It’s the time of year that kids hate and advertisers love: back to school. But for brands, especially retail brands, that means dollar signs in the form of back-to-school specials and promotions and all of the attendant social media chatter.
As a result, even brands that don’t sell school supplies or clothing are trying to get in on the #backtoschool buzz. Check out these five companies that have forced themselves, some more awkwardly than others, into the conversation.
Who’s ready to go back to school? (Shoes: @SOPHIAWEBSTER_) https://t.co/CGCNJhlPaP pic.twitter.com/QgnfEuOhNY
— Saks Fifth Avenue (@saks) September 3, 2013
Because every 4th-grade girl needs t-strap high heels and over-sized crayons for her back-to-school swag.
Ad position: web_incontent_pos1
Back to school supplies – Back to football supplies. #BeesFanZone pic.twitter.com/v9RBfmKgjP
— Applebee’s (@Applebees) September 3, 2013
Offsides!
Ad position: web_incontent_pos2
Whether you’re going #backtoschool or want to look sharp on the job, RT for a chance to win a designer tie. #FreeTieTuesday
— Men’s Wearhouse (@menswearhouse) September 3, 2013
RT if you wear ties to AP English, #thatoneweirdkid
Dear mom & dad, #backtoschool is much better w/ Wingstop! #FlavorFollowsU pic.twitter.com/Yl2RpAtmp2
— Wingstop Restaurants (@wingstop) September 3, 2013
Because spicy habanero wings are an essential part of every balanced back-to-school meal.
Happy First Day of School! We hope your class schedule is as fun as ours… pic.twitter.com/eJr4b0TQTW
— Southwest Airlines (@SouthwestAir) August 26, 2013
Oh man, we were never good at pretzel geometry.
Image via Flickr.
More in Marketing
In the marketing world, anime is following in the footsteps of gaming
As marketers look to take advantage of anime’s entry into the zeitgeist, they might be wise to observe the parallels between the evolution of anime as a marketing channel and the ways brands have learned to better leverage gaming in recent years.
With the introduction of video ads and e-commerce, Roblox looks to attain platform status
Roblox is expanding into more areas than just ads in 2024. Much like platforms such as Amazon and Facebook have transcended their origins to evolve from their origins as online marketplaces and social media channels, Roblox is in the midst of a transformation into a platform for all elements of users’ virtual lives.
PepsiCo wants to remain a ‘driver of culture’ as it turns to influencers and activations amid rebrand
The soda-maker says it can translate cultural relevance into sales volume.
Ad position: web_bfu