Is Walmart Black Friday ad an invitation to shop or part of a consumption ritual? A semiotic analysis reveals hidden meanings and mythology.
The term ‘Black Friday’ refers to the day after Thanksgiving in the United States. It traditionally marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Its name dates back to the 1960s. It began to be used to signify a day when shops recorded huge profits. This was symbolised by the transition from red (losses) to black (profits) in the accounting books. For consumers, Black Friday is a day of huge sales and bargains. For retailers, it is a chance to generate significant revenue, making it a kind of celebration of consumption.
Walmart is an American hypermarket and supermarket chain that is one of the largest retailers in the world. Founded in 1962 by Sam Walton, the company has gained popularity for its low prices and wide range of products. It also has a large number of locations, especially in the United States. We know Walmart not only for its traditional stationary shops but also for its growing e-commerce platform that allows online shopping.
Denotative analysis
Let us now turn to a semiotic analysis. On a denotative, or literal, level, the ad shows the announcement of Walmart’s Black Friday sale in 2024. The central elements are the prominent Walmart logo, the date 2024 in yellow, and a black tagline with the words BLACK FRIDAY SALE written in white and red letters. The colourful shopping bags at the bottom of the graphic suggest shopping bargains. There are subtle light blue stars throughout the background – a reminder of the upcoming festive season.
Connotative analysis. In search of the meaning of Walmart Black Friday ad
On a connotative level, the ad evokes associations related to intense consumerism and the joy of shopping. The yellow colour of the date 2024 connotes optimism and energy, emphasising the modernity and timeliness of the offer. The black tagline with the words BLACK FRIDAY SALE introduces an element of drama and urgency, suggesting a unique occasion. The red in the word SALE intensifies the message, evoking emotions of urgency and excitement.
The stars in the background, reminiscent of Christmas stars, introduce a subtle theme of the coming holidays, building an atmosphere of anticipation and joy. They influence the emotional perception of the ad, indicating that Black Friday is a prelude to the Christmas shopping season. This is when gifts are traditionally bought for loved ones. These asterisks add a symbolic dimension to the ad, in which Black Friday becomes almost a ‘pre-Christmas ritual’ of shopping.
Black Friday is no longer just a shopping day. It has become a contemporary ritual where individuals, through consumption, symbolically celebrate their social status and cultural belonging.
Commutation test
The commutation test involves changing elements of the ad to see how the modification affects the perception of its content and emotion. In this case, if we replaced the phrase BLACK FRIDAY SALE with ‘Winter Sale’ or ‘Holiday Discounts’, the perception of the ad would change. The phrase ‘Black Friday’ has strong connotations of shopping intensity, excitement, and urgency. It highlights the unique nature of an offer that is limited to a single day or weekend.
Converting to ‘Winter Sale’ could dilute the sense of urgency, giving the ad the feel of a of a longer seasonal sale that does not require an immediate response from the consumer. ‘Winter Sale’ suggests a longer duration of the promotion, perhaps throughout the winter or at least for a few weeks. This reduces the pressure to buy immediately. As a result, consumers could feel less of a sense of urgency and a stronger incentive to buy thoughtfully, rather than reacting impulsively to bargains available for a limited time.
Similarly, swapping the words for ‘Holiday Discounts’ could shift the meaning of sales towards the general festive period, rather than a single day or weekend, which introduces a more joyful and festive mood. It suggests promotions related to preparations for Christmas, which evokes associations with giving to loved ones and buying presents. This change could also dilute the nature of competition and urgency that accompanies Black Friday sales, focusing more on a family and festive atmosphere.
Walmart Black Friday ad. Myth analysis
Walmart’s Black Friday advert is part of what Roland Barthes would call the myth of modern consumer society. Black Friday has become a cultural symbol that transcends its literal meaning of a day of selling out. We have turned it into a consumerist ritual, a shopping holiday where mass consumption is not only allowed but even desired. In semiotic terms, people transform Black Friday into a signifié that appeals to a deeper system of values and social beliefs. It is not just a day to get discounts, but a moment that symbolises fulfilment and status through the acquisition of material goods.
In this way, Black Friday becomes a myth that naturalises the idea that shopping is an intrinsic part of the festive tradition and a way to achieve happiness or fulfilment. According to Barthes, this myth uses consumption structures as something that has become ‘natural’ and ‘normal’ in mass culture. However, it is actually a marketing construct. Consequently, we present consumption here as an almost ‘obligatory’ part of the festive season. Furthermore, it reinforces a sense of belonging to a group – a society based on acquisition and possession.
In this way, advertising acts as a tool for mythicising consumption. Shopping ceases to be merely an economic act and becomes an element of identity and cultural participation. Black Friday is no longer just a shopping day. It has become a contemporary ritual where individuals, through consumption, symbolically celebrate their social status and cultural belonging.