Back-to-School All Summer Long

I don’t know about you, but there’s something very nostalgic for me about Back-to-School season. Maybe it’s all those years of prepping my twin boys, Sam and Jacob, for their return to the classroom. Or, it could be that my husband Michael is a professor and returns to teaching each fall. I still have days where I feel like I should make a last-minute 塔吉特百货 run for markers and safety scissors!??

As I look at what’s going on in the world of marketing, it seems like the Back-to-School gang has been taking notes from the Black Friday and Super Bowl teams. And it’s not surprising I guess, considering that brands are trying to capture the attention of a group of people who are working double-time: getting kids to and from camp, or vacation, or the summer house, or soccer practice, or just trying to find ways to keep them both entertained and not on screens all day long while at home. It’s a hard time to get people thinking seriously about laptop deals, or new clothes for fall.???

But unlike Black Friday or the Super Bowl, there is no one date everyone can point at and work towards. It seems like each Monday in August another wave of kids is returning to the classroom. Which explains why marketing programs – like Target’s Circle Week and 亚马逊 ’s Back-to-School spot featuring the lovely Michelle Buteau launched back in July. Both brands came out early and strong with a message pointed right at our wallets: it’s deal season, baby! With inflation being what it is and everyone feeling strapped, I’m guessing they wanted to let everyone know that – after a summer of spending money on vacations, pool toys, and ice cream, that they were the place to find some value when there’s nothing but sand left in your wallet.??

Another way I’m seeing the value story come to life is a holiday of a different kind – a tax holiday. Texas declared the second weekend in August (9th – 11th) a ‘Tax Free Weekend’ for parents. Everything from clothing to school supplies is on a list. New Jersey enacted this into being back in 2022, but it seems it’s been eliminated this year due to budget cuts. It’s a good idea, hopefully we can find a way to bring it back.?

When it comes to the campaign work I’m seeing, creative teams are definitely taking their cues from Glee this year. Both Walmart and our client JanSport showed up with their own takes on musicals, and they are a delight to watch. Walmart’s ‘School Style Decoded’ takes you into the secret lives of fourth graders, who proceed to educate all of us on the slang – and style needs - of a group deep in the throes of peak precociousness.

JanSports ‘Always With You’ is a reassuring love letter sung from the POV of the backpack to all of the high school kids deep in the drama of being a teenager. Such great work, please check it out.?

What Back-to-School trends have you spotted this year that you loved? Let me know in the comments. Until next time...?

Stay fierce,?

Lisa?