German chain imports 'Black Friday' to Sweden

The German retailer is set to introduce their Swedish consumers to the US phenomenon, according to the Swedish advertising trade press. Media Markt's website proudly flashes that it's time for its 'Black Friday Premiere". 

 

For Swedes unfamiliar with the Black Friday sale, wedged in between Thanksgiving Thursday and the weekend, Swedish tech news website IDG Media summed it up thusly: "Queuque chaos, crowds and a carnival atmosphere."

 

The chain said in a statement that it wanted to "blacken" every site in Sweden, from buy-sell site Blocket to tabloid behemoth Aftonbladet, with its Black Friday advertisements. 

 

"Media Markt loves its products and the joy its customers get from using it," Per Kaufmann, CEO of Media Markt in Sweden, said about the huge marketing campaign. 

 

The chain's marketing tactics are not always appreciated by Swedish observers. A set of television ads was criticized this week for spreading stereotypical gender roles.

 

Nina Åkestam, blogger at media and marketing news site Resumé, commented that it was clear the German retailer did not understand Swedish sensibilities. 

 

"It's crystal clear that the Swedish audience doesn't find these adds funny. Instead they are annoyed by them," she wrote on Friday. 

 

Åkestam put her trust to the Swedish advertisng watchdog, which she hoped would review and censure Media Markt for the adverts. She argued that they ”indirectly contribute to a society where women are not taken seriously and are paid less for the same work, while men get less time with their children".

 

Earlier this year, the German chain was also slammed by Sweden's consumer watchdog (Konsumentombudsmannen - KO) for luring customers to borrow money. KO said adverts underlining an offer with no interest rate and no initial borrowing fee were misleading in regards to the monthly cost of going into debt, and in July demanded that Media Markt submit an explanation for the adverts. 

 

The chain's entry into Swedes has been closely watched for its impact on the fiercely competitive consumer electronics market which has seen two chains, ONOFF and Expert, go bankrupt in recent years. In October, Media Markt closed its store in Malmö, southern Sweden, citing lack of profit. Some 50 employees were made redundant.