AiMCO Holds First Black Friday Live Event

The Australian Influencer Marketing Council (AiMCO) held its first ever live Black Friday event last week with almost 30 talent managers, content creators and AiMCO partners in attendance.

 

Held at JCDecaux’s Sydney office, the event explored the continued rise of Black Friday’s popularity, with much of its hype and interest being driven online by influencer marketing.

The panel of speakers included Hypetap managing director, Bryce Coombe, Amazon APAC head of growth marketing and creator partnerships, Lena Zak and Optus senior director media, operations and performance, Lauren Dawber.

The event explored the evolving dynamics of Black Friday marketing, emphasising the growing importance of creators, retail media, and data-driven strategies in shaping retail outcomes.

The panellists provided valuable insights into the shift towards content creators as essential channels for audience engagement during the Black Friday sales period, the promotion of which shifts earlier and earlier each year.

Hypetap’s Bryce Coombe said, “We know creators are engaging their audiences earlier each year, our research shows that in 2021 online discussions about Black Friday started from the beginning of November, this year it started during September. This underscores the need for brands to adopt long-term strategies rather than focusing solely on the weeks immediately preceding the event.”

The conversation addressed the increasing consumer shift from Boxing Day sales to Black Friday. While mentions of Black Friday were up 20% year-on-year, Boxing Day has seen a 10% decline*.

The panel also discussed how companies leverage this trend by integrating creator partnerships and emphasising gifting. A growing theme has been the mention of gifting and Black Friday which has risen 60%* over the past two years. This trend reflects consumer behaviour which is expected to be driven by the cost-of-living crisis, as shoppers seek deals for early Christmas presents. Research shows that 20%* of Australian consumers turn to influencer channels for advice and reviews during this purchasing process.

 

The panel also shared strategies for balancing creativity with practicality in extended campaigns, ensuring sustained audience engagement without fatigue. The discussion pointed to how online shopping continues to dominate Black Friday mentions, as in-store shopping interest declines year-on-year. This trend emphasises the importance of digital-first strategies, with influencers playing a critical role in driving online conversions.

AiMCO managing director, Patrick Whitnall said, “Black Friday sales are gaining in popularity with each year that passes and content creators are playing a crucial role in that growth. I would like to thank our panellists for delivering such valuable insights and also their own reflections on the things that make a content creator effective in building trust and driving results. Authenticity, audience alignment, and the ability to adapt messaging to consumer needs are critical attributes in any campaign, but certainly during the busy Black Friday campaign period.”