Black Friday 2026 is fast approaching, which means it's time to start shaping your plan for the busiest week in the retail calendar.

We ran the numbers, and our Black Friday 2025 analysis found that the season was bigger than ever, with revenue rising 14% year-on-year. But it was also noisier than ever: brands sent more, promotions ran longer, and cutting through was a real challenge.

Some brands rose above the noise, leaning into smart segmentation, personalization, and creative execution to stand out from the masses when it mattered most. We've pulled together our favorite Black Friday marketing campaigns of 2025, and why they worked so well, to inspire you as we head into the 2026 season.

Accessorize's reactivation play

Accessorize used Black Friday as a reactivation moment, targeting lapsed shoppers with messaging designed to bring them back into the fold. The subject line “If not now, then when?” led the way, supported by FOMO-driven body copy, seasonal bestsellers front and center, and a CTA inviting customers to start prepping their wishlist ahead of the sale.

Why it works: Our data found that Black Friday 2025 revenue was split 45/55 between new and returning customers, which means a strategy that speaks to both groups is essential. With only a few small tweaks, Accessorize turned what could have been a generic sale email into a genuinely relevant moment for lapsed shoppers. The takeaway? Personalization doesn't have to be high effort. Small details can make all the difference.

The White Company's “White Week”

Black Friday is synonymous with bargains and mayhem. The White Company is known for luxury and calm. To make the season work for them, they rebranded their Black Friday promotions as “White Week,” and offered loyalty members a week-long preview.

Why it works: The minimalist design of this email isn't just on-brand for The White Company; it feels distinctly refreshing in an inbox dominated by black backgrounds, bold text, and all-caps urgency. It's a strong reminder that participating in Black Friday doesn't need to be at odds with your brand's identity.

We also love how members of their loyalty program, “The Club,” gained access to the promotion for a full week before general access. It's a genuinely valuable benefit, and creates a sense of exclusivity without overdoing the urgency. Our data backs their approach: in 2025, Black Friday revenue growth from existing customers was 4x what it was for new customers. Investing in your most loyal shoppers continues to pay dividends.

ME+EM's conscientious approach

While The White Company opted for their own branded version of Black Friday, ME+EM opted out entirely. Their campaign, with the subject line “Why We Don't Do Black Friday,” reinforced what the brand stands for: quality product made to last, conscious consumption, and empowering women. Instead of discounting, they donated £10 for every order made to a charity supporting women and girls affected by war and conflict.

Why it works: It's a position that aligns naturally with ME+EM's premium positioning, reinforcing the value of their pieces as investment items to be cared for rather than discounted, while also giving customers a reason to feel good about their purchase. It's not a play every brand can make, but for those with strong pricing integrity and a values-led customer base, it can be more meaningful than another round of discounts.

ALLSAINTS' forward-thinking retention strategy

ALLSAINTS created a welcome campaign specifically for customers who made their first purchase during Black Friday, offering a 10% discount off their next order. The twist? This discount was only valid from December 2nd, after the Black Friday sale had ended.

Why it works: According to our data, customers acquired during Black Friday 2024 were 6x less likely to make a second purchase than customers acquired at other times of the year. In a discount-heavy period where shoppers may have only been in it for a bargain, bringing them back is the real task, and ALLSAINTS' campaign tackles that head-on.

It references Black Friday twice in the copy to feel relevant to the moment, delivers the incentive, and then sets out clearly what the customer can expect from the brand going forward, including a birthday discount, access to future promos, and updates on new collections. It's tight, focused, and gives the customer a clear reason to come back.

Notonthehighstreet's AI-powered gift finder

Curated online marketplace Notonthehighstreet launched an AI-powered gift finder in their app, “The Curator,” just in time for Black Friday and peak trading. It's a genuinely useful piece of AI: customers describe who they're shopping for, and the tool helps surface relevant gift ideas from the catalog.

Why it works: Gift discovery can be one of the most time-consuming and stressful parts of the peak season, particularly for shoppers buying for multiple recipients. The Curator simplifies that process in a way that feels on-brand and genuinely helpful, rather than gimmicky. It's also supported by a smart cross-channel push: the email campaign promotes the feature and encourages app downloads, opening up a new channel in the form of push notifications. With email inboxes more crowded than ever at peak, having that extra route to the customer is particularly valuable.

We caught up with our Director of Retail Strategy on building a Black Friday marketing strategy that lands. Give it a read for more ideas on using AI well this peak season.

Astrid & Miyu's “win your wishlist” incentive

Astrid & Miyu encouraged shoppers to build their wishlist ahead of Black Friday, with one lucky entrant winning the contents of their list as a prize. The campaign was a properly cross-channel effort, with the offer running across email, push, and SMS to maximize visibility.

Why it works: With the Black Friday season longer than ever, driving engagement across the full period is just as important as the day itself. Wishlisting is a smart way to do that, getting customers actively interacting with the catalog well before the sale opens. The gamified prize draw makes it extra tempting (who doesn't like to win?), and positioning the campaign as a “festive thank you” gives it a community feel that deepens the connection to the brand. Running it across multiple channels also gives the message a much better chance of cutting through at a time when email inboxes are heaving.

RIXO's early access on SMS

Premium London-based womenswear label RIXO used Black Friday as an opportunity to grow their SMS list, incentivizing sign-ups by offering subscribers early access to the sale.

Why it works: RIXO leaned into personal, insider-style language to make subscribers feel part of an exclusive group. The “We'll text you first” creative reinforces the value of opting in, framing SMS as a privileged channel rather than just another inbox to clutter. That same feeling of exclusivity carried through into the SMS messages themselves, with language designed to drive urgency and reward subscribers for being in the know. A simple but effective way to grow a high-intent SMS list ahead of one of the biggest revenue moments of the year.

Uniqlo's customer celebration

A Black Friday campaign with no discounts? That's exactly what Uniqlo went with, launching their “Arigato Festival” as a celebration of customers rather than a sale. The week-long event included gifts and prizes, a live gifting station for inspiration, and special collaborations.

Why it works: Uniqlo runs sales regularly throughout the year, so leaning further into discounting at Black Friday wouldn't have moved the needle. Reframing the period as a thank-you to customers, complete with the chance to win a trip to Japan when spending over a certain threshold, captures the imagination in a way that another 20% off wouldn't have done. It also doubles as a community play, reinforcing Uniqlo's personality as an accessible lifestyle brand rather than yet another retailer racing to the bottom on price.

MISSOMA's gifting-led approach

Missoma kept the Black Friday discount but built the campaign around gifting, layering in practical USPs and inspiration alongside the offer.

Why it works: A Black Friday email with a clearer purpose stands out in a sea of generic sale messaging, particularly for a category like jewelry where gifting is so central. Missoma made their gifting credentials impossible to miss: “Get it gift wrapped” sits at the top of the email, a “Free engraving” GIF banner runs through the center, and the campaign showcases individual birthstones to give gifters a clearer route in. Combined with 40% off, it gives the customer multiple reasons to engage rather than relying on the discount alone. For more on getting the most out of both sides of the gifting equation, see our blog on engaging gift givers and receivers.

Get ready for your best Black Friday yet

We hope these campaigns from Black Friday 2025 have provided some useful inspiration as you plan for the season ahead. While every brand takes a slightly different approach, the most effective campaigns are always rooted in a strong understanding of the customer.

If you're gearing up for an even bigger and better Black Friday in 2026, we've got your back. Discover practical tactics, best-in-class campaign examples, and more in our Ultimate Black Friday Guide.