Not surprisingly, Black Friday has been making waves on social media - for the week before Black Friday, mentions are up by 140% (1.2 million as opposed to 500,000 last year). In the last 24 hours (Nov 19), mentions have been up by almost 34% as compared to the same period last year and reached 210,200 mentions. It’s safe to say that consumer frenzy is at an all-time high.
Here’s a look at how the action has spread in different parts of the US in the last week.
And at Talkwalker, we decided to comb though the recesses of social media and pick out our favorite campaigns for Black Friday 2017 based on the noise they’ve been making. (That’s sort of our thing).
1. Walmart
It’s no surprise that Walmart has a whole host of deals that makes them a formidable competitor to Amazon - one of the highlights being their deal on Google Home. Here's a look at one of their Black Friday videos from this year.
But the real highlight of this year’s Black Friday offerings from Walmart is the Kinder Surprise - previously banned in the US. Ferrero is debuting the “American” version of the Kinder Surprise, the Kinder Joy, in the US. From a marketing point of view, this is a great way to differentiate their offerings from their rivals on Black Friday and gain higher footfall on D-Day.
And social media seems to love it!
With over 6,300 mentions in the last week, this little chocolate egg is taking over the internet in the US. And people are crying tears of joy.
Check out how Walmart is doing in real-time
2. eBay
eBay took a different spin this year and opted to use a somewhat different tactic to woo their customers. To promote their price match on Black Friday deals, they’ve been sharing #DidYouCheckeBay across their social media. Though not trending yet, they’ve worked with influencers to reach as many people as possible. In just the last week, there’s been a 69,000% increase in engagement for this hashtag, with a reach of over 2 million.
Here’s a look at one of their videos for the campaign
You think you’re getting the best holiday deals. But, #DidYouCheckeBay? Get the best deals w/ price match guarantee + free shipping. #FillYourCartWithColor https://t.co/PZEHlnmHTq pic.twitter.com/xdCxa0Fvj2
— eBay (@eBay) November 20, 2017
Judging by the spike in social media activity we can be sure that eBay will definitely be fulfilling a bunch of orders this holiday season.
3. Amazon
No Black Friday post is complete without mentioning this retail giant. Not surprisingly, Amazon’s flurry of Black Friday (and Cyber Monday) deals have got the world in a tizzy! With over 77k mentions over the past 7 days, Amazon’s clearly winning Black Friday this year in terms of sheer numbers.
In fact, Amazon’s managed to make Black Friday a success across the pond as well. Here’s a look at how a post in the Mirror, announcing the launch of Amazon’s Black Friday store went viral. The reach extended way beyond the UK and the US, including countries like Italy, India, Germany, Austria, Russia and even Sri Lanka.
In a bid to further expand operations, Amazon is launching its Australian operations this Friday just in time for sale season!
4. REI
Like last year, REI has chosen to go off the beaten track with their Black Friday campaign. And they've made a stunning video to boot.
Join the millions who are skipping the shopping frenzy on Black Friday to #OptOutside. BYO adrenaline. pic.twitter.com/JH0KNEmXwd
— REI (@REI) October 30, 2017
Since REI is an outerwear retailer, this works out well for their brand but may not be the best course of action for your brand if you say, sell electronics.
With 17.2k mentions on social media just last week, we know there are a bunch of loyal outdoor junkies all set to enjoy Thanksgiving weekend this year.
What’s more, REI have gone a step further and created a search engine to help users find the best outdoor trails - take a peek here. It’s a unique way to create engaging and shareable content using consumer input.
Not to be left behind, Ryanair jumped onto the Black Friday bandwagon yesterday, offering 500,000 tickets at a 15% discount.
Using our theme cloud, we found a whole bunch of hashtags related to the outdoors have been on the rise, making it a good Thanksgiving weekend for REI. In pure marketing terms, #optoutside is a great movement promoting family values, traditions, and a healthy dose of product promotion!
Check out what the internet is saying about #optoutside
Bonus: Black Friday Finds
Ryanair
Not to be left behind, Ryanair jumped onto the Black Friday bandwagon yesterday, offering 500,000 tickets at a 15% discount.
Bag a Bargain this Christmas
500,000 Seats
Up to 15% Off
Travel December 2017
The Black Friday Sale Day 1 pic.twitter.com/ajYFHZwnEH— Ryanair (@Ryanair) November 20, 2017
With over 25% increase in engagement compared to the day before they made the announcement, Ryanair seems to have hit the sweet spot for holiday travelers.
PlayStation
Playstation EU have upped the competition in the gaming vertical with their new viral video teasing their Black Friday deals.
PlayStation Plus Members are the winners here because they have early access to the Black Friday deals which are yet to be revealed. However, PlayStation is also offering a 25% discount for the 12-month subscription for those interested in signing up to receive their discounts just in time for Black Friday.
And judging by the spikes in mentions and engagement for PlayStation, over the last few days, it is working well for them.
Want to follow Black Friday in real time? Check it out using our Free Social Search
