Black Friday is finally here. Whether you are standing in line or browsing the web, retailers want to captivate you with their blow-out sales. But some retailers are using this "holiday" as more of a branding opportunity, rather than a pure business opportunity. Eliza Brooke, Senior Reporter at Racked, breaks down the evolution of this shopping tradition. For traditional department stores, Black Friday is critical to its holiday narrative, says Brooke. But other retailers like REI and Patagonia aren't doing anything for this date, and are making a statement about it. For example, REI closes its stores and encourages its customers to spend the day outside. Brooke says this type of social message is an opportunity to stand apart. ModCloth is shutting down its site on Black Friday, and is donating more than $5 million in merchandise to Dress for Success. Brooke says this strategy can cast the retailer in a positive light, after it faced backlash for selling itself to WalMart. Ultimately, Brooke says the key to Black Friday is for retailers to leverage both its online and in-store experience.