Not all retailers and brands play the deep-discount game on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but they certainly want to capture the traffic from consumers’ desire to shop during this window that traditionally kicks off holiday shopping. There are three businesses betting on feel-good purchases that reinforce their brand DNA, differentiate them in all the discounting noise, and hopefully capture consumer dollars. Black Friday has become shopping as sport with a mercenary undertone. The concept of charitable giving is certainly more in the spirit of Thanksgiving then a stampede at Walmart when the doors open. Patagonia, Net-A-Porter and Zappos are three brands focusing their marketing initiatives on a refreshing new take on doing good this weekend.
For the first time this year, Patagonia is donating all Black Friday sales in their stores and online to grassroots environmental groups that are often underfunded and under the radar. Corley Kenna, the global director of communications and public relations at Patagonia, said they estimate to raise $2 million with this initiative. Giving back is part of the Patagonia brand DNA and integrated into how they do business. On a daily basis the company donates 1% of its sales to these organizations amounting to $74 million to date.
Luxury Daily reported that Net-a-Porter would hold a “donation day” with 15% of full-price sales going to the White Ribbon Alliance, a global network of maternal heath advocates. The commitment of the company to women’s causes is integrated through marketing initiatives throughout the year.
Zappos has a goal of funding the adoption of 9,000 cats and dogs between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The company will cover the adoption fee when you adopt a cat or dog through Best Friends Animal Society or select locations in the No More Homeless Pets Network.
There’s plenty of good to do so hopefully this year is just the beginning of shifting the mindset around Black Friday. Kudos to businesses that have taken on the daunting task of trying to shift consumers’ mindset. Hopefully, next year I can write about a long list of beauty brands jumping on this new trend.
