Every year, businesses plan their Black Friday campaigns meticulously. This singular day (or weekend for some) has evolved into an unparalleled shopping phenomenon, a whirlwind of discounts, and an all-out battleground as businesses fight to capture consumer attention. Customers anticipate jaw-dropping promotions and want to partake in the shopping frenzy.

With the day now past us, companies are evaluating what worked and what didn’t. Who raked in thousands of Euros? Who had creative campaigns? Who stuck to the basics and did it well? Let’s take a look at some of the best Black Friday campaigns of 2023.

JYSK Brings the Heat Before Black Friday

International home furnishings retailer, JYSK, brought the heat to Ireland with their Black Friday Warm Up Campaign, offering shoppers up to 70% off on selected products. They focused their messaging on avoiding crowds by shopping online and reminded email subscribers of the free delivery option.

JYSK Ireland designed a clean email with a big “Buy Now” button above the fold, so even if subscribers didn’t read the whole email, they could still drive traffic to their website. They also suggested some of their top products and included a link to the final campaign paper. The addition of a Black Friday Countdown timer created a sense of urgency among shoppers.

The final part of the email serves to alleviate consumers’ worries about incorrect purchases. They assured shoppers that they can return items at any time which makes it easier for people to make a purchase.

Clicking on any button allowed customers to access the JYSK Ireland website. Here, a big banner emphasised the savings. They included the countdown timer again, but this time it focused on how much time was left to shop the offers.

A final bit of marketing is the inclusion of a pop-up focused on Black Friday. Website visitors could fill in their details to receive emails and updates about the sale. Capturing the email addresses of website visitors also allows JYSK to market to them in the future.

JYSK replicated the same messaging and images on their social media pages, creating a great example of what the best Black Friday campaigns are all about. They focused on customers, providing an excellent promotion, and communicating it using a variety of communication channels.

Early Access With The Health Store

Health and wellness brand, The Health Store, offered Black Friday shoppers 15% off sitewide, but their promotion stands out because of their approach to loyal customers. Members of The Health Store’s loyalty program woke up on Thursday, 23 November, to an email giving them early access to the sale. The strategy delighted frequent customers!

The subject line boasted “Black Friday is LIVE! Get 15% off sitewide!” with a preview text mentioning “PLUS Our top picks!” Opening the email, readers were met with captivating, animated visuals, clear call-to-action buttons, and a plethora of product suggestions. We love this approach because the excitement of Black Friday can make it challenging for shoppers to focus on what they want to buy. Product suggestions made it easier for customers to navigate the platform and allowed them to take advantage of the sale.

All About Fun With Paco 

Next up in our lineup of the best Black Friday campaigns of 2023 is the clothing brand, Paco. They offered shoppers up to 60% off which was communicated on their website, social media, and with an email newsletter. Paco also used a single set of images to promote different outfits, creating a cohesive look.

Paco also used a “Spin to Win” feature that gave website browsers the opportunity to get an additional discount of 5–20% off. To access the discount, shoppers had to provide the company with their email address, but there was a countdown timer to create a sense of urgency in signing up. This strategy allows customers to get an extra discount while growing Paco’s email subscriber base, an essential part of email marketing that allows Paco to reach more customers with future promotions.

Speaking of email, Paco sent a simple email containing the campaign images and included pricing demonstrating what the price was and what it is now. Doing so clearly demonstrates the savings customers can expect. Paco caught the attention of email subscribers with the catchy subject line “Hurry, Black Friday Sale is Calling 📞.”

Sheridans Cheesemongers Increases Year-on-Year Black Friday Sales by 171% With Email Marketing

One of the best Black Friday campaigns came from Irish favourite, Sheridans Cheesemongers. They provided marketers with a quintessential example of how a simple campaign can achieve excellent results. Sheridans Cheesemongers offered shoppers 20% off sitewide and focused their messaging on stocking up for the festive season.

The website itself featured a single, thin banner with the promotion and a discount code (“verymerry”) to use at checkout. The same message was shared using Christmas-themed visuals on social media and email.

Sheridans Cheesemongers relied strongly on email marketing to make customers aware of their Black Friday promotion, but here’s the catch: They only sent one email for the entire weekend. Most brands did a teaser, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and last chance to shop emails, but Sheridans Cheesemongers felt that their message was strong enough to use a single email.

Let’s have a look at what made this email special. The subject line “⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 20% Off Everything ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐” immediately catches a person’s attention among the bunch of other Black Friday emails in your inbox. This is followed up by the preview text “Handpicked deals for you,” which creates a sense of personalisation.

Once you open the email, you are met with the traditional green of Sheridans Cheesemongers and immediately get the message that now is the time to stock up for Christmas. The checkout code is easy to identify, and the call to action “Shop Black Friday Deals” tells readers exactly what they need to do. The placement of this button above the fold is a strategic choice because not everyone will read the rest of the email.

The remainder of the email features a selection of products from different categories, including their ever-popular Christmas hampers and impressive cheeseboards. Sheridans Cheesemongers also considered all customers by including product suggestions at various price points, ensuring there is something for everyone.

The email used for Black Friday resulted in 171% higher sales when compared to the same weekend last year. Yes, that is from a single email. The simple message and product suggestions prompted customers to shop. But Sheridans Cheesemongers had another trick up their sleeve: An effective abandoned cart flow that followed up with anyone who didn’t checkout immediately. By prompting shoppers with several follow-up emails, the company captured sales that could otherwise have been lost.

Use the Best Black Friday Campaigns for Inspiration

Every Black Friday campaign has the potential to be great! What sets JYSK, The Health Store, Paco, and Sheridans Cheesemongers apart is each company’s approach to Black Friday. Across the board, they identified their target audience, had specific promotions that appealed to their customers, and communicated with their audience through various channels. It all comes down to thorough preparation.

What was the best Black Friday campaign you saw this year? Maybe you think it’s yours! Or maybe, you are feeling that your brand missed out. Let’s change that right now. Our experts are waiting to help you get the best from your marketing efforts whether it’s for Black Friday or every day. All you need to do is take the first step and book a meeting!