10 Best Black Friday Marketing Campaigns That Went Viral

Black Friday is no longer just one hectic day of discounts. It is a full season of attention wars where brands fight to win feeds, inboxes and loyalty, not only carts.

In 2024, shoppers in the United States spent about 10.8 billion dollars online on Black Friday alone, up more than 10 percent from the previous year. Globally, Black Friday online sales reached around 74.4 billion dollars in only 24 hours.

With that kind of money on the table, average campaigns vanish in the noise. The ones you remember are the ones on this list.

Below is a fresh, detailed and entirely new look at the top 10 best and viral Black Friday campaigns that still shape how brands think about this weekend. For each one, you will see what they did, why it worked, and what you can borrow for your own Black Friday marketing strategy.

What Makes A Black Friday Campaign Truly Viral Today

Before we go brand by brand, it helps to understand what separates a viral Black Friday campaign from yet another discount banner.

Most of the successful examples below share at least three of these qualities:

1. A clear story instead of just a percentage off.
2. A strong point of view or value, sometimes even anti discount.
3. Smart use of channels, from TV and out of home to TikTok and email.
4. Utility that actually makes shopping easier, often powered by AI or interactive tools.
5. A long runway, not just a single day push.

Now let us break down the top 10 campaigns.

Top 10 Black Friday Campaigns

1. Google Black Owned Friday

Google did not simply run a sale. It reframed the day.

Originally launched in 2020, the Black Owned Friday initiative turned the usual Black Friday race into a call to support Black owned businesses. Instead of shouting about low prices, Google invited shoppers to spend the day intentionally with brands they might otherwise overlook.

In later editions, including the 2022 and 2024 campaigns, Google layered on:

1. An interactive, shoppable music video featuring Ludacris and chef creator Karissa “KJ” Jackson, where every item in the story linked to a Black owned brand.
2. Search and Maps features that allowed businesses to self identify as Black owned so users could filter and discover them directly inside Google products.
3. Partnerships with cultural figures like Druski and GloRilla in 2024, who showcased their favourite Black owned businesses and nudged audiences to make it “A Day of Black Owned Shopping” rather than a generic deal hunt.

Why it worked

Instead of competing on who could shout the loudest discount, Google turned Black Friday into a values driven discovery moment. The campaign combined entertainment, utility and a social cause in one tight story.

Lesson for marketers

Give Black Friday a bigger purpose than “limited time only.” If your brand has a clear community or value you stand for, build your entire creative idea and your product experience around that for the weekend.

2. Walmart Deals Of Desire Miniseries

Walmart decided that one Black Friday spot was not enough. So it produced an entire show.

For its recent holiday push, Walmart created a 10 part miniseries called Deals Of Desire. Each episode parodied a different television genre and featured familiar faces like Ian Somerhalder and Anthony Ramos.

Key parts of the strategy:

1. The content played across television, YouTube, TikTok and out of home, so audiences could bump into the story in many places, not only in ad breaks.
2. The episodes quietly guided viewers toward early access Black Friday deals and the Walmart plus loyalty program, where members got hours of early access to the best discounts.
3. Walmart also tested Sparky, a generative AI shopping assistant, to help people find and compare deals across the site during the season.

Creative data from analytics company DAIVID showed that the miniseries lifted purchase intent by about 5.8 percent and scored above average on creative effectiveness.

Why it worked

Walmart stopped behaving like a retailer for a moment and behaved like an entertainment studio that just happened to sell things. The deals were there, but the hook was the story.

Lesson for marketers

If your Black Friday marketing budget is significant, invest a part of it in genuine entertainment that people would choose to watch. Then treat your loyalty program or early access list as the “payoff” for that entertainment.

3. Amazon Five Star Theater

Amazon took its biggest strength, customer reviews, and turned them into a Hollywood level Black Friday campaign.

The Five Star Theater series cast actor Adam Driver to perform dramatic monologues based on real five star reviews, including the now famous story of a banana slicer that “saved a marriage.”

