Afterpay is kicking off the Black Friday shopping period with a major live activation, giving out more than $100,000 in instant cash prizes and VIP valet parking to shoppers at Sydney’s Pitt Street Mall on 20th November.
More than 1,080 prizes will be available through an interactive billboard installation, with each participant guaranteed to win between $50 and $200 in Afterpay credit, redeemable immediately in any store that accepts the Afterpay Card.
For an additional 72 shoppers, the prize also includes free VIP valet parking at Westfield Bondi for the full Black Friday/Cyber Weekend (28–30 November).
This move comes after the integration of its advertising division with Square’s merchant and transaction data into the Afterpay Ads platform.
Based on true events (research)
The activation follows new research commissioned by Afterpay exploring the biggest stress points of the festive season.
According to the findings, traffic ranks as the top holiday frustration, with almost one in three Australians (30%) identifying congestion as their biggest seasonal stressor. Gift-buying pressure (20%) and navigating social or family commitments also featured strongly.
The desire to shop in-store remains high but convenience is now the deciding factor. When asked what would make holiday shopping easier, 43% of Australians chose guaranteed parking, ahead of discounts (39%) or extended trading hours (35%).
And critically, 62% of shoppers said they would be more likely to shop in-store if they knew a parking space was waiting for them.
“A prize to spend, and parking to treasure”
Afterpay’s “Holiday Billboard” is designed with that insight in mind: pairing instant spending credit with a high-value convenience perk.
Emily Marshall, Director, Trade and Partner Marketing at Afterpay, said the activation is built to combine festive excitement with practical value for both shoppers and retailers.
“Black Friday and holiday shopping should be about excitement and festive celebration. This activation combines guaranteed prizes with VIP valet parking to enhance the shopping experience, while our interactive billboard and seamless in-store redemption create an innovative experience that drives meaningful retail engagement during the peak shopping season,” Marshall said.
“We’ve designed a campaign that delivers genuine value for shoppers while providing measurable impact from a retail perspective uniting consumer delight with strategic outcomes during the year’s most important shopping weekend.”
How the activation works
When: Wednesday, 20 November, from 8:00 AM (while prizes last)
Where: Pitt Street Mall, Sydney
How it works:
• Pick one of 1,080 Afterpay cards from the interactive billboard
• Win $50–$200 in Afterpay credit, redeemable instantly
• 72 prizes include free VIP valet parking at Westfield Bondi across 28–30 November