Back-to-school season is one of the most consistently high-performing moments on the retail calendar, and this year is no exception. U.S. consumers are expected to spend more than $39 billion across apparel, electronics, and school-related essentials.
But what makes this season particularly valuable isn’t just the volume of spend, it’s the mindset that comes with it.
Back-to-school is a period of reset. People are actively researching, comparing, and discovering. It’s one of the few times during the year when shopping is not just about fulfilling a need, but about getting organized, upgrading routines, and trying something new. That’s a very specific kind of intent, and for advertisers, it’s gold. Still, intent doesn’t automatically equal impact.
With nearly every brand vying for attention during the same window, standing out requires more than just showing up. It requires timing, planning, and an understanding of how consumers are actually behaving, not just what they’re buying. The brands that perform well during back-to-school aren’t necessarily the loudest or the biggest. They’re the ones that get the fundamentals right. They plan for this moment, not scramble into it. They understand where their audience is spending time, and why. They adjust their creative and channel mix to reflect the reality of shifting attention, short decision windows, and evolving household priorities.
Although back-to-school is often framed around retail, the seasonal mindset affects more categories than you might expect. Personal tech, digital services, wellness, CPG, you name it…industries across the board see a lift in discovery and conversion during this time of year. That’s because people aren’t just buying school supplies. They’re recalibrating. They’re open to rethinking what they use, what works, and what doesn’t. This is a window where experimentation and switching behaviours are higher than average.
For brands outside of the traditional back-to-school verticals, the opportunity is still there, if the strategy is aligned to meet it. The back-to-school moment isn’t one-size-fits-all. Every brand should approach it differently, based on its audience, category, and goals. But the underlying opportunity is the same: it’s a time when people are paying attention.
Not every campaign needs to shout “back-to-school” in its messaging. But every smart campaign should ask: is this a moment where we should be present, and if so, how? Because when consumers are actively looking, comparing, and deciding, being visible matters. Being relevant matters more.
And being ready? That’s everything.
We work with brands to make sure they’re not just reacting to these moments, but planning for them. When campaigns are built around actual consumer behaviour and real timing, performance follows.
If you’re looking to get more out of your media investment during seasonal spikes like this one, we’re ready to help you show up smarter.
