As an antidote to the shopping frenzy that characterises the day after Thanksgiving in the US, Banco Santander has taken a refreshingly different approach with a campaign that encourages people to avoid the crush at the malls and instead spend more time with family and friends.
The campaign, dubbed 'Black is not the only way to describe Friday', offers up a number of different scenarios for how people can better spend their time:
'Whether it's re-enacting your favourite Kung Fu movies or spending the day teaching your kids how to fish, let's bring meaning to the day after Thanksgiving," says the bank.
Evocative photographs for 'Black Tea Friday' or 'Black Belt Friday' are accompanied by a tricksy video which shows a family rising early to avoid the Black Friday rush. But rather than pulling into the mall, they drive on by to give a helping hand at a local soup kitchen.
Across the Atalantic, the arrival of Black Friday on UK shores - imported by Amazon but eagerly adopted by high street chains - has caused consternation among more conservative Brits, typified by this plea from Finextra friend David Birch:
Birch's words are likely to fall on deaf ears, with Visa Europe forecasting that £360,000 will be spent every minute, or £6,000 every second, on its cards today as consumers bid to snap up bargains at UK retailers.