Here’s a depressing thought: summer is over. But cheer up. As long lazy days wind down and get shorter, retail sales ramp up, kicking off the most important quarter for retailers (and many brands) with back-to-school season.
Beyond trying to get on any one list, marketers have a big opportunity to change the list by broadening what back to school means
Anne Marie Al-Borno, AMG
Long before Staples first declared it (in the mid-nineties) “the most wonderful time of the year,” the back-to-school stock up had been a ritualistic and somewhat predictable buying frenzy.
So what’s really so wonderful about back to school? From a consumer standpoint, it’s certainly not the $300-plus average cost-per-child that sends moms and dads twirling through the pencil aisle. It is the return to routine they’re elated about and, it turns out, that may apply to more than just moms and dads.
Going Back to School… on Back to School
Unlike in the U.S., where spending is predicted to decrease, Canadian families are expected to spend 4% more to send their kids back to school this year. According to a recent Ernst & Young study, retailers have an increase in child tax benefits and the low Loonie to thank for the bump at the till on this side of the border.
What’s more interesting to marketers is what’s in the BTS basket, and whether that’s changed online or in-store. Gearing up isn’t what it used to be. Big ticket items previously considered “for school” — laptops and other tech — are now considered household goods purchased and upgraded throughout the year. With changing technology, the need for stationary and conventional supplies have decreased even among younger students. Behavioural change post-recession, coupled with concern for the environment, explains why families are now more likely to reuse items like binders and calculators than to purchase new ones annually.
Basically, back-to-school season is becoming less predictable. So beyond trying to get on any one list, marketers have a big opportunity to change the list by broadening what back to school means.
Back to School is the new New Year
From a mindset and motivation perspective, back to school may have more in common with New Years. After a summer of indulgence, vacationing, a slower pace at work, more casual meals and fewer scheduled commitments, most Canadians see the end of the Labour Day weekend as a time to switch gears and fundamentally get back into the swing of things whether you have kids or not (and consider about half of your audience has no involvement in school schedules).
While this calendar day may not prompt an official resolution, September unofficially brings with it a New Years-esque motivation to regroup, reset and refresh. From wardrobes to workouts, many of us think about September as a new beginning, ripe for reinvention and establishing or restarting routines as a way to be “better” this year (and even define the year by an academic calendar).
So while mom is looking for a waste-free, nut-free, Instagram-worthy lunch solution for her grade schoolers, she might also be open to help with solving her health goals.
While it may be too late this year, something to consider for next: look for opportunities to connect with your consumers in more meaningful ways by tapping into that feeling of newness, so unique to this most wonderful time of the year.
Anne Marie Al-Borno is vice-president, creative strategy for AMG
