Black Friday in Belgium: How AI and New Trends Are Redefining Strategy for 2025
28.11.2025
Written by Erik Portier, Managing Director at Mediaplus Belgium
Black Friday in Belgium is undergoing a major transformation, driven by two major forces: shifting consumer behaviour and evolving media trends, and the accelerating impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on retailers’ strategies and the shopping experience. This article brings these two perspectives together to show how brands must adapt and how Mediaplus Belgium helps clients navigate this fast-changing environment for optimal return on investment (ROI).
A Tech-Driven and Reinvented Shopping Season
The idea of Black Friday as a single 24-hour event is obsolete. Data from 2024 clearly shows the shift toward a promotional period lasting nearly three weeks. This expansion led to a record turnover of €203 million during Black Friday week alone, a growth of 9.3% compared to 2023 [1]. Online shopping now accounts for nearly half of all revenue, with double-digit growth in key categories such as electronics and household appliances [1, 2].
Increasingly, this expansion is powered by AI, enabling brands to manage longer, more complex campaigns. AI is reshaping Black Friday for both brands and consumers:
Hyper-personalisation: Real-time product recommendations, personalised offers, and tailored communication boost conversion rates and average order value [2].
AI Shopping Assistants & AI Search: Over half of Belgian shoppers now interact with AI-powered assistants that suggest deals, answer questions, and simplify checkout [2].
The Belgian Consumer: Cautious, Yet Seeking Value Enhanced by AI
The current economic context, marked by inflation, has shaped a more cautious Belgian consumer. While Black Friday participation rose from 52% in 2023 to 63% in 2024 [3], spending habits have shifted. A European study shows that 78% of shoppers prefer to spend cautiously [4].
This paradox hides a deeper trend: “premiumisation at home.” With rising living costs, Belgians cut non-essential spending but treat themselves to higher-quality products at home [5]. AI helps sustain this behaviour by enabling stronger personalisation and offering flexible payment options such as“Buy Now, Pay Later” (BNPL) [2].
The Retailers’ Profitability Pressure Triangle
Despite record sales, retailers face a complex economic reality: a “profitability pressure triangle” that directly impacts margins — a challenge that AI can both alleviate and intensify.
The Strategic Balance: Short-Term Performance vs. Long-Term Brand Strength
Pressure to meet Q4 targets pushes many brands towards performance-only tactics. But over-reliance on discounts can erode long-term brand equity [8]. Experts recommend a media split of 60% brand building / 40% sales activation [9].
AI can help brands achieve this balance by targeting the right audiences with the right offers while also reinforcing brand messaging.
Mediaplus Belgium’s Strategic Advantage
In today’s complex Black Friday landscape, traditional media buying is no longer enough and this is where Mediaplus Belgium becomes a strategic partner.
Custom Media Mix Modeling: Advanced analytics identify the optimal channel mix for each brand [10].
AI-Driven Tools & Analytics: Tools like Growth Investor ensure smarter budget allocation and audience targeting, supported by Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) to measure true incremental impact [10, 11].
Agile Consulting & Continuous Support: Real-time dashboards allow brands to adjust campaigns throughout the intense Black Friday period [10].
Recommendations for Belgian Brands in 2025
Merge online and offline touchpoints to reach shoppers throughout their journey.
Invest in AI-powered personalisation to improve both conversions and brand equity.
Monitor consumer behaviour shifts, flexible payments, mobile expectations, value-driven decisions.
Combine strong storytelling with smart timing and placement of offers.
In summary, Black Friday 2025 in Belgium is data-driven, AI-enhanced, and demands that brands be agile, insightful, and ready to evolve their marketing strategies and technological capabilities to achieve sustainable growth.
References
[1] NielsenIQ. (2024). Black Friday 2024 Sales in Belgium Surge by 9.3%. https://nielseniq.com/global/en/news-center/2024/black-friday-2024-sales-in-belgium-surge-by-9-3-percent-reaching-record-breaking-e203-million-turnover/ [2] Experian. (2025). Black Friday Cyber Monday 2025: UtilizingConsumer Data. https://www.experian.com/blogs/marketing-forward/black-friday-cyber-monday-2025-utilizing-consumer-data/ [3] The Brussels Times. (2024). 63% of Belgians plan to buy something this Black Friday. https://www.brusselstimes.com/1326148/63-of-belgians-plan-to-buy-something-this-black-friday [4] MM.be. (2023). Black Friday : études et chiffres de la publicité digitale. https://www.mm.be/news-fr-73093-black-friday-etudes-et-chiffres-de-la-publicite-digitale [5] NielsenIQ. (2024). NIQ Retail Spend Barometer: Consumer spending in Belgium increases despite inflation. https://nielseniq.com/global/en/news-center/2024/niq-retail-spend-barometer-consumer-spending-in-belgium-increases-despite-inflation/ [6] UBA Belgium. (2025). Media inflation: what advertisers can expect in 2025. https://www.ubabelgium.be/en/knowledge-hub/item/2025/04/29/media-inflation-what-advertisers-can-expect-in-2025 [7] ROI Hunter. (2023). Is Black Friday Still Profitable For Retailers?. https://www.roihunter.com/blog/is-black-friday-still-profitable-for-retailers [8] Harvard Business Review. (2023). How Brand Building and Performance Marketing Can Work Together. https://hbr.org/2023/05/how-brand-building-and-performance-marketing-can-work-together [9] The Branding Journal. (2024). The Art of Balancing Long-Term Branding and Short-Term Performance Marketing. https://www.thebrandingjournal.com/2024/11/balancing-branding-and-performance-marketing/ [10] House of Communication. (2025). Mediaplus Belgium | Leading Independent Media Agency. https://www.house-of-communication.com/be/en/brands/mediaplus.html [11] House of Communication. (2025). Media Strategy & Innovation. https://www.house-of-communication.com/be/en/services/media-data/media-strategy-innovation.html
