Living doc · updated Oct 22 · next: Oct 29

Brands are discounting like dropshippers.

I pulled 4,918 Meta ads with StealAds and our own scrapes, plus 3,445 short-form videos. Then I had AI read the 653 Black Friday, holiday and gift ads one by one, image included.

41%typical brand discount

40%typical dropshipper discount

US ads showing a percent, live Oct 21. Brands n=81, dropshippers n=45. And 39 of 187 brand ads already say 50% or more. Five weeks early.

So this is the other plan. Five lanes brands run more often than dropshippers do. The real ads behind each one. A checklist for this week. And the week to finally drop your number.

See the 5 lanes ↓ Jump to the calendar

Read this first"Running" means running. It's live in the Ad Library. That's all it means. There's no spend data in here, so nothing on this page says an ad performed. US ads are a snapshot from October 21, 2026. Europe is ads from the Black Friday window last year (Nov 10 to Dec 5, 2025). It's a sample, not a census, and every number shows its count. "Dropshippers" = the marketplace and dropship-style stores in the pull. "Brands" = everyone selling their own label, big and small. Anything marked Recommendation or Matt's take is my call, not a finding.

The whole thing on one screen

Screenshot this.

NOW

Run the lanes

Give them a thing. Sell the set, state the value. Open on the person. Get everyone else talking. Open the early-access list. Hold your number.

NOV 12–18

Announce

One number. One start date. One start time. VIP doors open for the list.

NOV 19–25

Black Week

The number goes public. "Up to." A countdown.

NOV 26–30

Hold it

Don't go deeper. Cyber Monday = price plus a gift at a spend threshold.

DEC 1–7

Turn it off

Kill the sale. Switch to gifting and ship-by deadlines.

Dates are my recommendation. The reasons are in the calendar.

The data in 60 seconds

The discount lane is packed.

Same Black Friday searches, same share of ads showing a percent off: brands 54% (62 of 114), dropshippers 53% (45 of 85).

21%

of US brand ads already say 50% off or more.

39 of 187 · dropshippers 20% (17 of 85)

70%

of EU brand ads opened with the deal on the day last year. US brands now: 49%.

EU 193 of 275 · US 92 of 187

18,043

typical views on a gift guide video this season. Highest of any shopping format with 100+ videos.

n=237 gift guide videos

5,944

median followers behind the 50 Black Friday videos that beat their own audience the most.

38 of the 50 had under 10,000

The five lanes, live right now

Share of US Black Friday ads using each lane · brands n=187 · dropshippers n=85

US brandsUS dropshippers

1. Give them a thingfree gift with purchase

23%43 of 187

7%6 of 85

2. Sell the setbundle or set

20%38 of 187

8%7 of 85

3. Sell getting in firstearly access / VIP

20%37 of 187

13%11 of 85

4. Open on the persongift-led hook

26%49 of 187

14%12 of 85

5. Everyone else talkingcreator or affiliate ads, all US BF ads

10%31 of 305

Where the race ends

US brands now (n=187) vs EU brands on Black Friday 2025 (n=275)

US brands nowEU brands, BF 2025

Open with the deal

49%92 of 187

70%193 of 275

Typical top discountwhen there's a percent

41%n=81

50%n=145

Percent ads that say "up to"

41%33 of 81

68%98 of 145

What it costs to show up

Their numbers, not mine

We are at +25% increase in CPMs compared to the same time last year.Northbeam, from their own data · post ↗

The Black Friday Cyber Monday CPM spike we saw in 2025 didn't start until November. This year we're seeing this spike happen in September.Northbeam · same post

Expect this to continue to get worse, especially around the first week of November.Bryan Bumgardner · post ↗

Shoppers are checking your math

Last Black Friday, a creator calling out a fake "40% off" on pajamas pulled 14.2M views. One video. If your "was" price is made up, someone will film it.

The five lanes

Use what a one-product store doesn't have.

A range. A brand. A list. People who like them. The checklists are my recommendations. The examples are real ads, quoted exactly. Tap any ad to see it full size.

Matt's take

Every time you race to 50%, you train your customer to only buy on discount. Building a brand matters more in an age of commodity, not less. These five lanes are small versions of that.

LANE 01

Give them a thing.

The shopper still gets a deal. Your price never moves.

