New Data Reveals 3 Ways Retailers Can Optimize Back-to-School Campaigns

Brands often forget that K-12 students aren’t the only ones going back to school in the fall. While most companies focus their back-to-school campaigns on elementary school students and high schoolers, they often overlook two compelling segments with growing purchasing power: college students and teachers.

Brands that skip over these groups potentially miss out on their tremendous purchasing power: $780 billion for college students and $329 billion for teachers. Plus, BTS is one of the busiest shopping seasons for both groups.

Reimagining BTS marketing to include Gen Z college students and teachers can help win loyal customers from these communities. Here are three tactics brands and retailers can use to do just that.

Incorporate overlooked products into BTS marketing

School supplies are the foundation of BTS marketing. In fact, educators on average spend between $500 and $750 of their own money every year on items their students need. But college students and teachers heading back to school are also shopping for more than school supplies, and brands that highlight those other products can differentiate themselves and win an even greater share of wallet.

In a SheerID survey of US and UK students, recipients said if they received a student discount they would be more likely to buy furniture (20%), apparel, footwear and accessories (49%) and beauty/personal care (54%). Brands could capture students’ attention in a back-to-school campaign if it offered 25% off bed and bath products, or a buy-one-get-one-free promotion on select fall fashions.

Apparel promotions will also appeal to teachers, who like to stay on top of young adult trends. And music, streaming and wellness subscription services are other creative options that would appeal to Gen Z students and teachers alike.

Crafting creative marketing campaigns

Brands can reimagine their BTS campaign tactics by underscoring shared values with Gen Z and creating authentic content.

One Gen Z value marketers should prioritize if it genuinely aligns with their brand’s values is sustainability. According to research from McKinsey, Gen Z shoppers are increasingly sustainability-minded. Plus, more than 25% of respondents to SheerID’s recent survey of Gen Z said that sustainable and ethical practices are one of the best ways for brands to stand apart from the competition.

Take one of Nature Valley’s back-to-school campaign for example. The CPG brand launched a program on TikTok to give customers the chance to win free back-to-school gear like backpacks and water bottles from brands like L.L. Bean and Stasher. By pushing for eco-friendly products, brands like Nature Valley can dynamically demonstrate their values and engage shoppers.

Creating engaging and authentic content is another way to capture Gen Z’s business. Take NFL Sunday Ticket’s back-to-school campaign for example. To adapt to pandemic school closures, the company experimented with tactics like replacing live commercials with animated ones and creating podcasts with treasured sports hosts. This allowed NFL Sunday Ticket to capitalize on the connections Gen Z students have with hosts, without having to rely on conventional means to captivate them. NFL Sunday Ticket’s back-to-school campaign ended up driving a 29% increase in total subscribers and a 75% renewal rate.

Make exclusive offers

Implementing exclusive offers is another way for brands to refresh their back-to-school campaigns for both Gen Z students and younger teachers. According to SheerID’s Gen Z survey, 69% of Gen Z and 86% of Gen Z college students said they’d be more likely to purchase from a brand that gave them a young adult or student offer, respectively. For teachers, the number rises to 90%. And the value of the exclusive offer extends beyond the first purchase, boosting loyalty among 67% of students and 71% of teachers.

Target, for example, ran a BTS exclusive offer for students and teachers last year, giving them 20% off. These kinds of exclusive offers show that Target values both Gen Z shoppers working for their degrees and the teachers invested in getting their students onto similar paths.

That demonstration of appreciation lays the foundation for long-term loyalty, which Target optimizes by verifying eligibility for the offers within Target Circle (their loyalty app). Verification prevents fraud and ensures the offer is exclusive, which shows these groups that Target really values them. And integrating the offer into its loyalty program gives Target the ability to personalize all future marketing to these consumers by reminding them that they are special in Target’s eyes.

Of course, Target is just one example of what could and should be a broader trend. By highlighting often-overlooked products, revamping BTS campaign tactics and developing exclusive offers, brands will foster deeper relationships with both Gen Z students and teachers during the upcoming BTS season and generate opportunities for lifelong loyalty.