From Black Week at the end of November until Christmas, cities are full of people shopping, looking for gifts and visiting Christmas markets. It is also the time when online visibility is most expensive, because everyone advertises at once. Outdoor advertising is one of the few media where your surface is yours alone for the whole campaign.
Here is how to plan your Q4 campaign.
The key dates in 2026
- Black Friday: Friday, 27 November 2026 (calendar week 48)
- Black Week: the week around Black Friday, i.e. calendar week 48
- Cyber Monday: Monday, 30 November 2026 (calendar week 49)
- Advent and the Christmas season: late November to Christmas Eve on 24 December 2026 (calendar week 52)
In Basel, the autumn fair and the Christmas market also shape the second half of the year and bring many people into the city centre.
Book early
The best surfaces are in especially high demand in Q4. Our own sites show it: Riehenring 141 is currently booked by Grand Casino Basel, and Riehenring 70 is taken for calendar weeks 44–47 of 2026. If you want to be visible in the Christmas season, plan early, for this year and for next.
The minimum booking at Hyde Media is four weeks. A period from calendar week 45 to 48, for example, covers the weeks before Black Week and Black Week itself. If you want to be present until Christmas, plan for longer.
You will find our current surfaces and their availability under Sites.
Be visible before customers decide
Many people decide where to shop in the days before Black Week. A large surface in the city in the preceding weeks builds awareness, so your brand is the one people search for when the offers go live.
Outdoor often works before the search. That is exactly what you need at a time when digital competition is at its fiercest. More on OOH in the media mix.
Choose the format for the campaign's rhythm
A large scaffolding site for a big impact. For Black Week or a launch in the Christmas season, a large scaffolding surface delivers a message nobody misses. One example is the «Sparkling Life» campaign by Grand Casino Basel at Riehenring 141, where two banners cover both street faces of a corner building right by Messe Basel.
A facade for the whole season. If you want to be present from November to Christmas, a facade builds awareness week after week.
Both combined. A facade provides the base presence, and a scaffolding surface adds an extra accent around Black Week.
Keep the message simple
In Q4, advertising messages easily drown each other out. One big image, few words and your logo work better than a list of offers. Do not print discounts that might change during the campaign. Say what people should remember: who you are and where to find you.
A banner stays up for several weeks, so design it to work from the run-up to Christmas through to the holidays. See our creative best practices and the article on print files for scaffolding banners for design tips.
Align with your digital channels
Use the same visual and the same key message outdoors and online. Someone who saw your banner on the way to work should recognise your ad online immediately. Ideally, start the outdoor campaign before the digital promotions, so awareness is already there when the offers go live.
Measure the campaign
Track searches for your brand, visits to your website and visits to stores near the sites, and compare them with a period without the campaign. More in How to measure your OOH campaign success.
A Q4 checklist
- Set the dates: Black Week, the Christmas season, or both?
- Book the surface early, for at least four weeks
- Choose the format: a big impact or presence for the whole season
- Design a visual that works for the whole period
- Deliver print files in good time
- Align with your digital campaigns
- Agree on measurement before launch
FAQ
When should I book outdoor advertising for Christmas?
As early as possible. The best surfaces are in high demand in Q4. Also allow time for design, print files and, where needed, the permit. From booking to banner shows what a realistic timeline looks like.
When is Black Friday 2026?
On Friday, 27 November 2026, in calendar week 48.
Is outdoor advertising worth it during Black Week?
Yes, especially in the weeks before. Outdoor builds awareness before the offers go live, and your surface is yours alone for the whole campaign.
Planning your Q4 campaign, or want to secure surfaces for 2027? Contact us.