23%of US brand ads include a free gift with purchase (43 of 187).

7%dropshippers

8%EU on the day

Lancôme: complimentary 7-piece gift with purchase $42+, a $125 value — LancômeUS · started Oct 14 · imageCOMPLIMENTARY 7-PIECE GIFT WITH YOUR PURCHASE $42+ … A $125 VALUE!Copy: "Spend more to receive more treats."Ad Library ↗

BarkBox: free Crocs dog shoes when you join — BarkBoxUS · started Oct 14Free Crocs. Free Shipping. Just Subscribe to BarkBox.Ad Library ↗

GODIVA: free Masterpiece holiday star ornament with $100+ purchase — GODIVAUS · started Oct 21Add a little extra sparkle to the season with a complimentary 7 pc Masterpiece Star Ornament when you spend over $100.Ad Library ↗

EVE LOM: free gift with purchase when you spend over $85 — EVE LOMUS · started Oct 21 · image+ Free Gift with purchase when you spend over $85Ad Library ↗

Matt's take

BarkBox is my favorite ad in the whole pile. A dog in Crocs is something you just don't see. Who doesn't want to send their mom that picture? "Oh, where'd you get those?" BarkBox. That's the gift doing the marketing for you.

THIS WEEKHow to run it

Pick one gift that's cheap for you and easy to picture for them. A mini, a branded extra, a collab item.
Put the dollar value on the image, big. "A $125 VALUE!" reads faster than a percent.
Set a spend threshold. The ones above sit at $42, $85 and $100.
Want a ladder? 10% of US brand ads already use tiered spend (19 of 187). Lancôme's line is the template: "Spend more to receive more treats."
Make the gift the headline. Your product can be the photo.

LANE 02

Sell the set. State the value.

The trick is two numbers. What it's worth. What they pay. No red percent sign.

20%of US brand ads sell a bundle or set (38 of 187).

8%dropshippers

39%US beauty (29/74)

Charlotte Tilbury: Pillow Talk kit, worth $91, yours for $52 — Charlotte TilburyUS · started Oct 16WORTH $91, YOURS FOR $52!Ad Library ↗

Tatcha: limited edition set $120, $157 value — TatchaUS · started Oct 21 · imageLIMITED EDITION $120 ($157 value)Copy: "Have your gifts hand-wrapped in an exclusive furoshiki."Ad Library ↗

Summer Fridays: Holiday Treat Duo, $40, $48 value — Summer FridaysUS · started Oct 16Shop the set for $40 ($48 value).Ad Library ↗

Olaplex: holiday savings $58, $85 value — OlaplexUS · started Oct 20 · imageHOLIDAY SAVINGS $58 … $85 VALUEAd Library ↗

Operator take

Pascal Le Marechal on his own Q4: "What we're doing: better bundles, better gift framing, same 18% discount ceiling." post ↗

THIS WEEKHow to run it

Build one set from your bestsellers. Price it below the sum of the parts.
Copy the format exactly: "WORTH $X, YOURS FOR $Y." Both numbers on the image.
Call it limited if it is. 14% of US brand ads push a limited-edition or holiday product (27 of 187).
Sell a lot of SKUs? Try a mystery box. Anker ran them in Europe last year: "Unbox tech treasures worth up to £699 for only £34.99." Ad ↗
Add the wrapping. Tatcha's furoshiki line sells the gift.

LANE 03

Sell getting in first.

They're selling the list first. The discount comes later. By Black Friday, it's too late to build one.

20%of US brand Black Friday ads right now are early-access ads (37 of 187).

13%dropshippers

4%EU on the day

Eddie Bauer: Adventure Rewards Black Friday early access — Eddie BauerUS · started Oct 14 · loyalty programEarly Access to Black Friday deals - I'm in!Ad Library ↗

"Our biggest sale of the year is almost here. The catch? It's not going public first."TEXT-ONLY AD · NO IMAGE SAVED

NoobruUS · started Oct 21Black Friday Early Access opens 19 November, and only people on the list get in.Ad Library ↗

Operator take

Alex Wyatt is running this flow right now: "The ads promote an earlybird discount + VIP access to Black Friday sales. In return, you collect their email and prepare to retarget them that way." post ↗

Matt's take

At Fireball we ran field marketing at concerts, festivals and events. Branded VIP experiences. Private parties. Being a fan came with a real-life benefit. Early access is the online version of that.

