Black Friday and the Cyber Week that follows are the peak of the discount season and, at the same time, its kickoff: for many people, Christmas shopping starts here. Unlike actual gift buying, it is less about emotion and more about the good price. That changes who you want to reach and, above all, when. This article is the second in the series on audiences by occasion and is devoted to the most price-driven time of the year.
Why Black Friday works differently than Christmas
The most important difference lies in behaviour. Around Black Friday people buy in a targeted, planned way, rather than spontaneously gifting. According to a representative survey by the German digital association Bitkom (November 2025, 1,120 internet users aged 16 and over), around half of people (52 percent) intend to use the discounts, and most of them go about it deliberately: 45 percent describe themselves as wish-fulfillers who treat themselves to something they have wanted for a while, just now at a better price. Only a minority buys purely on impulse.
For you as an advertiser, that is the decisive insight. Anyone who only shows up with a discount on the day itself is too late. The decision about what to buy is made in the weeks before. That is exactly when you should be present, so that your product lands on the inner wish list before the deal hunting begins.
The key audiences around Black Friday
The planned wish-fulfillers. The largest and most valuable group buys deliberately. They have a product in mind and are waiting for the right moment. Reach them early, in the weeks before the event, with a clear message about why your offer in particular is the right one. Those who build awareness here are top of mind at the decisive moment.
The price-conscious online buyers. The discount season takes place almost entirely online. According to Bitkom, 69 percent intend to go deal hunting exclusively online. For this group the offer counts, not the store. A streaming campaign that makes the price advantage and availability clear meets their expectation.
The young, mobile deal seekers. Younger audiences are especially active, buy mostly on the smartphone and are open to new providers. You reach them via streaming specifically by age and interests on the big screen, while the purchase itself then usually happens on the phone.
The buyers of higher-value purchases. Black Friday is the moment for the bigger, longer-planned purchase that people otherwise put off. The average planned budget is 312 euros according to Bitkom, around 11 percent more than the year before. For providers of higher-value products it pays to build trust and awareness early, because such purchases are made deliberately.
The early Christmas starters. Many use the discount days to buy their Christmas gifts, cheaply and early. This group connects the discount season with the festivities. How to reach the audiences in the actual holiday season is shown in the article on streaming advertising in the holiday season.
How to play it with onescreen
The discount season rewards early presence. Because the purchase decision is made weeks before the event, you should start your campaign in good time and not only on Black Friday itself. With onescreen you target specifically by region, age, gender and interests and reach the right audience on the big screen, non-skippable and with full attention.
Keep expectations realistic. In the discount season the purchase almost always happens online and mostly on the smartphone, not directly on the TV. Streaming advertising builds demand and makes sure your offer is present at the decisive moment. Why relevant attention counts for more than sheer reach is explored in the article Attention Over Reach. How precisely streaming can be targeted regionally is shown in the article on regional targeting in streaming TV.
Conclusion
Black Friday and Cyber Week are not spontaneous buying chaos, but a planned, price-driven season. Most buyers know in advance what they want. That is why it is not the loud discount on the day that decides, but the presence in the weeks before. Those who are visible early on the big screen land on the wish list before the deal hunting begins.
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FAQ
When should I start my Black Friday campaign? Earlier than the event day itself. According to Bitkom, most buyers proceed in a planned way and decide in the weeks before what they want to buy. Anyone who only becomes visible on Black Friday is too late to make the wish list.
Who do I best reach around Black Friday via streaming? Above all the planned buyers who treat themselves to something long wanted at a better price (45 percent according to Bitkom), plus price-conscious online buyers and younger, mobile-buying audiences. Targeting is done specifically by age, interests and region.
Do people buy directly through the TV? No, in the discount season the purchase almost always happens online and mostly on the smartphone. Streaming advertising works through attention and builds demand before the purchase is completed elsewhere.
How does Black Friday differ from the holiday season? Black Friday is price-driven and planned; it is about the good deal for a specific product. The holiday season is shaped more by gift buying, more emotional and partly local. Both occasions need their own approach.