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The Black Friday 2023 Snapshot
Black Friday: The Data Drops That Matter
Forget flashy banners and frenzied queues. This snapshot zooms out to show the bigger picture of Black Friday in 2023. What drove the conversation (and what didn’t), who showed up early, who made the most noise, and how brands outside of retail joined the hype.
Backed by Brandwatch data and YOUKNOW insights, this is the intel marketers, retailers, and strategists need to rethink next year’s playbook. Because if you're planning 2024 without looking back at 2023… that's a red flag bigger than a Black Friday discount sign.
Are you planning Black Friday with assumptions or insight?
Your 2024 strategy is only as strong as your 2023 hindsight.
So many brands dive into Black Friday planning without actually checking the data on what worked. The result? Missed opportunities, off-timing, and campaigns that just don’t land. This report unpacks six key lessons from the 2023 season, from the surprising drop in global mentions to the power of competitions, logo visibility, and hashtags.
Whether you’re in banking, retail, FMCG, or media, these insights help you avoid one-size-fits-all campaigns and instead build something sharp, timely, and attention-worthy. Because chaos isn't a strategy, but context is.
What’s inside the 2023 Black Friday Snapshot?
Inside the Snapshot: 6 Takeaways to Rethink Black Friday
- 📉 Global conversation is declining and SA’s no different.
- 🐦 Pick n Pay proved that early chatter does pay off.
- 🎯 Brands outside of retail found clever ways to join in.
- 🏎️ Logo visibility still drives brand impact (Xbox + Mercedes = data win).
- 🧃 Pineapple SA ran the most talked-about campaign on X.
- 🏷️ Hashtags like #BlackFriday are still doing the heavy lifting.
This isn’t just a post-mortem. It’s a map for your next move. Built using Brandwatch data and analysed by YOUKNOW’s team of Martech experts, this snapshot shows what matters and how to win Black Friday without shouting into the void.
Shaun Pearson
Lead: Social Tech
,
YOUKNOW Technologies
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