Black Friday 2025: what brands need to know (before it’s too late)

Black Friday isn’t what it used to be. The game has changed, and if your brand is planning to “do the usual,” you might already be behind… Audiences are scattered across screens, channels, and even shopping mindsets. Costs are up. Signals are weaker. And consumers? They expect relevance, value, and authenticity more than ever. Here’s what we’re seeing, what our experts say, and what brands should be doing now to win.  

The landscape: what’s really happening

Media fragmentation is real

As Tom Bottomley, Programmatic Director, puts it:

“Media fragmentation is commanding more diverse media plans. Having opportunities to reach your audience across multiple channels is essential for success.”

People aren’t just in one place. They’re on TikTok, YouTube, streaming TV, podcasts, social feeds, and even walking past digital billboards. And they expect a consistent experience across all of it. According to Nielsen, “today’s audiences are consuming media across more platforms, devices, and formats than ever before,” making cross-channel coherence critical [Nielsen, 2025].

Media won’t be cheap

Inflation isn’t just hitting the supermarket… media is more expensive too. Tom highlights:

“Managing expectations is key – your costs will likely be higher this year, so don’t expect like-for-like results.”

In fact, Reuters reported that during Black Friday 2024, online ad costs surged as retailers drove bidding wars, pushing CPMs higher across the board [Reuters, 2024].

Signals are changing

Cookies are fading. First-party data is gold. Contextual relevance is back in style. Brands that rely on guesswork instead of actual signals will waste impressions and money.

Consumers are smarter than ever

Shoppers aren’t just hunting discounts; they’re hunting meaning. eMarketer research shows over half of consumers now use AI-powered tools to compare prices, get product suggestions, and find the best deals during the holiday period [eMarketer, 2025]. At the same time, authenticity wins: user-generated content and influencer collaborations often cut through more effectively than polished brand ads [Retainful, 2025].  

How brands can win (even in a tough market)

Understand your data

As Scott Carruthers, Paid Social Senior Director, explains:

“If you have a true understanding of your data – how long the lag is to conversion, how long your conversion windows are set to, how much uplift you expect to see on a given conversion volume – then you can play more confidently in what is sure to be a very volatile period.”

Reset expectations & be realistic

Don’t assume “last year worked, so this year will too.” Higher costs, fragmented media, and unpredictable audiences mean campaigns need flexibility and guardrails.

Own your data & context

First-party data isn’t optional, it’s essential. Pair it with contextual targeting to meet people where they are, without relying on fragile third-party signals.

Use creative to break through

Creative that is merely ‘discount speak’ doesn’t make a dent – you need work that breaks through. As System1’s 2024 “Why Brand Building Should Be a Priority” report cautions: “In a sea of promotional messages … the brands that win are the ones that use fluent devices and creativity to cut through.” Their analysis of ad performance between 2018 and 2024 shows that 92.1 % of ads earning high Star Ratings (i.e. emotional, memorable work) also delivered above-average Spike Ratings (i.e. short-term sales impact). In effect proving that good creative can deliver for the short term and the long term. In Creative Director Amy Jones’ words:

“Every brand floods the same channels with the same shouty sales messaging. 50% off! 20% off! Jeans for £1! Visual, tonal and format distinctiveness to stand out in a sea of discounts is the only way your ads won’t be seen as just another Black Friday-themed rectangle amongst hundreds of thousands of others.”

Make your messaging human

As Laura Noet, Influencer Director, explains:

“Black Friday is a minefield, so securing budgets, confirming product availability and locking influencer briefs early is critical – Influencers are extremely busy with promotions during that period.”

Planning ahead ensures influencer activity feels authentic and can be fully integrated into your wider media plan. Exclusivity is also a proven driver. Giving influencers unique discount codes or early access deals reinforces their role as trusted advocates, while creating urgency and stronger brand affinity.

Keep creative aligned to urgency

Design influencer content to match the fast pace of Black Friday while keeping it personal. Use real-time updates and influencer-led product picks to spark immediate action. Pair this with direct paths to purchase like swipe-ups or links. And when the peak week hits, urgency-led creative, for example; countdowns, flash sale alerts, clear price drops – helps influencer content cut through the noise and drive action. Generic brand messaging gets ignored, so urgency works best when it’s woven into an influencer’s personal narrative, making the content feel real and trustworthy.

Coordinate and consolidate like you mean it

Your channels should be in harmony. Display, video, email, social, DOOH – they need to feel like one brand, not a collection of disconnected tactics. And during the peak days? Real-time dashboards and daily touchpoints are vital to staying on top of things. Don’t wait too long to consolidate. Account consolidation gives machine learning more data to optimise more effectively, so make sure your campaigns are built for success.

Embrace experimentation

You need to stand out in a sea of sameness. As Sophie Somers, Paid Social Director, highlights:

“Creative diversification will be key. Test different themes/concepts and messages. Combine branded assets with creator content to cut through the noise and stop users in their tracks.”

Test more. Test earlier. Try hybrid targeting, different formats, or even unconventional creative. Black Friday isn’t a time to play it safe!

Structure for success

Success comes from preparation; ensure budgets are confirmed well in advance, and allow enough headroom to capture the expected increases in traffic without having to throttle performance. Having flexibility in your daily caps/budgets will help you avoid missing out on any unexpected additional volume.  

Your checklist: are you ready?

• Signals & data: Are you using first-party data effectively? Are you leveraging context?
• Budgets & bids: Have you reset expectations for higher costs? Are guardrails in place?
• Coordination: Does every channel know the plan, and do you have real-time oversight during peak days?
• Creatives: Are your messages human, clear, and multi-channel ready?
• Influencer readiness: Have you secured budgets, briefs, and products early? Do your influencers have exclusive offers to promote?
• Testing & experimentation: Do you have a few bold tests lined up?

 

Final takeaway

Black Friday is no longer a single-day sprint, it’s a week-long, multi-channel, high-stakes test of relevance, agility, and insight. Brands that embrace change, think human first, and act decisively will win. This Black Friday, run a campaign that understands people, anticipate behaviour, and delivers value. Your audience—and your bottom line—will thank you.