In my experience, an early-access list is one of the best-converting plays in DTC. It's the people you get to sell in Black Week without paying those CPMs to find them again.

THIS WEEKHow to run it

Put the exact open date and time in the ad. Veldskoen names the minute. Noobru names the day.
Ask for one thing. "Takes ten seconds - just your email."
Tell them who gets in. Noobru's copy: "As a past customer, we wanted you to hear about it first."
Give the list something the public won't get. Earlier hours, a bigger gift, first pick.
Have a loyalty program? Make it the door, like Eddie Bauer.
Set the email and SMS sends for the day the doors open. Now, not that week.

LANE 04

Open on the person, not the price.

People want help with their list. On TikTok, gift guides have the highest typical views of any shopping format with 100+ videos this season (18,043 views, 237 videos).

26%of US brand ads open on the gift or the person getting it (49 of 187).

14%dropshippers

15%EU on the day

Stanley 1913: gifts for him — Stanley 1913US · started Oct 9For the one who says he doesn't want anything.Ad Library ↗

Boll and Branch: for the hostess who has everything — Boll & BranchUS · started Oct 19 · imageFor the hostess who has everything.Copy: "give the one thing they didn't think to ask for: something soft, comforting, and unexpected."Ad Library ↗

Brooklinen: low-lift gift? High-quality sheets. — BrooklinenUS · started Oct 16 · imageLow-lift gift? High-quality sheets.Ad Library ↗

The Custom Captain: man on a boat in a custom jacket — The Custom CaptainUS · started Oct 21The Gift He Didn't See Coming.Copy: "He's got the rods, the coolers, the gadgets, and a drawer full of shirts he never wears."Ad Library ↗

THIS WEEKHow to run it

Write the first line about the person getting it. "For the one who..." is a template you can steal today.
Name a real person on a real list. The hostess. Him. The guy with the boat.
Keep the price out of the first line. Let the image or the second line carry the offer.
Make a gift guide for one specific person or one budget. Make it a video too, since that's the format people are watching.
Add the gifting fixes in the copy: wrapping, extended returns, ship-by dates.

LANE 05

Get everyone else talking about you.

The lane you can't fully see in an ad library. Creators. Stealth socials. Founders and the team telling the story.

10%of US Black Friday ads in the pull were creator or affiliate ads: a person talking, not the brand (31 of 305).

3%EU on the day (12/348)

On short-form, the breakouts come from small accounts. The 50 videos that beat their own audience the most this season had a median of 5,944 followers. 38 of 50 had under 10,000.

Shawn Johnson East for beam: Beam's biggest sale of the year, early access — Shawn Johnson East for beamUS · started Oct 21 · run from her pageI don't gatekeep 😅 Beam's Cyber Early Access Sale just opened and Beam Kids is 50% off. I helped create Beam Kids because I was constantly stressing about what my kids were (and weren't) actually eating.Ad Library ↗

Glossier partner creator showing the 2026 holiday sets — Glossier partner creatorUS · started Oct 16 · partnership adleaking ALL of Glossier's brand new 2026 holiday setsCopy: "I've been collecting the holiday sets from @glossier for multiple years now... these may be my favorites yet!!"Ad Library ↗

Freshly Cosmetics creator ad with code NATALIA — Freshly CosmeticsSpain · Black Week 2025 · on screenHasta -40% de descuento y -5% extra con mi código NATALIA.5 of Freshly's 7 Black Friday ads in the pull gave a creator their own code.Ad Library ↗

"@sephora @kohls holiday gift sets just dropped and yes, I bought six. For research. 😌"TEXT-ONLY AD · NO IMAGE SAVED

Kohl's partner creatorUS · started Oct 14 · partnership adAd Library ↗

Operator take

Lorenzo Pravata on Icy Bear Dental's early Black Friday ads: "What I like is that none of them look like a sale ad. There's a street interview inside a Boots store. The founder getting stopped in her car for a selfie. A skit where a friend announces the price like someone died." post ↗

Operator take

Manny Barbas, shorter: "1000 affiliates posting about your sale is a non negotiable, get to work." post ↗

Matt's take

Everyone expects the brand to talk about the brand. What matters now is feeling like everyone else is talking about it. Less "who is this brand." More "where does this brand fit into my life." Your team is an edge a dropshipper doesn't have.

