Black Friday: The big new change for OOH.

Black Friday is changing. No longer a 24-hour frenzy, the UK spent an eye-watering £13 billion, up 7.3% year-on-year, across the weekend bonanza in 2023.

But while the Black Friday period, which culminates in Cyber Monday, remains an online-first event, in-store purchasing grew last year, with 44% of consumers buying at physical locations and spending an average of £113. It is also a major chance to build customer loyalty, with 84% agreeing a positive experience during Black Friday encourages them to shop with a retailer again.

This offers brands a tangible opportunity to supercharge their Black Friday campaigns using out-of-home advertising (OOH), with renewed research asserting OOH reaches over 90% of adults every week of the calendar year. This presents OOH a huge chance both directly and indirectly, with a poll finding 74% of mobile users act after viewing OOH, including online searches (44%), website (38%) and social visits (30%).

 

Data also suggests consumers will spend earlier than ever in 2024, with 20% of parents beginning their shopping in November, alongside 14% of non-parents. But Black Friday kickstarts it all, with 82% of 18-24s and 75% of 25-34s planning to spend at least a quarter of their budget.

 

Furthermore, during the recent study between Open Media and Starcount, we found November is the highest spending month for consumers purchasing electronics and technology, with 25–34-year-olds in particular splashing out. In 2023, according to statistics, 68% of Gen Z (born between 1997-2012) intended to take advantage of Black Friday with their estimated spend hitting £176, a whopping 56% more than national average. For brands and advertisers, this is a real opening to connect with fresh audiences.

 

In fact, it is reported 32% of Gen Z believe Black Friday offers good value, while almost half of spending by under 25s is expected to be in-store or by click and collect, adding greater impetus to the increased value of OOH with new eyes to be reached. This echoes research by PwC showing a post-pandemic resurgence of young people wanting to experience real-life shopping.

 

Put simply, during Black Friday, millions of people are on the high street – in front of OOH – with a desire to spend. OOH offers brands the chance to amplify their messaging – according to YouGov, in 2022, 61% of Black Friday consumers snapped a photo of an OOH ad, while 49% spoke to friends and family about an OOH placement.

 

Modern data also suggests OOH is having an increasing influence on online spending, with a study from GroupM discovering OOH has an online multiplier of 1.7, meaning for every £3 spent in-store due to OOH, £2 is spent online.

 

With this in mind, brands can utilise our Open Connect network – 23 digital screens placed strategically across the busiest cities of the UK – to position themselves in the heart of the action during Black Friday, capturing attention, commanding visibility and creating a lasting association during the busiest season of the retail calendar.

 

Our Open Connect network opens doors to locations previously deemed unreachable, from Wembley to Trafford Centre, engaging millions of consumers and providing a gateway into diverse audiences, allowing you to put your brand centre stage.

 

As Black Friday changes, the potential of OOH continues to grow.

 

To find out more about how OOH can work for your festive campaign, contact fiona@openmedia.uk.com.

 

Sources: Citcom, Mintel, Marketing Beat, IPA, Starcount, Dot Digital, PwC, Media Leader, YouGov, Finder.