Walmart hopes Black Friday shoppers will binge 10-episode commercial blitz
Walmart hopes customers will view its next ad campaign as a TV series rather than a TV commercial.
The retail giant is hoping to get consumers in the mood for Black Friday deals with a 10-part ‘series’ of commercials highlighting great bargains available in its stores. Walmart has enlisted actors like Taye Diggs, Lisa Rinna, Ian Somerhalder, Anthony Ramos, Chad Michael Murray, Jake Shane and Walton Goggins to take part in vignettes that will likely remind viewers of video favorites like ‘Bridgerton,’ ‘Yellowstone,’ ‘ Friday Night Lights” or “Vampire Diaries.”
Each ad features a sneak peek at the next in the series and also highlights a Black Friday offer. The first piece in the series, a preview of the campaign, is expected to be released on Monday.
“The holidays are an incredibly busy time of year for people and an incredibly messy time of year for advertisers,” said William White, chief marketing officer of Walmart US, during an interview. “To stand out on Black Friday and get our customers excited about deals, we’re focusing on breakthrough creative that drives conversations and engagement.” Each ad promotes different deals on items such as an Apple iPhone 13 or a Jessica Simpson women’s jacket.
Walmart is adjusting its Black Friday strategy. In recent years, it has tried to turn heads by reuniting actors from the hit “Mean Girls” or the cult favorite “Office Space.” This year, White says, executives are betting that the emulations of their favorite series will be recognized even faster.
“We see that our customers love chapter-based stories. It has resonated with them,” White says. “We tap into genres that are always popular with talent that people are excited about.”
The retailer plans to place the ads in highly visible places – and not just on TV. The spots will appear in prominent spots on both Tik Tok and YouTube, White says, and Walmart has commissioned special out-of-home ads in places like New York and Los Angeles that will closely resemble billboards and signs announcing the debut is recommended. a new TV show.
Walmart needs to turn heads. “I would say the fourth quarter is a very big part of our business,” White said. “The holidays are a very big part of our business.” The weeks leading up to Black Friday are always packed with deals and advertising campaigns aimed at pushing shoppers into the stores. The period has become even more intense with the introduction of a new “Black Friday” NFL game from Amazon Prime Video. Last year’s opening contest featured commercials from Google, Carnival Cruises, Hasbro, Bose and Columbia Sportswear.
