slightly each year, falling between November 23rd and 29th. 

 

1970s: The association of the term "Black Friday" with “Profits” 

About a decade after its early beginnings, the term "Black Friday" began to take on a new meaning, becoming associated with the idea that this day marked the time when businesses went from red numbers (losses) to black numbers (profits) in their accounting books. In other words, Black Friday began to be considered the point in the year when retailers started making profits due to the massive increase in sales. 

 

1980s: National Expansion 

By the 1980s and 1990s, the concept of Black Friday expanded beyond Philadelphia and became a national tradition in the United States. Retailers across the country began offering special deals and discounts to attract shoppers to their stores, making Black Friday one of the most important annual events for retail commerce. 

 

2000s: Rise of Online Shopping and Cyber Monday 

With the growing popularity of online shopping from the year 2000, the concept of "Cyber Monday" was introduced for this type of internet shopping, being the Monday following Black Friday and focusing solely on online purchases. 

Cyber Monday allowed shoppers to access discounts without having to deal with the crowds of physical stores, allowing this date to gain even more momentum. 

 

Current Time and Internationalization 

Today, Black Friday has transcended the borders of the United States and has become a global phenomenon, with many countries outside the U.S. adopting the tradition of offering discounts and special offers on the fourth Friday of November, regardless of whether they celebrate Thanksgiving locally or not. 

This is why Black Friday has positioned itself internationally as one of the most important dates for commerce worldwide. 

 

Advertising: Key to Increasing Sales During Black Friday 

Given the increase in popularity and the complete internationalization of Black Friday, today brands must compete to capture the attention of consumers on this key sales date, fighting for a piece of the market amid the huge number of offers and discounts, and the possibility for consumers to buy the same original products in different parts of the world thanks to the improvement of e-commerce and online commerce. 

That's why advertising today more than ever, forms a key piece of the sales strategy for any brand during Black Friday. 

 

Outdoor Advertising: Impact on Black Friday 

Outdoor advertising currently plays a crucial role in Black Friday, as it helps brands reach a massive audience in strategic locations. Below, we will break down some of the most effective strategies for using outdoor advertising during this date and get the most out of your marketing strategy. 

 

1. Billboards 

Billboards in key locations, such as shopping centers, busy highways, and commercial areas, can create a strong brand presence during Black Friday, helping shoppers headed to commercial places to remember your brand's discounts on this notable date, keeping you top of mind before purchase and thus ensuring a higher possibility of sale. 

 

2. Public Transport Advertising 

Similarly, ads on buses, trains, and public transport stations are ideal for reaching a diverse audience and settling in the consumer's mind during a moment of attention and idle time. Use eye-catching images and messages that highlight your Black Friday offers to generate greater brand recall against your competition. 

 

3. Interactive Experiences 

Thanks to the numerous current possibilities in outdoor marketing, consider the possibility of creating interactive experiences in public spaces, such as brand activations or product samples during these days. 

This tactic can generate greater commitment and brand recall at a crucial moment for sales. 

 

4. Digital Outdoor Advertising 

Digital outdoor advertising, such as LED screens and digital billboards, allow significant flexibility in updating messages, displaying dynamic content such as videos, animations, or interactive content. Take advantage of this capability to show real-time offers and adapt to the changing demands of Black Friday. 

There is also currently the possibility of conducting interactive programmatic outdoor campaigns thanks to PDOOH, making your ads much more attractive and effective. With this technology, advertisers can actively engage the audience, allowing them to interact with ads through their mobile devices, such as scanning QR codes, participating in real-time surveys, or even customizing the content. 

 

Programmatic Digital Campaigns: The Magic of Automation 

Programmatic is a powerful tool for reaching specific audiences efficiently and measurably. During Black Friday, you can use digital programmatic strategies to increase the visibility of your offers and target the right shoppers at their peak interest in buying. Why bet on programmatic? 

 

1. Precise Segmentation 

Digital programmatic campaigns rely on the use of various types of data, such as demographic, geographic, and behavioral data, among others, to precisely segment the audience they target, allowing for the display of highly personalized ads to specific groups of buyers interested in certain products. This ability for precise targeting and delivery of personalized content are key aspects that make programmatic campaigns an effective strategy to maximize the impact of online advertising. 

 

2. Real-Time Optimization 

Programmatic campaigns allow you to adjust your bidding and offer strategies in real time, a particularly crucial feature during events like Black Friday, where competition is intense. Therefore, it's fundamental to quickly adapt to changing market conditions to maximize the impact and effectiveness of the campaigns. 

 

3. Dynamic Ads 

Create dynamic ads that display specific products based on the interests and browsing history of each user. This strategy increases the relevance of your ads and significantly boosts the campaign's conversion probabilities. By personalizing the user experience in this way, you not only increase the effectiveness of your advertising but also improve customer satisfaction by presenting exactly what they want at the right time. 

 

4. Retargeting 

Retargeting is a highly effective strategy, becoming an essential tool for recovering shoppers who abandoned their shopping cart at some point in the sales funnel. This strategy allows you to re-impact users who are genuinely interested in purchasing your product and provide them with a second chance to complete their purchases. 

 

Conclusion 

Black Friday is a unique opportunity for brands to boost their sales and increase visibility. Combining outdoor advertising and programmatic strategies can be a highly effective approach on this date, using billboards to create awareness of your Black Friday offer and then targeting those same audiences online through programmatic campaigns to enhance recall of your offer and maximize conversion possibilities by reaching users at various touchpoints, thus creating a cohesive and highly effective strategy.

Make the most of Black Friday to boost your business!