For years, Black Friday has been both the start and the peak of the holiday shopping season. So named because of the effect it has on a brand’s bottom line, the retail tradition serves up a prime opportunity for stores across the country to engage customers in unique and interesting ways, in hopes that these methods, in combination with the lowest prices of the year, are enough to entice shoppers through the doors.
For Express, a nationwide retail chain based out of Columbus, Ohio, this engagement comes via the newest wave of social media: Snapchat. Through the use of the app’s customizable filters, the brand is looking to create a memorable experience for those that brave the crowds, cold, and early morning hours to get the deal of their dreams.
Today’s shoppers are far more likely to share experiences of all kinds on social media. Turning the mundane into the extraordinary is something that brands must be cognizant of when recognizing and adapting to the trends found within customer loyalty.
These Snapchat filters allow customers to more easily share their Black Friday experience, with the added benefit of providing additional free exposure for the retailer through these social media shares.
"Our #ExpressLife holiday campaign is all about celebrating with the people they love. Now more than ever our customer is not only enjoying these life moments, but also sharing them via their social media channels," said Jim Hilt, chief marketing officer, Express. "Our national Snapchat filters allow our customers to get in the holiday spirit, while creating and sharing memories through the Express lens."
When it comes to engaging shoppers via Snapchat, the numbers are staggering: the app boasts 150 million active users daily, with two-thirds of total users creating content every day.
With this type of market, more brands every day are moving to communicate and market to consumers through the channel. The easiest way to do this is the route chosen by Express: geofence-enabled filters add a personalized touch to a users picture or video while also promoting the featured event or brand.
The Black Friday phenomenon continues to evolve with the retail market. As customer preferences go, so too goes the strategies used on the most popular shopping day of the year, and Express’s use of Snapchat filters may be the edge needed to capitalize on this retail tradition.