What Amazon did smartly:

1. The scripts came directly from customer language, which made the humour feel authentic rather than marketing driven.
2. The films ran across an omnichannel mix, including social platforms like TikTok, Meta and Snapchat, Amazon Prime properties such as Thursday Night Football, and Amazon owned social handles.
3. The campaign reportedly racked up more than one billion impressions and triggered fan made recreations of the spots, turning an ad idea into a memeable format.
4. At the same time Amazon used the spotlight to promote AI tools such as the Rufus conversational assistant, visual search through Amazon Lens and an interactive virtual holiday shop that helped customers find the right Black Friday deals faster.

Amazon additionally pitched its AI products as shopping hacks to help users find the best products and deals, and used influencer partnerships on Instagram to highlight viral products every day. Additionally, they advertised the AI features and BFCM week in biweekly newsletters.

Why it worked

Amazon did two things at once. It made entertaining creative from real user generated content and then backed it with very practical AI tools that removed friction from the shopping journey.

Lesson for marketers

Look for human truths hidden in your reviews, FAQs or community. That is your story feed. Then ask how technology, especially AI, can sit behind that story and make the purchase path noticeably easier during Black Friday.

4. Deciem Slowvember

Skincare company Deciem, the parent of The Ordinary and NIOD, went in the opposite direction from most retailers.

Instead of running a frantic Black Friday sale, Deciem introduced Slowvember. For an entire month the brand offered a flat 23 percent discount across its products, then shut its sites and stores to transactions on Black Friday itself in certain years to encourage more thoughtful buying.

The execution included:

1. A campaign hub and FAQ section that clearly explained why the brand was not doing a traditional flash sale and what Slowvember meant.
2. Site and app banners, pop ups and social content that promoted a “slow down and shop wisely” message, framing skincare shopping as a considered choice rather than an impulse.
3. A consistent pattern of repeating the idea every year so customers started to expect this alternative rhythm of shopping.

Earlier coverage of Deciem’s approach noted that a previous edition of this idea helped drive a large lift in sales for NIOD and a strong share of new customers, proving that anti hype can still be commercially powerful.

Why it worked

Slowvember made the brand’s values visible. Instead of treating Black Friday like a once a year cash grab, Deciem used the moment to educate and to build trust with customers who are skeptical of overconsumption.

Lesson for marketers

If you want to stand out, you do not have to yell louder than everyone else. You can also refuse to play the same game and design a calmer, longer sale window that is tightly aligned with your values.

Also Read: Puma went all witty and roped in doppelgangers of its brand ambassadors to promote its Black Friday Sale.

5. Patagonia Don’t Buy This Jacket

Patagonia’s Black Friday moment from 2011 is still one of the most referenced campaigns in marketing history.

On Black Friday the brand ran a full page ad in The New York Times with a simple headline above an image of its R2 fleece jacket: “Dont Buy This Jacket.”

Under that headline Patagonia listed the environmental cost of making a single jacket, such as litres of water used and carbon emissions generated. The brand asked customers to think carefully before buying and to repair or reuse gear when possible.

Ironically, the campaign increased sales while also cementing Patagonia’s reputation as a brand that takes sustainability seriously. Follow up analysis highlighted how the message challenged fast consumerism and attracted customers who wanted their purchases to support their values.

Why it worked

Patagonia took a real risk in the middle of peak retail season. That honesty and tension made the ad impossible to ignore and incredibly shareable. It felt less like a campaign and more like a manifesto.

Lesson for marketers

If your audience is tired of aggressive sales messaging, a bold, transparent stance can do more for long term loyalty than another 30 percent off banner. The key is to back the message with real operational actions, not only copy.

6. Cards Against Humanity Anti Black Friday

Cards Against Humanity turned Black Friday into its playground.

