Peak Retail Season Panic? Here’s How to Win This Key Moment With Your Story

If you listen closely, that isn’t just the faint ringing of Jingle Bells you can hear; it’s the starting gun for the big retail events of the year. For consumer tech brands, the period from Black Friday to the New Year can make up a huge portion of revenue for the year. With global sales projected to hit $1.9 trillion this year according to Nielsen data, the opportunity is massive, but generating cut through with customers requires a long-term game plan – and the brands that win are the ones that start laying the groundwork long before the sales go live.

Here are our top tips for retail  brands looking to win this peak retail season:

1. Start pitching now: It’s never too early to start talking about Christmas. By the time November rolls around, it’s too late to land the most coveted holiday gift guides – journalists and editors at top-tier publications plan their festive content months in advance. Start your media outreach early and focus on what makes your product unique beyond its price point.
2. Lead with story, not just discount: Consumers don’t just buy what’s cheapest – they buy the brands they trust. Highlight innovation, sustainability, exclusivity, or gifting value when you’re positioning your products. Strong storytelling creates emotional resonance that lasts longer than a 48-hour flash sale.
3. Leverage affiliate marketing: Affiliate partnerships with publishers, deal sites, and influencers can be a powerful multiplier. Affiliates often have loyal, purchase-ready audiences, and their content ranks highly in search during Black Friday. By aligning affiliate promotions with your brand narrative (not just discounts), you can extend reach cost-effectively and drive incremental sales.
4. Own your channels: Build a sense of insider access through email, social teasers, and influencer previews. Optimise your website and checkout to handle surges – no one forgives a crash on the biggest shopping day of the year.
5. Keep momentum post-Black Friday: Don’t treat the day as the finish line. Capture shopper data, retarget into Christmas and Boxing Day, and extend your storytelling into New Year’s resolutions or summer essentials.

At Sling & Stone, we’ve spent over 14 years helping ANZ’s biggest retailers and consumer tech brands – including Levi’s, Mighty Ape, OPPO, Krispy Kreme, Dreame and Withings – cut through the noise and build brands that thrive long after the discounts are gone. If you’re ready to make this Black Friday your strongest yet, we’d love to chat.

Get in touch with us today: [email protected]