Black Friday is a big opportunity to reach new audiences, re-engage loyal customers and build long-term value. Price cuts will always get attention, but so will everyone else's. The brands that get the most out of the weekend create an experience that goes beyond a simple sale.
Gamification: POWER's Winning Formula
Danish electronics retailer POWER used gamification to great effect with a Scratcher Spin the Wheel campaign. The game supported the MyPower loyalty programme and gave customers the chance to win points and deals by spinning the wheel. It didn't just lift sales; it built real connections with customers.
The results speak for themselves:
- Over 60,000 new email permissions
- Nearly 46,000 new loyalty members
Instead of relying on discounts alone, POWER engaged its audience in a fun, interactive way that encouraged sign-ups and repeat visits. Bonus points and special discounts delivered through the game made the experience both rewarding and memorable.
The Power of Scarcity
According to Forbes, limited-time offers and limited stock create urgency and push customers to act quickly. Scarcity plays on a basic human instinct: we want what's rare. That makes a promotion feel more exclusive and more valuable.
Combine limited-time deals with a gamified experience and passive browsers become active participants, keen to secure their prize before it's gone. A few ways to build scarcity into your game:
- Limited prize pools. Make it clear that only a certain number of top prizes are available.
- Time-boxed deals. Run the game for the Black Friday weekend only, or reveal a new deal each day of Black Week.
- Exclusive early access. Reward players with access to deals before they go live for everyone else.
Creating Multi-Channel Momentum
Successful Black Friday campaigns don't rely on a single channel. POWER's campaign worked because it was supported across email, the website and the loyalty platform.
- Email and SMS: Tease upcoming deals in the weeks before to build anticipation.
- Website: A game in a pop-up or on the front page catches attention and encourages immediate action.
- Social media: Showcase winners and share highlights to keep the buzz going and draw in more participants.
The groundwork starts well before the day itself. Our pre-event marketing tips explain how to build your list in the run-up.
How to Set Up a Black Friday Game in Scratcher
You don't need a developer to launch a campaign like this. A typical setup looks like this:
- Pick a format. Spin the Wheel, a scratch card or a mystery box all work well for instant-win deals.
- Choose your prizes. Mix plenty of smaller rewards, such as discount codes or loyalty points, with a few eye-catching top prizes. Scratcher can hand out unique discount codes automatically.
- Add a sign-up form with consent. Ask only for what you need, for example email and newsletter permission.
- Connect your tools. Send new sign-ups straight to Klaviyo, Mailchimp, HubSpot or Shopify so your Black Friday emails reach them right away.
- Publish where your traffic is. Run it as a pop-up on your site, a landing page for your ads or an embed on your campaign page.
Beyond Discounts: Building Long-Term Loyalty
What makes campaigns like POWER's stand out is the focus on long-term value rather than a short sales spike. By using Black Friday to collect permissions and grow your loyalty programme, you can keep nurturing those customers long after the rush is over.
Gamification, combined with smart use of scarcity, helps you increase conversions during the biggest shopping event of the year and build relationships that drive future growth.
For more ideas, see our top Q4 gamification campaigns, or start a free 14-day trial and have your Black Friday game ready in good time.