Instead of running familiar promotions, the brand has built a string of stunts that openly mock discount culture:

1. In 2013, it ran an “anti sale” by raising the price of the game by five dollars for one day, yet still saw sales spike and retained a top ranking on Amazon.
2. In 2014, it sold boxes filled with real bull manure to tens of thousands of customers who fully understood the joke.
3. In 2015, the brand sold “nothing” for five dollars on Black Friday and made more than seventy thousand dollars from people who willingly paid for the gag, according to coverage from Time and Vox.

These stunts generated huge social conversation and news coverage, while perfectly matching the brand’s irreverent tone.

Why it worked

Cards Against Humanity leaned into what its fans already expect: satire and chaos. The Black Friday campaigns did not feel like a brand trying to be edgy once a year. They felt like the brand simply being itself at scale.

Lesson for marketers

If your brand voice is inherently playful or subversive, Black Friday is an ideal stage to exaggerate that personality. The catch is that you need a loyal audience that understands the joke, otherwise stunts can feel confusing or offensive.

7. Nike Member First Black Friday

Nike has shifted Black Friday from a simple public sale to a powerful engine for its membership ecosystem.

Recent Black Friday campaigns have focused heavily on Nike’s loyalty program, with:

1. Early access to key deals for Nike members via the app and email reminders.
2. Personalized offers informed by browsing and purchase behaviour, such as recommendations for specific footwear lines or apparel categories.
3. A mix of online and in store promotions, plus flexible delivery options, so members can shop in the way that suits them best.

One analysis of Nike’s approach observed that Black Friday sales increased by about 31.6 percent compared with 2022, highlighting the power of this member centric and data led strategy.

Why it worked

Nike treated Black Friday as a chance to reward and grow its logged in user base rather than just push volume. That focus on membership data enabled more relevant deals and better app engagement, which pays off long after the weekend ends.

Lesson for marketers

Use Black Friday to strengthen your owned audience. Early access lists, loyalty tiers and personalised recommendations are not only nice tactics, they are long term assets.

8. Fashion Nova Influencer Flash Sale Blitz

Fast fashion brand Fashion Nova turned Black Friday into a social media spectacle.

The brand worked with heavy hitting influencers and celebrities, including Cardi B and Kylie Jenner, to push extreme discounts that went up to 90 percent.

Highlights of the strategy:

1. Hourly flash sale announcements on Instagram Stories that created a feeling of “blink and you miss it” urgency.
2. Constant reposting of influencer looks, which made followers feel as if they were shopping directly from Cardi B’s or Kylie Jenner’s wardrobe in real time.
3. Aggressive use of social proof, with Fashion Nova repeatedly ranking among the most searched fashion brands online, supported by constant celebrity visibility.

Various reports and case studies credit this always on influencer strategy with helping Fashion Nova generate tens of millions of dollars in sales during major sale weekends and become a dominant search term in fashion.

Why it worked

Fashion Nova understood that its real storefront is the Instagram feed. By treating Black Friday as a live event on social, supported by familiar influencer faces, it turned discount announcements into content drops.

Lesson for marketers

If your brand lives strongly on social platforms, plan Black Friday as a content calendar, not merely a sale calendar. Hourly or daily content beats, creator partnerships and live updates can keep audiences returning to your page across the weekend.

9. 22 Days Nutrition Random Discount Game

Plant based supplement brand 22 Days Nutrition used one of the simplest mechanics in psychology to make its Black Friday email stand out: curiosity.

Instead of a flat discount, the brand sent every subscriber a unique code that unlocked a random discount between 20% and 50% when used at checkout.

Why this was smart:

1. It turned a normal coupon into a small game. Shoppers had to click through just to see what they would get.
2. The mechanic was still margin friendly, because only some customers received the maximum discount, while many redeemed mid range offers.
3. The brand could run follow up campaigns to those who had opened the email but not yet redeemed their “mystery” code, extending the life of the promotion.

Case studies and strategy round ups now cite 22 Days Nutrition as a benchmark for gamified Black Friday email marketing.

