Seattle agencies have launched the first-ever Black Black Friday card, a new business initiative to encourage consumers to support Black-owned businesses in time for the holiday season.
According to a news release, advertising agency DNA, online small business guide Intentionalist and BECU, formerly Boeing Employees Credit Union, have partnered to create a shopping experience for consumers in the Seattle area.
The cards were available on the website on Nov. 1 for use at over 70 Black-owned businesses, including Black Coffee Northwest, Queencare, Jackson’s Catfish Corner and Taste of Caribbean Red Lounge.
The release also states shoppers will receive a 20% discount backed by BECU, and all participating businesses will receive total value for purchases made with the Black Black Friday card.
“Black-owned businesses are vastly underrepresented in the Puget Sound area as compared to the population, and they have significantly larger challenges succeeding,” DNA founder Alan Brown said in a statement.
He continued, “As one of the only Black and LGBTQ+ owned agencies in the country with a mission to bring equity to our communities, we want to do everything we can to help Black-owned businesses thrive. That means raising awareness of these businesses and driving real revenue on the biggest shopping day of the year and throughout the holiday season. Using our creative talent and collaborating with our media and community partners, BECU and PCC Markets, we’ve been able to bring nearly $1 million in media support and messaging access to millions of residents in the Pacific Northwest.”
DNA, Intentionalist and BECU hope to make the initiative a yearly holiday campaign to encourage consumers to use their money toward small businesses instead of commercial retail brands with “big business deals.”
The partnership aims to “impact local Black-owned businesses” and generate “a minimum of $250,000 in revenue during the holiday season,” per the news release.