Back-to-School 2024: Marketing Tips to Reach Young Consumers

This back-to-school season brings a fresh set of exciting challenges for marketers. With forecasts showing that consumers will spend more cautiously than last year, a deep understanding of the mindset and needs of younger generations has become the golden key to winning the market. Join The7 as we explore the standout trends and smart strategies that help brands shine and captivate consumers this Back-to-School season!

Research from Wavemaker shows that during Back-to-School season, parents tend to weigh brands more carefully when shopping for their children’s school needs.

This year’s Back-to-School season marks a significant shift, and marketers face a tough challenge as consumers grow increasingly cautious about spending. That is why building a deep connection with younger generations has become the golden key that decides whether a brand succeeds or fails.

“We see that Gen Z and Gen Alpha have a strong influence right from the start of the shopping journey, making parents twice as likely to consider a brand,” said Krithika Rosenthal, Group Strategy Director at Wavemaker U.S., part of GroupM. “That is why we need to do more than appeal to parents; we also have to be skillful in how we connect with their children.”

Deloitte’s Survey on Back-to-School 2024

According to Deloitte’s annual research, 61% of parents admit that during the back-to-school season, their children have a major influence on the family spending more. To capture parents’ attention, marketers need to read consumer needs with nuance. Forecasts show that total spending will fall from $31.9 billion in 2023 to $31.3 billion. The decline is not dramatic, but financial concerns remain real, especially for low- and middle-income families, which are expected to spend 4% and 9% less, respectively.

Lupine Skelly, head of retail research at Deloitte, said: “Low- and middle-income households are feeling financial pressure from rising living costs. These families are being forced to spend more on food and child care, which means they have to adjust their budgets by cutting spending in other areas as the back-to-school season approaches.”

This year’s Back-to-School season is not only a test of how well you can build a connection with younger generations. It also demands skill in balancing value and emotion in your advertising message, as well as making the most of multiple shopping channels. Despite the difficulties, this period also offers a valuable opportunity to build loyalty and attachment to your brand.

Marketing Trends for Back-to-School Season

The “New Normal”

This Back-to-School season, parents are expected to spend about $586 per child, a slight drop from 2023. While budgets for clothing and school supplies are expected to hold steady, spending on technology could fall by as much as 11%, which clearly reflects the current trend.

With saving now the top priority, value will be the key to success for marketers in a shopping season defined by caution and careful spending. Consumers are now looking for attractive deals and promotions before they make a purchase decision.

Lupine Skelly observed: “I think “new normal” is a fitting term for these big shopping events. Retailers have trained consumers to look for sales and promotions, and now consumers often stockpile goods and wait for markdowns before they buy.”

Every back-to-school season, 59% of consumers start “hunting” for deals at stationery stores and bookstores, because they believe the best deals usually show up early in the season. About two-thirds of parents’ budgets are expected to be spent by the end of July, a significant increase from 59% in 2023 and 14 percentage points higher than two years ago. Blockbuster sales events like Amazon Prime Day are becoming more and more popular, with 48% of consumers taking part last month to shop for back-to-school, up nearly 10% from last year.

Amazon has shown its focus on value not only through a record-setting Prime Day, but also by launching a new Back-to-School campaign. The campaign includes a 30-second ad starring actress Michelle Buteau, who encourages parents to “save on your kids’ small expenses” through Amazon’s Back-to-School shopping guide. This humorous message continues the creative style of Amazon’s previous Back-to-School campaigns, which featured celebrities such as Randall Park and Kathryn Hahn.

Touching Emotions

This back-to-school season has seen a sharp shift in marketing strategy, with a deep focus on emotion and authentic connection. Instacart kicked off its Back-to-School campaign with two touching ads, “Bunny Ears” and “Pink Razor,” highlighting the value of moments with your children amid the rush of back-to-school season.

Rosenthal of Wavemaker said: “Combining value and emotion is the key to building a deep connection, especially with multicultural audiences.” Younger audiences and parents increasingly watch ads together, which shows the need to reach Gen Z and younger generations through a multicultural lens.

Rosenthal also stressed that because Gen Alpha is so diverse, it is important to tailor strategies to different cultures. “Kids have a big influence on their parents’ purchase decisions,” she said. For example, Hispanic parents favor nostalgic value, while Asian parents are drawn to prestige.

Urban Outfitters and American Eagle have also rolled out creative campaigns such as “Shift Happens” and “Live Your Life,” which reflect change and encourage confidence. Craig Brommers, CMO of American Eagle, said: “Parental support has always been the biggest motivator, and we are very optimistic about this Back-to-School season.”

Finding the Standout Angle

Advertiser behavior may reflect the shift in consumer behavior this season, according to Stanlei Bellan, Chief Strategy Officer at Juice Media. He predicts that total spending will likely stay flat or dip slightly compared with last year. Even so, two major upcoming events, the Olympics and the November election, could drive strong activity as marketers work to break through cultural influences.

“This is an ideal time for marketers to make strategic moves before the end-of-year chaos hits the market,” Bellan said of this year’s back-to-school season.

Devon Schorr, Chief Strategy Officer at agency Movers+Shakers, also believes the election could heighten economic concerns and lead to more cautious spending. “Marketers should focus on delivering value and discounts rather than just chasing trends, which may bring more success this season,” Schorr explained.

Despite the many challenges, back-to-school season still offers a bright opportunity. According to Deloitte, 67% of parents say they are willing to switch brands if their favorite brand becomes too expensive. This gives marketers a chance to build effective loyalty programs, provided they offer truly valuable perks. Other studies also show that loyal shoppers during Back-to-School season tend to spend up to 35% more.

Reaching Customers

Beyond developing advertising messages, marketers need to pay attention to reaching customers at key touchpoints. According to Deloitte’s research, this back-to-school season consumers tend to look for the best deals across multiple channels, with 70% of them being omnichannel shoppers. Rosenthal of Wavemaker believes investment in retail media will grow, reflecting the rise of this channel.

“Marketers should use retailers as a tool to boost the performance of other media channels,” Rosenthal said.

Consumers are now changing the way they shop in clearly noticeable ways. About 33% of consumers now choose social media to search for and complete purchases, up significantly from 21% last year. In particular, 12% plan to use social media to buy Back-to-School products, double the 6% from last year. Meanwhile, large retailers and online retail platforms remain popular, at 77% and 65% respectively, thanks to their convenience and reasonable prices. At the same time, 70% of consumers expect to combine in-store and online shopping, up 4% from last year, which shows a shift in their shopping habits.

Skelly noted that back-to-school season is a chance for retailers to improve the in-store experience. Pacsun’s “Better in Baggy” campaign, in partnership with Pinterest, demonstrated the importance of the in-person shopping experience. While developing messages and media channels is essential, flexibility and creativity in strategy remain the deciding factors for success.

According to AIM ACADEMY News

Source: Brands Vietnam