Brands are Heading Back-to-School

Sorry folks, there’s no denying it anymore: Summer is officially coming to a close.

What once felt like an endless highway now feels like an unrelenting headache as cottagers clog the highways to and from the city en route to their final long weekend getaway.

People are losing the SPF as they try and soak up as many rays as possible before sunshine turns to snow and we all start wondering about what the wind chill will be.

It’s the time of the year where we trade bug spray for hairspray, shorts turn into jeans, and your mindless summer magazine is swapped out for that heavy English lit novel.

It’s true – back to school is right around the corner – and brands are eagerly embracing this popular marketing season to send kids off with a splash.

However, it takes a lot more than simply pushing seasonal product sales and promoting 99 cent binders that’s causing brands to stand out.

Indeed, it’s all about content –snappy, visual and digital content – and brands are recognizing this in their back to school strategies.

So, how are some brands rising above the din of back to school and going beyond classroom creative?

GAP Kids Class of 2014

This is Gap’s latest iteration of its Casting Call program, where parents can submit their children to be featured in Gap’s marketing efforts. This recent installment gets parents to submit first day of school photos via Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter. After submitting, parents are emailed a 15-second video that looks like a Gap commercial, shareable through social media.

What’s notable about this campaign?

It’s leveraging something that’s going to happen regardless: Back-to-school photos are bound to take over social media this week and next – so why not turn this craze into a branded back-to-school experience?

Target goes back to school with a cause

Target turned its back-to-school campaign into a meaningful cause – while simultaneously raising awareness of its Up & Up brand. Target gave one Up & Up brand school-supply product to a student in need for each Up & Up school supply purchased within a notable back-to-school shopping period – July 13 to Aug 2.

What worked? It gave the brand something authentic and meaningful to engage its community with rather than plain product conversations.

Express Yourselfie

JCPenny celebrates self-expression and being one-of-a-kind in this years’ back-to-school campaign. Consumers can visit JCPenny’s online hub and create a personalized emoji which they feel resembles them, customizing it with accessories and hairstyles. After posting this emoji beside their selfie within the online gallery, consumers can then explore shopping suggestions based on their personal style. Although product-focused, this campaign softens the pitch by centring the product around the consumer’s voice & personality.

Who have you seen heading back-to-school in style? Let us know in the comments below.

Brands are Heading Back-to-School