Flooded streets, big sale signs on the store windows, waiting lines, people fighting to get the products they had their eyes on. You probably have an idea what I am describing – a very popular American post-Thanksgiving Day or Black Friday. Increasingly, Black Friday is also starting to be popular in Europe. The day encourages overconsumption, buying only for the sake of buying, impulse purchases, and binge shopping. It all sounds amazing; I mean, who doesn’t love a 90% discount? But have you ever thought of the impact this overconsumption has on our planet? So what does Black Friday leave behind? Think about what happens to a product you thought you really needed in all that Black Friday mania. It either lies somewhere in your room collecting dust or you throw it away. Thus, depletion of natural resources, pollution and oceans full of plastic are a few things that Black Friday indirectly encourages.

For that reason, BR-ND People supports Trees for All, an initiative in partnership with Rainbow Collection and Gardeners. Meanwhile, many other companies and certified B Corps have decided to support Green Friday.

First, let’s first introduce Trees for All. Their name and their motto: “Trees care for us, and that’s why we care for trees” already tell a lot. Their mission is to plant new forests worldwide and to restore existing forests. They want to help our planet and tackle the problem of climate change by making the world greener. So 2 years ago they set out on a mission on how to increase their awareness. And here is where the Green Friday project was launched in The Netherlands. The initiative became popular quickly. From their first client Dille & Kamille to 60 new clients in the second year, and now, in 2021, they are working with over 120 clients! You can think of Green Friday as a countermovement of Black Friday. With it, they try to create awareness around conscious consumption, quality and durability.

As an impact branding consultancy, we see Green Friday as a clever brand activism project. According to activistbrands.com, “brand activism consists of business efforts to promote, impede, or direct social, political, economic, and/or environmental reform or stasis with the desire to promote or impede improvements in society”. Green Friday is an international initiative that is taking an already existing ritual of excessive consumption and quite literally trying to give it a new purpose. Thus, it is trying to reform a day full of overconsumption into a more environment-friendly day. To show support for this brand activism project, and consequently, their rejection of Black Friday, brands all over the world are changing their logos to green for the day.

By helping to spread awareness of this initiative, we are hoping to not only make people realise the negative consequences Black Friday can bring, but also try to change their behaviour into more conscious and sustainable consumption. We believe that as impact marketers and consultants, we hold a responsibility to facilitate the transition to a better society by endorsing and sharing good practices.

So on Black Friday, we’re going Green! And why should you choose Green Friday over Black Friday as well? You will contribute to a greener world, be a part of the growing Green Friday movement, and show that you support sustainability. So join us in turning your logo green and use it on November 26th. With it, you will support this amazing movement! We even decided to ‘plant’ a mini tree and put it in our office.

So, if you happen to be wandering around, come inside and see our beautiful tree (be sure to wear a mask, though).