THIS WEEKHow to run it

Send product to 10 to 20 small creators in your niche now, so the posts are up before Black Week. Small is fine. The breakout accounts above sit under 10,000 followers.
Give each one their own code. Freshly's "-5% extra con mi código" is the template.
Ask for first-person lines. "I bought six. For research." beats a product description.
Run the best ones as partnership ads from the creator's handle.
Film the founder and the team. Packing orders. Answering a DM. One story each.

04 · If you're going deep anyway

"We're sorry."

Some of you are going to run 50% off. That's fine. Lead with a contradiction.

Grüns (US, started Oct 20) is running up to 61% off. That's deeper than 73 of the 81 US brand ads that show a percent. It doesn't open on the number. It opens on an apology: "You were right. So we lowered our price." AD LIBRARY ↗

What everyone opens with

UP TO 61% OFF

What Grüns opens with

We're sorry.

Same deep discount. Totally different first line. Two more from Europe last year:

24builds: "Tired of fake Black Friday deals? We are too." Ad ↗
The Ridge, on the image: "The Cost of Waiting. Upgrade now during our Black Friday Sale and save up to 47% OFF" Ad ↗

Open on the objection your customer already has. Too pricey. Fake deals. Waiting.
Put the number second.
Make it real. A fake-"40% off" callout pulled 14.2M views last Black Friday. If your "was" price is made up, someone will film it.

The week-by-week calendar · Oct 22 to Dec 7

When to drop your number.

In the data = what real ads are doing, with dates from the ads themselves. Recommendation = my call. Adjust it to your margin and your list. Europe's dates are from 2025, when Black Friday fell on Nov 28. This year it's Nov 27, so I shifted them back a day for you.

Oct 22–28Give them a thing, open the listYOU ARE HERE

In the data

US brand Black Friday ads right now: 52% are holiday-gifting ads (97 of 187). 20% are early access (37 of 187). Only 8% are framed as Black Friday itself (15 of 187).
78% of them started in October (145 of 187).
But 21% already say 50% off or more (39 of 187). The race has started.

Recommendation

Run lanes 1, 2 and 4. Gift, set, person.
Launch the early-access list ad (lane 3).
Hold your number. Don't show the Black Friday percent yet.

Oct 29–Nov 4Get creators posting, bring back old adsYOU ARE HERE

In the data

The Main Street Exchange is already teasing a dated sale: "A two-day site-wide sale is happening Oct 30-31 with exclusive deals and surprises." Ad ↗
Adam Taylor: "Black Friday is Nov 27, so you want these live by the first week of November." He means your past best ads with a Black Friday makeover. post ↗

Recommendation

Get creator and team content live (lane 5). Posts need time to stack up before Black Week.
Pull your best past ads. Add an offer banner or a new first frame. Live by Nov 5.
Keep the list ad running.

Nov 5–11Lock the numberYOU ARE HERE

In the data

Gymshark's earliest teaser in the pull started Nov 9, 2025, a week before its sale: "The Gymshark Black Friday Sale starts 16th Nov, 4pm GMT. Prep your basket ready for up to 50% off everything🔥" Ad ↗
Germany ran "Black Week" early. MORE Nutrition's Black Week ads ran from Nov 2, 2025, and one says "Nur noch bis zum 16.11." (only until Nov 16). Ad ↗
Idris, on his clients this year: "One client moved their Black Week sale up to November 8" post ↗

Recommendation

Pick one number. One start date. One start time.
Build the teaser and the countdown creative now.
Brief creators on the date and give them codes.

Nov 12–18Announce it, open the VIP doorsYOU ARE HERE

In the data

Gymshark, three days out (ad started Nov 13, 2025): "The Gymshark Black Friday Sale starts Sunday, 16th Nov, 4pm GMT. Prep your basket ready for up to 50% off everything🔥" Ad ↗
That sale started 12 days before Black Friday. The same Sunday this year is Nov 15.
More of Europe's Black Friday brand ads started the week of Nov 17, 2025 than any other week (66 of 275).
Veldskoen's VIP doors open "00:01 on Wednesday 18 November (SAST)". Ad ↗

Recommendation

Run the announcement: date, time, number. Copy Gymshark's shape. One number. One start time. Down to the hour.
Open early access for the list. Email and SMS first, then retarget the list.

