Black Friday. Cyber Monday. Christmas. Boxing Day. As the last two months of the year approach, brands brace for the pressure of maximizing revenue and profits—and some of these critical dates could make or break your profit margin. At the same time, we think there’s an opportunity to do things differently—so that brands can break out of the cycle of constant promotion and leverage this season to shape how consumers view consumption. Here are three ways you can approach seasons like Black Friday differently:

1. The Patagonia Way

Patagonia was one of the first brands to flip Black Friday upside down and highlight overconsumption—we’re talking running full-page ads in The New York Times encouraging people *not* to buy their jackets back in 2011. They even have an evergreen page on their website dedicated to spreading the message. We know that fully opting out of the holiday might not be an option for everyone, but Patagonia’s commitment got our wheels turning: what if brands can use it as an opportunity to focus consumer attention elsewhere?

Consider trying one of these ideas out:

• Instead of applying a site-wide sale across your product line… Apply a discount to a selection of curated items you truly stand behind.
• Instead of focusing on discounting your most-loved pieces… Launch one new standout product with a promotional deal to get pieces moving.
• Instead of slashing prices anywhere you can… Offer free shipping for the promotional period instead.

2. The Advocacy Way

If you’re reading this thinking, “Theoretically, this sounds great—but we can’t afford to sacrifice margin”—challenge accepted. This is the time of the year when you’ve got the most eyes and ears on what your brand is sharing, so how can you use this promotional season to send a meaningful message instead? How can you help customers feel like they’re contributing and elevating what your brand stands for in a really tangible way?

We’ve got two strategies in mind:

• Green Friday. Over recent years, this campaign has picked up steam—and we love to see it. Swap Black Friday out for Green Friday by supporting an environmental initiative that’s better for the planet. Plant a tree with every order. Discount your brand’s more sustainable offerings, like product refills. Donate a portion of profits to a charity of your choice. Ship products in the most minimal packaging possible. There are tons of ways you can bring this to life. Need to see it in action? Some of our favourite campaigns that ran with this approach came from Fjällräven and Allbirds—take notes.
• Giving Tuesday. Same same but different. Instead of focusing on bringing in sales for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, wait it out until Giving Tuesday and donate a portion of purchases to an organization that aligns with your company’s values. You can increase interest by clearly sharing your intention with your customers ahead of time and, in the process, encourage them to make more meaningful and intentional choices by waiting it out. Even better? They get to do some good, too.

3. The DIY Way

Let’s be honest: customers no longer believe there’s a “last chance” to buy products. Over the years, Black Friday promotions have been starting as early as two weeks in advance—and that cycle of consistent promotion extends all the way up to Boxing Day and beyond. That means customers are inundated with sales for more than a month. What was once a guaranteed quick injection of revenue may not actually always be the case because audiences are smarter and know they can hold out longer for the best deals. 

But there’s a potential downside: by overwhelming customers with constant sales, brands may be contributing to decision fatigue—and losing followers and email subscribers along the way. (Not to mention, your marketing team is likely exhausted from trying to keep assets fresh throughout the season.) So, what if we rethink the whole promotional model instead? Could your brand help people change the way they shop… Altogether? Here are some reasons to do things differently:

• Advertising is wildly expensive during the holiday season. What if you capitalize on seasons where you’re not competing for space in customer’s inboxes and social feeds? Consider: your brand’s birthday. National awareness days (you can still make it meaningful). Anniversaries of customers’ first purchases. Create milestones that no one else has thought about, and pepper them consistently throughout your strategy for the year—taking the pressure off sales for one promotional period and lowering your ad costs, too.
• Black Friday and Cyber Monday don’t hold the same meaning they used to. Customers know that realistically, they can expect a rollout of deals before and after these promotional periods, so they’ll wait… And they may not take action the way you were hoping. So how can you stand out? Set sale limits they’ll believe in—and stick to them. For example, create a virtual shopping experience that’s limited to a few days—without the “extended” messaging. Discount your most popular products only—once, for the “only sale of the year”. Bottom line? Make your customers believe your deals are for real so they’ll take action quickly, instead of waiting it out in hopes that you’ll keep extending your sales.
• Data shows that most consumers are choosing *not* to buy during these promotional periods. According to a survey by YouGov, only 36% of consumers plan to shop on Black Friday. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t an opportunity at hand—brands are still leveraging the season to focus on more niche events and targeted asks. We know people are still paying attention—even if they may not be buying—so why not turn it into an advantage? It’s the perfect time to grow your email list with a new landing page, host community events that can be leveraged for timely content or get feedback by testing out a unique campaign. Increased brand awareness is still a solid win for the season.

Have we got your wheels turning? Let’s run.

Ready to refresh your holiday campaigns? Hint hint: our team is a wealth of ideas and creativity. Say hi here.

Need more inspiration? Tune into our new podcast, My Best Campaign, or check out our recent work here.