It used to be that the frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday was tied to a set few days at the end of November.

That’s no longer the case.

The window for holiday-timed sales has crept up earlier and earlier, with major brands like Ulta, Lowe’s, and Best Buy pitching preliminary sales as early as late October this year. Some have leaned fully into the “creep” aspect, releasing ads that nod to the phenomenon.

The result is that, around the time that Black Friday and Cyber Monday come around, a nearly monthlong sales promotion is already in full swing, with shoppers on the hunt for deals and marketers at the ready with ads pitching said deals.

“The fact that we branded it as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and now it’s Black November for some brands is a little confusing,” Kevin Simonson, CEO at performance marketing agency adMixt, told Marketing Brew.

The extended sales window has changed the nature of the holiday shopping season, and even potentially dimmed its significance, according to ad agency execs, who say that the extended sales period combined with other sales events throughout the year softens the power of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Without the urgency of a tight sales window, it also changes how and when brands show up and advertise.

“Instead of concentrating spend on that single weekend like we traditionally have, we’re seeing clients stretch their investment along and across these longer windows,” Stasia Fulginiti, director, paid search and YouTube at Rain the Growth Agency, said.

Continue reading here.—KM

At the ESPN Edge Innovation Conference in New York earlier this month, Disney unveiled a holiday surprise.

Dunk the Halls, a holiday-themed animated NBA game alt cast that first premiered last year, will be returning this year on Christmas Day. Last year’s alt cast, which featured a game between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs, included characters like Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse; both characters will also return for this year’s alt cast, and Lilo & Stitch’s Stitch will appear for the first time in a matchup between the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

It’s not just the NBA that’s getting the alt cast treatment. ESPN is hosting a Funday Football alt cast for a Philadelphia Eagles vs. Los Angeles Chargers game on December 8 that will feature characters from the film Monsters, Inc. like Mike Wazowski.

The alt cast marks the third consecutive season that ESPN, Disney+, and the NFL have teamed up around a Funday Football alt cast.

Read more here.—JS

Black Friday is almost here. That means that in a couple of days, hard data will start trickling in that could give us a taste of how the holiday shopping season is shaping up. In the meantime, numerous predictions and forecasts have circulated, and we’ve assembled them here ahead of the big weekend.

Here are some topline numbers:

• A record 186.9 million people plan to shop during the five-day period including Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday, per the National Retail Federation. That’s up more than 3 million shoppers from last year.
• Among shoppers, expectations of steep discounts persist even as they spread out their holiday shopping. An Adobe Analytics survey found that 49% believe they will see the best deals on Friday. Indeed, the five-day period is expected to drive 17.2% of overall holiday spend, up 6.3% YoY.
• Deloitte predicts an uptick in participation, with 82% of respondents saying they plan to shop over the holiday period, up from 79% last year.
• However, the research firm is also anticipating a 4% decline in average spend, bringing the total down to $622 per household. Among those planning to cut their spending, 69% cited higher cost of living, while 43% cited financial constraints.
• Yet for all the interest in saving money, a study from WalletHub found that 36% of products would offer no real savings from their pre-Black Friday prices.

Continue reading on Retail Brew.—AV

Attention is the new arena, and fandom is how you win. On Dec. 2, join Marketing Brew and industry leaders to explore how today’s top brands are turning audiences into diehard fans. From smarter data plays to emotional storytelling, learn the strategies that spark loyalty, boost retention, and make your brand the main event. Don’t sit this one out—your fans and future ones are waiting.

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