“September Surge” and Other Back-to-School Marketing Lessons
That feeling we had as kids of a new year beginning – only it was September and not January – doesn’t always go away. The end of summer vacation season is more than a time for parents to stock up on school supplies and send kids back to class. It can also signal a boost of new marketing opportunities that extend well beyond parents and teachers.
In fact, the ecosystem this time of year applies to many other groups that tend to get overlooked by child-focused marketers. A few you may want to add to your list:
- Career developers
- The food and beverage industry
- Influencers and content creators
- Supporters of parents and teachers throughout the year
- College-age consumers
- Soccer enthusiasts and the branded solutions with major league experience
Brands Should Market Fresh Starts in September
First and foremost, you want to convey a feeling of fresh starts throughout late summer and early fall. Keep in mind that consumers don’t have to parent a child to crave some sort of a fresh start in their lives. It’s an appealing concept, after all. Who doesn’t want to take steps to change a bag habit or achieve a goal? You don’t have to push the theme overtly. (That’s New Year’s job!) Just keep in mind that many folks feel a bit more ready to dive into routines related to health, education and wellbeing.
Don’t Forget Other Groups Impacted by the School Year
The impending approach of cooler weather signifies change for other groups, too. Branded merchandise in the form of T-shirts, pencils, markers, backpacks and electronic devices are all great items to push right about now. But other related themes can tie into your upcoming campaigns:
- Adult education and job seekers
- Restaurant industry: dietary changes
- Fall styles and trends
- Health and wellbeing programs
Known as the “September surge,” this time period is also associated with an uptick in career development moves such as increased job searches. This essentially means that, not unlike the beginning of the actual new year, many adults become inspired to make impactful changes in their lives. Therefore, it may be wise to consider those kinds of themes for your next event, and then couple branded workout apparel or notebooks for adults to highlight popular and timely trends.
(Find out more about trends in branded merchandise here.)
Fall is America’s Favorite Season
The other point about summer ending: not everyone has a summer-season personality. Many are relieved to put away the SPF 70 and put on longer sleeves. There are more than a few reasons that fall is considered people’s favorite season in the U.S., with 45% of Americans saying they prefer autumn to the other three seasons. It’s even more popular among women.
Marketers should be looking for creative ways to take advantage of the moment. Not by prematurely pushing pumpkin spice, but by tapping into what is so appealing about fall in the first place.
Marketers Should Find Out Who Influences Sub-Groups of Students
According to GlobalData, there were more than 33 million households in the U.S. with young kids in 2022. But there are many subgroups within that demographic, so you will want to take a closer look at who exactly you’re speaking to – and what the more effective ways to do that are. For example, a few important things to know about students, according to Social Native:
- A third of people on Tik Tok are adults with young kids.
- Most parents ask their kids’ opinions when shopping for them.
- However, older teens and college students (gen Z) are more influenced by their peers and YouTube than by their parents or traditional ads.
As these kinds of figures show, it’s necessary to take a closer look not just at age groups, but what kinds of students they are and who is influencing them when they shop.
HYPTE Branded Solutions Will Help You Design Your Fall Season Campaign
HYPTE Branded Solutions is here to help you at any stage of your back-to-school marketing campaign – or any other type of campaign you plan to launch.
Contact HYPTE for more on our services, or call us at 708-343-9730 to set up a free consultation today.