As we move into the last week of August, we begin to ask ourselves; where did summer go? It’s hard to believe, but the school season is officially upon us.

Back-to-school season is the second largest retail season, right behind the holidays. With that being said, this is the perfect opportunity for brands to create marketing campaigns that align specifically with students K-12, college students, and parents getting ready for school.

Here are three back-to-school campaigns that seem to be getting a lot of attention:

Top Back-to-School Marketing Campaigns

1. KIND Snacks #MomentThatPopped:

This particular back-to-school marketing campaign is geared towards parents. KIND snack bars encourages families to reflect upon the best moments of summer, in hopes of promoting KIND bars as a healthy snack that ends up in the lunchbox.

2. Hefty #SaidNoSchoolEver:

When trying to tackle big issues, you need a powerful campaign and that’s exactly what Hefty is intending to do this year. The #SaidNoSchoolEver back–to-school campaign features two 30-second online spots and a handful of playful memes that address the lack of funding many public schools and teachers face. This particular campaign brings awareness to the parents and surrounding school districts on this pressing matter.

3. Foot Locker #DontGoUnnoticed

Everyone wants to look their best on the first day back to school, and Foot Locker is trying to capitalize on this trend by marketing towards students. Start investing in a new pair of kicks that will definitely not go unnoticed, is their key message. Foot Locker is partnering with name brands like Nike, Puma, and Converse to create all red sneakers and all black sneakers. With the help of Foot Locker and partnering brands, students will be dressing to impress with these new kicks.

So what can we learn from these campaigns?

3 Tips to Success with Back-to-School Marketing

Mobile shopping is the new norm:

In this day and age, nobody has time to go to the store. Parents and older students are busy searching on Google for the hottest back-to-school buys, specifically on their smartphone devices. Because of the convenience and mobility, parents can be at work buying backpacks, school supplies and much more without having to waste any time at the store. Brands need to create great mobile web experiences and use mobile-specific ads to motivate these back-to-school shoppers.

Always Think of the Big Picture:

While getting the message out about a sale or promotion is important, it’s also a good idea to focus on the long-term effect. You don’t just want consumers to buy your product once; you want them back year after year. In an effort to achieve this long-term success, consider creating a unique shopping experience for consumers that they wont forget. For example, create software that generates outfits for every occasion. If you “wow” them now, they will always come back for more.

Cross-Promote all Campaigns on Social Media:

Whether you like it or not, social media is here to stay and more powerful than ever. Consumers find loyalty in social media and a sense of reassurance on what types of brands to follow and which products to buy. When creating any campaign, especially for back-to-school, cross-promote all efforts on social media platforms. Create a unique hashtag that encourages consumers to share their stories. You can even consider running Facebook or Twitter campaigns for an extra bonus. More exposure will result in overall success.

Have you been in impressed by any recent back-to-school campaigns? Let us know your favorite in the comments below!

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