Cyber Monday is one of the busiest shopping days of the year, which makes it one of the most competitive days in digital advertising. If you want your ads to stand out, you have to find a way to cut through the noise. In the past, advertisers could rely on deep discounts, but they’re no longer enough: You need to blend discounts with other creative elements, including urgency, scarcity, celebrity endorsements, and good storytelling.
If you can extend the sales period beyond Cyber Monday by connecting the entire Cyber 5 period, you can drive your revenue even further. In this article, I’ll explore six standout Cyber Monday ads from previous years and explore what makes them so effective.
6 Cyber Monday Ads Advertisers Should Know About
1. Best Buy
Best Buy’s Cyber Monday video ad combines humor and convenience to stand out during the crowded shopping season. In the ad, a woman sits in her kitchen, browsing deals on the Best Buy website. Her partner enters, fully dressed for the cold weather, and asks her if she’s ready to camp out for “doorbusters.” Her response drives home the message: You don’t need to line up outside when the same deals are available online.
This ad shines in two ways. First, it extends urgency beyond Cyber Monday by promoting weekly “doorbusters” on Fridays throughout the holiday season. This keeps shoppers engaged while capturing those who may have missed sales earlier during Cyber 5. Second, the ad connects with viewers by using humor. In this case, it pokes fun at outdated shopping rituals, making the ad relatable and customer-friendly.
2. Walmart: Deals for Days
Unlike many Cyber Monday ads, Walmart’s “Deals for Days” ad doesn’t highlight any specific discounts — instead, it focuses on creating a sense of urgency. It does this by using time-based cues, such as “Starts Sunday Online, 11/28 @ 7 pm EST.” This makes it clear that the clock is ticking, so you need to act fast.
The ad also highlights three key product categories, all popular during Cyber 5: electronics, household goods, and toys, by showcasing a laptop, a coffeemaker, and a dollhouse. This also reinforces Walmart’s broad appeal across a wide range of products, driving home the message that you can get everything you need in one place.
Finally, by branding the campaign, “Deals for Days,” Walmart is shifting the focus from, “How much will I save?” to, “I can’t miss this window!” — an important distinction that, again, highlights urgency.
3. Titan Power+
This Titan Power+ display ad stands out by positioning its offer as a Cyber Week Sale, rather than a one-day Cyber Monday event. The ad creative for this maker of mobile chargers opens with: “Sad you missed our epic Black Friday Sale? Don’t worry…” This is designed to re-engage shoppers who feel like they missed out. By extending deals across the entire week, Titan is attempting to capture late buyers and spread its revenue across the whole Cyber 5 period, rather than relying on a one-day spike.
From there, the ad leads with value by highlighting a deep discount (up to 80% off) in multiple locations, including alongside the product image. Cyber Week Ad copy, such as “Biggest discounts, biggest savings” and “Epic Cyber Monday Sale!” drives home the discount-driven messaging.
4. Walmart: Celebrity Endorsement
In this Walmart Cyber Monday ad, the retailer leverages celebrity power and nostalgia to capture viewers’ attention. It’s a playful approach that draws inspiration from the 2004 film Mean Girls. The elaborate sketch features original cast members, such as Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Seyfried, and Damian Leigh:
The ad is set in a high school, where “Santa” arrives to hand out Cyber Monday deals to excited students. Throughout the ad, bold text overlays highlight various product categories that are on sale, which drives home Walmart’s value message amid the chaotic scene. There’s no push for urgency, and no specific discounts are mentioned: Instead, the ad aims to be entertaining and culturally relevant. The ad does, however, close with a simple but effective CTA: “Cyber Monday Deals. Shop Online Now.”
5. Macy’s
This Macy’s Cyber Monday ad lets shoppers know that the sale starts early by promoting “Sunday and Monday specials.” The ad also emphasizes deep discounts by overlaying bold text alongside product images, with messaging like, “Save 60% on sweaters, cashmere, coats and more for her…” and, “Get sweaters and packable down outerwear for him, now 60% off!” By highlighting products from both fashion and household categories, Macy’s takes a similar approach to Walmart, by showcasing its broad product range. This, along with the messaging targeted for both male and female shoppers, helps it appeal to multiple audiences simultaneously.
Convenience is also a big selling point, as Macy’s lets people know that the sales are available both in-store and online, and that they can get free shipping at Macys.com. The combination of wide product selection, deep discounts, and convenience make this a classic, yet highly effective Cyber Monday ad.
6. Tailored Athlete
At first glance, the Tailored Athlete display ad below appears to be a Black Friday ad, incorporating key elements commonly found in Black Friday ads — namely, urgency and a clearly marked deep discount. However, the ad employs another critical strategy by connecting Black Friday to Cyber Monday at the bottom of the ad creative with the following call to action (CTA): “Sign Up Early for BFCM Access.”
By using “BFCM” (Black Friday Cyber Monday), Tailored Athlete extends the promotion access across the entire long weekend. This can increase sales opportunities, keeping shoppers engaged through Cyber Monday.
Key Takeaways
As you can see from the Cyber Monday ads featured above, the most effective ads strike a balance between urgency, value, and creativity to stand out during the busiest shopping period of the year. Some, like the Tailored Athlete and Titan Power+ ads, extend the window for deals beyond Cyber Monday in an attempt to capture more buyers.
Large brands with substantial ad budgets, such as Walmart and Best Buy, rely on entertainment, nostalgia, and even celebrity appearances to make their campaigns memorable. All of the ads include strong visuals and clear calls to action.
Finally, note that not every ad relies solely on direct discounts — in fact, some don’t even mention a specific deal. Other elements, such as urgency, scarcity, and good storytelling, can be just as effective.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How can we best convey a sense of urgency and scarcity?
To drive home a sense of urgency and scarcity, marketers should make sure their messaging is clear and time-bound. You can do this by using countdown timers, start-end dates (“ends tonight at midnight”), or highlighting limited quantities (“Only 50 available”). You can also use copy like “Last Chance” or “Shop Early.”
What visual elements will immediately grab attention and convey the Cyber Monday theme?
High-contrast text overlays that highlight discounts (“Up to 80% OFF”) continue to be the fastest way to get shoppers to stop scrolling. You can also use bright colors and product images to grab attention. Many retailers, including Walmart, showcase their top-selling product categories in hero images to ensure that shoppers are aware of the products on sale at reduced prices.
How can we segment our audience to deliver highly personalized Cyber Monday ads?
A tried-and-true approach is to start by leveraging behavioral data, including browsing behavior, past purchase history, and abandoned carts. You can use this information to retarget shoppers with more personalized offers. You can also segment by shopper interest and demographics — for example, parents are likely to respond to deals on toys, while post-secondary students will be more interested in tech items. Whether you’re using Realize or another ad network, you can leverage its optimization tools to test creatives and swap visuals and Cyber 5 ad copy in real time.
