Chicago, Illinois, United States - 11-23-2021 (PR Distribution™) - 
Black Shop Friday and Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) announce its new partnership and expanded campaign which encourages Chicagoans to shop at Black-owned businesses on the Friday after Thanksgiving, commonly referred to as Black Friday. One of the biggest shopping days of the year, Black Shop Friday is making it easier to identify and shop the more than 500 local Black-owned businesses. To view the full list of shops and community resources participating in Black Shop Friday, visit BlackShopFriday.com.
“Black Shop Friday gave us visibility to consumers from other neighborhoods. I was especially excited to the see diversity among new customers and how passionate they were about shopping local and Black owned,” said Dale Forbes, owner of Chicago Upholstery and Drapery, “I’m excited for the 2021 program!”
For its second year, Black Shop Friday is partnering with Target to increase the impact of the program by providing retail training for participating businesses and expanding the reach of an integrated marketing campaign. Earlier this year, Black Shop Friday also collaborated with Target to establish a majority-Black board of directors. As part of Target’s ongoing support of Black-owned businesses in every stage of development, it is encouraging participants to apply for its Target Accelerator Programs: Takeoff & Forward Founders which are designed to increase their potential for long-term success in retail.
“Target remains focused on working alongside diverse and minority business owners to accelerate their economic opportunities and expand their growth,” said Maurice Cooper, senior vice president marketing, Target. “Equity in access, resources and exposure for Chicago business owners is key in creating and sustaining generational wealth and we are proud to partner with Black Shop Friday in this important work.”
“We know that Black-owned businesses have less access to capital and other resources needed to be successful. With Target providing retail training, resources and accelerator programs, our communities will benefit," said Chicago Urban League President & CEO Karen Freeman-Wilson. "Black Shop Friday is an important campaign to raise awareness of these challenges, while also providing a mechanism for people who want to be intentional about supporting black businesses.”
Black Shop Friday has continued to receive support from last year’s initial partners, the Chicago Urban League, the City of Chicago and Edelman. The BlackShopFriday.com website was built in 2020 by Geletka+, whose team has enhanced and expanded site and delivered digital support. Highly decorated ad industry veteran Carol H. Williams is joining Black Shop Friday as a board member and her agency, Carol H. Williams Advertising, is also supporting the media campaign execution.
Carol H. Williams shared, “We’re proud to support this important, culturally relevant effort in Chicago and we’ve enjoyed working with the team to make Black Friday real by flipping the script to buying Black on Black Friday.”
The initial “Black Shop Friday” program was created by Black and diverse staff members at Chicago-based agency OKRP, led by Aubrey Walker, Executive Creative Director in November 2020. The award-winning initiative increased awareness with over 2MM impressions and drove visibility for 11 businesses on average per website session. The success of the program has led to the establishment of Black Shop Friday as a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to amplifying Black voices & culture.
In commenting on the creation of the concept, Aubrey Walker, Executive Creative Director at OKRP said, “Black Friday has been around for a long time, but what has been missing is the Blackness. As we began thinking about things we could do to address racial inequities, we were inspired by programs that support the idea of shopping at Black-owned businesses. We saw a way to add to that concept by flipping Black Friday into Black Shop Friday and asking people to add one Black-owned business to their shopping cart and buy something really dope that supports the Black business community.”
About Black Shop Friday
Established in 2021, Black Shop Friday is a non-profit organization dedicated to growing awareness around Black-owned businesses in an effort to create greater economic equality. The Black Shop Friday campaign was originally created and launched in 2020 by Black and diverse staff members at Chicago-based agency OKRP. Learn more at www.blackshopfriday.com.
Media Contacts:
Company Name: OKRP
Full Name: Toni Lee
Phone: 203-246-7524
Email Address: Send Email
Website: https://blackshopfriday.com/
For the original news story, please visit https://www.prdistribution.com/news/black-shop-friday-partners-with-target-to-support-black-business-owners/8927397.