Why it worked

The idea is simple enough to explain in one line, yet playful enough to feel special. It taps into the same behaviour that makes people love scratch cards and spin the wheel widgets.

Lesson for marketers

You do not need a complex app or custom game to gamify Black Friday. A simple layer of randomness around a discount, clearly explained in email and on site, can lift engagement significantly.

10. Warby Parker Virtual Try On Focus

Buying glasses online is risky. Warby Parker used Black Friday to remove that friction.

The eyewear brand leaned into its virtual try on technology, which allows customers to see how frames look on their faces using their phone or computer. For Black Friday, Warby Parker pushed this feature as the centre of its campaign, encouraging users to share screenshots and photos of their virtual try-ons on social media.

Paired with limited-time offers on frames, this created a loop:

1. People played with the tool and shared pictures, giving Warby Parker organic reach.
2. Friends who saw those posts were reminded that they could upgrade their frames at a discount without visiting a store.
3. The brand built a community feel around the experience, not just a one day rush.

Why it worked

Warby Parker did not invent a completely new idea for Black Friday. It used the sale period to spotlight a product feature that solved the core barrier in its category.

Lesson for marketers

Ask yourself what the biggest moment of doubt is before purchase in your category. Then design your Black Friday message around a feature or experience that removes that doubt.

Here are some more Black Friday campaigns that own the spotlight.

How To Apply These Viral Black Friday Ideas To Your Own Brand

Reading campaign breakdowns is useful. Turning them into a playbook is better.

Here are some practical ways to borrow from the top campaigns above.

1. Name your campaign, not only your sale: Black Owned Friday, Deals Of Desire, Slowvember, Five Star Theater. These are memorable names that carry a whole story. Give your Black Friday marketing a clear title that reflects a theme, not just “Black Friday Sale.”
2. Decide your stance: Are you playing the traditional big discount game or the anti discount game. Patagonia, Deciem and Cards Against Humanity took a clear stand and then executed consistently. Your brand does not have to copy their stance, but it should pick one.
3. Build around your strongest asset: Google used Search and Maps. Amazon used reviews and AI. Warby Parker used virtual try on. Nike used its membership graph. Start with the asset only you have, then design the promotion around it.
4. Stretch the season: Almost every brand on this list extended Black Friday beyond a single day with early access weeks, month long sales or multi wave content series. Start warming up your audience in late October or early November instead of waiting for the week itself.
5. Combine entertainment and utility: The real winners are not only funny or only convenient. They are both. Think of one hero creative idea that can go viral, then pair it with better shopping tools, delivery options or loyalty perks.

Frequently Asked Questions About Black Friday Campaigns

What is a Black Friday campaign?

A Black Friday campaign is a planned set of promotions, creative ideas and channel activities that brands run around the Black Friday weekend to drive sales and customer acquisition. It can include advertising, email sequences, influencer collaborations, landing pages, in store events and loyalty incentives. The best campaigns on this list move beyond discounts to tell a story and improve the shopping experience.

How early should brands start Black Friday marketing

Recent years show that many major retailers start Black Friday campaigns in late October or the first week of November, offering early deals and building momentum into the main weekend. Target, for example, kicked off weeks of early Black Friday deals from October twenty nine in 2023.

For most brands, two to four weeks of warm up content and list building is an ideal runway.

What trends will shape Black Friday campaigns in 2025

Based on recent data and campaigns:

1. Continued growth in online and mobile sales, with US Black Friday online spend expected to rise again from the 10.8 billion dollars in 2025.
2. Wider use of AI powered shopping assistants and recommendation tools, similar to Amazon’s Rufus and Walmart’s Sparky.
3. More gamified and personalised promotions, from mystery discount campaigns to custom member offers.
4. Stronger values led positions, especially around sustainability and responsible consumption. Patagonia and Deciem set an example here that many niche brands are now following.

If you keep these shifts in mind and build a campaign that truly reflects your brand’s strengths and values, you are much more likely to create a Black Friday campaign that gets shared, remembered and searched for long after the weekend ends.