Nov 19–25Black Week, the number goes publicYOU ARE HERE

In the data

Noobru's early access opens Nov 19, list only. Ad ↗
Freshly Cosmetics announced its 2025 Black Week for "domingo 23" (Sunday, Nov 23), the Sunday before Black Friday. The same Sunday this year is Nov 22. Ad ↗
On the day, 68% of European brand percent-off ads said "up to" (98 of 145).

Recommendation

Public Black Week sale live between Nov 15 (Gymshark's timing) and Nov 22 (Freshly's).
"Up to" in the headline. One number. A countdown.
Keep the gift. Keep the set. They stack on top of the number.

Nov 26–30Black Friday to Cyber MondayYOU ARE HERE

In the data

On the day, 70% of European brand ads opened with the deal (193 of 275).
Hawkers, two days out (Nov 26, 2025): "BLACK FRIDAY. 3for1 + Free shipping. Only for 48hrs." Ad ↗
Glossier UK on Cyber Monday 2025: "Biggest sale of the season! Save up to 30% on eligible purchases, get a free Candle at £100+." Ad ↗

Recommendation

Hold the number. Don't go deeper on day four.
Cyber Monday: price plus a gift at a spend threshold, like Glossier.
Last-call creative with an end time.

Dec 1–7Turn it off, switch to giftingYOU ARE HERE

In the data

European brand ads that started Dec 1 to 5 last year: 24 of 29 were holiday-gifting ads, and 21 opened on the gift.
Lounge (started Dec 2, 2025): "Last-minute shopping never looked better." Ad ↗
Therabody: "Your new favorite stocking stuffer 🎁" Ad ↗
And the stuff that never got turned off: 33 of 187 US brand Black Friday ads (18%) started before September 2026. Dropshippers: 37 of 85 (44%). That gap depends partly on how the ads were found, so read it as a warning sign only.

Recommendation

Kill the sale creative when the sale ends.
Switch to lane 4 and ship-by dates.
Shaun Eng's setup tip, so this is painless: "Run them in their own promo campaign, not inside evergreen. When the sale ends and you switch those ads off, evergreen tanks with them." post ↗
Not discounting deep this year? Aazar Shad's note to a founder who wasn't: "Then I showed him the month nobody plans for. January." post ↗

Just don't be the Black Friday ad still running in February.

The offer menu

Every offer in the pull.

How often each group ran it. US = live now. EU = Black Friday window last year. One ad can carry several offers, so columns add up past 100%. Highlighted rows are where brands pull away from dropshippers.

Offer	US brands now (n=187)	US dropshippers (n=85)	EU brands on the day (n=275)	Real example
Percent off	43%(81)	53%(45)	53%(145)	Gymshark: "up to 50% off everything"
"Up to" percent	18%(34)	16%(14)	36%(99)	Native: "Save up to 30% OFF Early Bird Sale"
Free gift with purchase	23%(43)	7%(6)	8%(22)	Lancôme: 7-piece gift at $42+
Bundle or set	20%(38)	8%(7)	11%(31)	Charlotte Tilbury: "WORTH $91, YOURS FOR $52!"
Limited-edition holiday product	14%(27)	8%(7)	8%(22)	Tatcha: "LIMITED EDITION $120 ($157 value)"
Free shipping	13%(25)	20%(17)	7%(20)	BarkBox: "Free Crocs. Free Shipping."
Sitewide	13%(25)	18%(15)	14%(38)	Native: up to 30% sitewide
Members or early access	13%(24)	4%(3)	5%(13)	Eddie Bauer: loyalty early access
Gift guide	11%(21)	12%(10)	3%(8)	Stanley 1913: "Gifts for him"
Tiered spend	10%(19)	2%(2)	4%(10)	GODIVA: free ornament over $100
BOGO or multibuy	6%(12)	13%(11)	7%(18)	Hawkers: "3for1"
Dollar off	2%(4)	2%(2)	6%(16)	QuietOn: "now €50 OFF"
No offer at all	13%(25)	16%(14)	17%(48)	Lands' End: "Your One-Stop Holiday Gift Spot"

Why "up to" matters

EU brand percent-off ads, Black Friday 2025

Typical "up to" adn=98

50%off

Typical flat-percent adn=41

30%off

"Up to" lets the headline say 50% while most of the store sits lower. 50% or more, share of all ads in the group: US brands 21% (39 of 187), dropshippers 20% (17 of 85), EU brands 29% (81 of 275).

