Guide
A guide to advertising on White Friday in the Middle East
White Friday is a shopping holiday in the Middle East in November. White Friday is similar to Black Friday in the U.S., and it typically offers four days of shopping discounts and deals to shoppers.
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What is White Friday?
White Friday is a November shopping holiday in the Middle East, similar to Black Friday in the U.S. While Black Friday takes place the day after Thanksgiving in the U.S., White Friday typically spans four days. In 2014, the website Souq kicked off the first “White Friday” as a four-day shopping event in the Middle East. 1 The company’s chief executive, Ronaldo Mouchawar, rebranded the well-known Western retail event Black Friday to “White Friday” in the Middle East. For advertisers, this White Friday holiday could be an ideal time to reach new customers, and to share and explain their offerings with digital marketing.
Where is White Friday celebrated?
White Friday is celebrated in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). It has since expanded and has been adopted in other Middle Eastern countries including Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, and Egypt.
In other nations, similar discount holidays in November are known by other names, for example, Black Week in Germany, Black Friday Week in Switzerland, and El Buen Fin in Mexico.
When is White Friday?
In 2024, White Friday will take place from November 24 to 27. It always begins on the Friday after Thanksgiving in the U.S., the fourth Thursday in November. While Black Friday is a single day, White Friday typically lasts four days, running until the Monday after Thanksgiving (known as Cyber Monday in the U.S.). It was originally expanded beyond Friday, a religious day for Muslims.
Benefits of advertising on White Friday
Advertising on the shopping holidays in November provides a great opportunity to potentially increase both reach and sales. For example, in 2022, Amazon had its biggest Thanksgiving holiday shopping weekend ever, with customers around the world purchasing hundreds of millions of products between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday. Not only could advertising on White Friday help you potentially reach new customers in the UAE and KSA, but you could also expand one-day Black Friday campaigns to include all four days of White Friday.
The benefits of advertising on White Friday also may include helping raise more awareness of your brand, reach new customers, and have an opportunity to distribute new products. Though White Friday began with only online deals, there are now opportunities to provide bargains or promotions in physical stores. Advertising on White Friday can also be a way to diversify your holiday advertising campaigns and reach customers outside the US.
What to keep in mind when advertising on White Friday
Also, keep in mind the Amazon Ads policies on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which are also applicable to White Friday.
Other UAE retail holidays when you could consider reaching new audiences include Ramadan and Singles’ Day.
3 examples of White Friday advertising
Case Study
This instance relates to the growth of customers choosing to shop online in the Middle East and North Africa region. In 2021, Pampers launched their Premium Care Night Diapers and sought to further inform their customers. Over the past three years, shoppers in the UAE have increasingly decided to choose to do some of their shopping online, and Pampers wanted to provide resources for their customers.
Case Study
Unicharm BabyJoy activated a campaign with Amazon Ads for the launch of their new diaper, BabyJoy Olive, highlighting White Friday and 11/11 Singles’ Day as opportune moments to reach customers.
Case Study
When Fine Hygienic Holding wanted to share their limited-time offers, they used Amazon DSP video and display ads, as well as high-traffic event page sponsorship, to help reach shoppers who were on Amazon.ae during White Friday.
If you have limited experience, contact us to request services managed by Amazon Ads. Budget minimums apply.