Hook lines by vertical

Steal the first line.

Exact copy, linked to the Ad Library. "Image" means the line is on the creative, not in the caption. Counts are US brand Black Friday ads in that vertical. Under 20 ads = examples, not a trend.

Apparel US n=53

32 of 53 show a percent or dollar off (60%), the most of any big vertical.

Cheaper than the official sale.Kingbriefs · US · Oct 2026 · Ad ↗

Your Early Black Friday head start is here.Comfrt · US · Oct 2026 · Ad ↗

The best gifts become part of his everyday life.Angel Jackets · US · Oct 2026 · Ad ↗

The Chaotically Customized Christmas Shop is stocked with PJs, sweaters & more for everyone on your list (even yourself!).Lands' End · US · Oct 2026 · Ad ↗

Prep your basket🛍️Gymshark · Europe · Nov 2025 · Ad ↗

BLACK FRIDAY. 3for1 + Free shipping. Only for 48hrs.Hawkers · Europe · Nov 2025 · Ad ↗

Beauty US n=74

29 of 74 sell a set (39%). 18 of 74 include a free gift (24%).

Have yourself a merry little gifting spree.Glossier · US · Oct 2026 · Ad ↗

BUILD A STOCKING! 🎁✨Charlotte Tilbury · US · Oct 2026 · Ad ↗

WORTH $96, YOURS FOR $58!Charlotte Tilbury · US · Oct 2026 · Ad ↗

Send a message of love with a gift of Japanese skincare, from bestselling treatments and limited-edition sets.Tatcha · US · Oct 2026 · Ad ↗

Mix, match, and save up to 30% sitewide on holiday favorites. Plus, get free gifts at $45 and $65 during the Early Bird Sale.Native · US · Oct 2026 · Ad ↗

Home US n=29

9 of 29 have no offer at all (31%). 6 of 29 are gift guides (21%).

For the one who appreciates the finer things, but would never admit it.Stanley 1913 · US · Oct 2026 · Ad ↗

Consider this your holiday cheat sheet. Save it for later (you'll need it).Boll & Branch · US · Oct 2026 · Ad ↗

Gifts already dressed for the occasion - one less thing to prepare this holiday season.Boll & Branch · US · Oct 2026 · Ad ↗

Unlock Black Friday Prices + Free HeaterPergoluxshop.com · US · Oct 2026 · Ad ↗

Best Gift of the Year! 🎁Blissy · US · Oct 2026 · Ad ↗

Pet US n=10

Examples, not a trend

Free Crocs. Free Shipping. Just Subscribe to BarkBox.BarkBox · US · Oct 2026 · Ad ↗

It's our birthday and your dog gets the gift!Native Pet · US · Oct 2026 · Ad ↗

BOGO FREE + a surprise gift. Last chance.Native Pet · US · Oct 2026 · Ad ↗

Black Friday is coming fast, and so is our best sale of the year! Want first access?SwiftPaws · US · Oct 2026 · Ad ↗

Supplements US n=14

Examples, not a trend

We're sorry.Grüns · US · Oct 2026 · image · Ad ↗

Before our Black Friday Sale opens to everyone, you're getting first access 🌸beam · US · Oct 2026 · Ad ↗

The catch? It's not going public first.Noobru · US · Oct 2026 · Ad ↗

FREE GIFT! ✨ Purchase any Gut Renew product and receive a FREE Tumbler!Suzanne Somers · US · Oct 2026 · Ad ↗

MORE WAR DIR BISHER ZU TEUER?"Was MORE too expensive for you before?" · MORE Nutrition · Germany · Nov 2025 · image · Ad ↗

Gadgets EU n=47

US had only 2 gadget ads, so these are Europe 2025. 11 of 47 sold a bundle or a mystery box (23%).

Unbox tech treasures worth up to £699 for only £34.99.Anker · UK · Nov 2025 · Ad ↗

Tired of fake Black Friday deals? We are too.24builds · Europe · Nov 2025 · Ad ↗

BLACK FRIDAY IS LIVE. Not "coming soon," not "next week." Now.Game Lab · Europe · Nov 2025 · Ad ↗

Your new favorite stocking stuffer 🎁Therabody · Europe · Dec 2025 · Ad ↗

Short-form openers this season

TikTok · big views from small accounts

Whoever invented this deserves a raise.2.7M views from an account with 1,609 followers · TikTok ↗

This is one of the smartest buys I've ever made on TikTok Shop.2.6M views, 1,879 followers · TikTok ↗

Europe notes

Selling into Europe? It ran on price.

Last Black Friday, 70% of EU brand ads opened with the deal (193 of 275), at a typical 50% off (n=145).

Germany

Say "Black Week."

40%

19 of 48 German-language ads used "Black Week" in the copy. 22 of 48 counting text on the image.
English-language ads almost never did (4 of 170).
39 of 48 German ads opened with the deal (81%).
It can start early. MORE Nutrition's Black Week ads started Nov 2, and its extension ran "nur noch bis zum 16.11." (only until Nov 16).
PURELEI: "Black Week: Bis zu 50 % ✨" Ad ↗
MediaMarktSaturn, on the image: "Nur bis 27.11. 20 Uhr" (only until Nov 27, 8pm). Ad ↗

All of Europe

"Up to" is the default.

68%

68% of European brand percent-off ads said "up to" (98 of 145).
US brands right now: 41% (33 of 81).

Spain · n=32

Price first.

84%

27 of 32 opened with the deal. Small sample.
12 showed a percent. Typical top discount: 40%.
4 of 32 said "Black Week." Freshly Cosmetics was one, with creator codes.
Hawkers ran "3x1" in Spanish and "3for1" in English.
Dormitorum, Nov 3: "¡BLACK FRIDAY LLEGÓ ANTES DE TIEMPO!" (Black Friday came early). Ad ↗

France · n=27

Deep, when there's a number.

55%

Typical top discount on the 10 ads that showed a percent. Small sample.
18 of 27 opened with the deal (67%).
0 of 27 said "Black Week."
Gymshark's French teaser: "Jusqu'à -50% sur TOUT dès le 16 Novembre à 17h." (Up to 50% off everything from Nov 16, 5pm.) Ad ↗

One caveat: some European ads came from brand page pulls with no country filter, so I can't confirm every one of them was shown in Europe.

09 · Get this for your own category

This updates every week to Dec 1.

Next update is the week of Oct 29, with the first wave of early-access ads. Bookmark it. Come back every week.

Go big,
MattMatt Berman · Big Players · Emerald Digital

Run it on your competitors

All of this came out of StealAds.

Want the same read on your own category? Join early access.

Join StealAds early access ↗

Want it built for you

We're building Black Friday creative right now at Emerald.

Get on Big Players above, then reply to any email with CAMPAIGN and tell me what you sell.

Get on the list ↑

Brands are discounting like dropshippers.

Screenshot this.

Run the lanes

Announce

Black Week

Hold it

Turn it off

The discount lane is packed.

The five lanes, live right now

Where the race ends

What it costs to show up

Use what a one-product store doesn't have.

Give them a thing.

THIS WEEKHow to run it

Sell the set. State the value.

THIS WEEKHow to run it

Sell getting in first.

THIS WEEKHow to run it

Open on the person, not the price.

THIS WEEKHow to run it

Get everyone else talking about you.

THIS WEEKHow to run it

Get next week's update in your inbox.

When to drop your number.

In the data

Recommendation

In the data

Recommendation

In the data

Recommendation

In the data

Recommendation

In the data

Recommendation

In the data

Recommendation

In the data

Recommendation

Every offer in the pull.

Why "up to" matters

Steal the first line.

Apparel US n=53

Beauty US n=74

Home US n=29

Pet US n=10

Supplements US n=14

Gadgets EU n=47

Short-form openers this season

Selling into Europe? It ran on price.

Say "Black Week."

"Up to" is the default.

Price first.

Deep, when there's a number.

This updates every week to Dec 1.

All of this came out of StealAds.

We're building Black Friday creative right now at Emerald.