Worth, value and well-worn tropes are dominating back-to-school advertising and marketing this yr. Whereas some would argue that there’s consolation to be discovered within the acquainted throughout a chaotic interval, Gen Z retailer American Eagle is studying firsthand that one particular person’s consolation will be one other’s exasperation. For entrepreneurs strategizing forward of the brand new faculty yr, the backlash to American Eagle’s massive guess on A-lister Sydney Sweeney spotlights the problem find the best message to satisfy the present second.
“Sydney Sweeney Has Nice Denims” is designed to assist American Eagle resonate with a broad viewers and consists of distinguished out-of-home shows and digital activations. Nonetheless, wordplay within the marketing campaign that swaps “denims” for “genes” has sparked backlash for what some see because the promotion of racist beliefs, whereas others have criticized the hassle for its sexual overtones. The marketing campaign additionally raises questions on whether or not or not entrepreneurs have fallen out of contact of their chase to land the sale.
“By utilizing a broadly interesting celeb and a easy play on phrases, American Eagle appears to have tried to talk to everybody, which finally means they spoke to nobody in a significant means,” mentioned Myles Worthington, founder and CEO of full-service advertising and marketing company Worthi, in emailed feedback.
American Eagle is one among dozens of manufacturers trying to win again to high school in a tough retail atmosphere. Social media is taking part in a dominant function within the chase for Gen Z, offering a channel for driving each on-line engagement and in-store visitors. Ahead-thinking entrepreneurs have additionally sought to construct affinity with the rising Gen Alpha cohort — and the important thing could possibly be by means of their millennial mother and father. Underpinning these seasonal efforts are a deal with value and worth as manufacturers try and resonate with budget-conscious customers.
“There’s nothing new occurring,” mentioned Otis Gibson, founder and chief inventive officer of worldwide model consultancy Gertrude. “I believe innovation as a complete appears to be slowed down by way of new … in any side, nobody desires new when issues are rocky.”
Customers and types put worth first
Households this season plan to maintain budgets tight, with general back-to-school spending anticipated to be flat yr over yr at $30.9 billion, based on Deloitte’s annual survey of the event. Almost half of fogeys are planning to unfold out their back-to-school purchases over time to raised handle their budgets, with common spending anticipated to extend in late August and September in comparison with 2024 ranges.
A bleaker forecast comes as financial expectations dip to their lowest degree previously 5 years, per Deloitte, making a deal with value and worth paramount for manufacturers. Again to high school also can have much less flexibility than different gross sales home windows like the vacations, the place it’s simpler for households to regulate the variety of presents they should purchase, researchers defined.
“That is actually deep — my children want this stuff, I’ve to get them,” mentioned Lupine Skelly, retail analysis chief at Deloitte, of back-to-school merchandise. “They don’t have a ton of wiggle room to truly reduce the objects, in order that makes the worth level extra necessary.”
“We’re hyper delicate now, as a result of it’s every single day we’re listening to about tariffs.”
Otis Gibson
Founder & CCO, Gertrude
Worth has been on the middle for manufacturers together with Goal, which launched twin back-to-school efforts in June. The primary, “Hey Mother, I’m at Goal,” highlights perks of the Goal Circle 360 program for faculty college students whereas that includes younger content material creators as they navigate the complexities of dorm room residing. The second marketing campaign, “All the Above,” made with inventive company Anomaly, emphasizes merchandise that may attraction to folks, lecturers and youthful children and options collaborations with trainer content material creators.
Worth and price lead amongst inventive traits this season, defined Gibson, noting that the interval has seen “extra of the identical” and a scarcity of recent options, merchandise and advantages promoted. Nonetheless, as commerce wars and recessionary fears loom, the consolation present in familiarity could possibly be precisely what customers are on the lookout for.
“We’re hyper delicate now, as a result of it’s every single day we’re listening to about tariffs,” Gibson mentioned.
Social-first promoting sways Gen Z
A social-first mentality this back-to-school season is obvious amongst advertisers and mirrors broader trade traits, Gibson mentioned. Social media promoting spending within the U.S. is predicted to high $82 billion in 2025, up from $75 billion the yr prior. Forty-one % of consumers plan to make use of social media of their purchasing journey this season, and those that do sometimes spend almost two occasions greater than those that don’t, per Deloitte.
Social media is in full focus for the second iteration of JanSport’s seasonal marketing campaign, “All the time With You,” which asserts the backpack maker’s standing as an on a regular basis companion for college kids. Launched in June, the hassle was developed for platforms like TikTok and YouTube and follows a profitable first run that led to the model’s highest-grossing gross sales day in its 57-year historical past. Key to the marketing campaign are a sequence of musical spots that mix the cringeworthy humor favored by Gen Z with relatable chaos in hopes of stopping them mid-scroll.
JanSport’s marketing campaign, made with company Occasion Land, has already proven indicators of development over final yr’s push, together with greater interplay and longer view occasions, mentioned Lindsay Learn, the model’s head of promoting. JanSport’s technique was knowledgeable by Gen Z client insights and its view of TikTok as a content material playground, not only a media channel. It measures success by means of views and different metrics like saves, shares and feedback.
Some entrepreneurs have additionally centered their social media efforts on driving customers into shops by partnering with massive manufacturers like Walmart and Goal, mentioned Emily Brown, affiliate director of technique at Billion Greenback Boy. The technique is supported by the perception that Gen Z prefers to buy in-person extra usually than their millennial or Gen X counterparts, and infrequently consists of leveraging influencers for in-store haul movies.
“That’s the place they’re placing loads of these efforts in … getting folks to have their model on their thoughts as they undergo that first massive back-to-school purchasing haul,” Brown mentioned. “Even these manufacturers that you can go straight to their web site and purchase straight from them are nonetheless attempting to place all their eggs within the Goal basket or the Walmart basket.”
The strategy may attraction to folks searching for the comfort of a one-stop store expertise, with almost one half of back-to-school consumers planning to spend probably the most at mass retailers, per Deloitte.
Manufacturers compete for Gen Z
A deal with in-person experiences is on the coronary heart of City Outfitters’ marketing campaign, “UO Haul.” The trouble catering to Gen Z started in Could with a New York scavenger hunt that led to a fleet of vehicles with glass shows showcasing “hauls” common for varied dorm room aesthetics. The marketing campaign drove round 10 million natural social media impressions throughout the first two weeks of its launch, mentioned Head of Model Advertising Cyntia Leo.
“We all know that IRL experiences matter to this Gen Z buyer, they need to get out on the earth, they need to expertise enjoyable, thrilling issues,” mentioned Leo. “We predict that it additionally creates extra of an enduring reminiscence for our buyer.”
The second section of the marketing campaign kicked off in July with “Particular Supply,” a sequence of occasions meant to have fun current graduates. The idea was impressed by the 1000’s of letters the model receives every year from college students sharing their emotions concerning the yr forward and features a partnership with U-Haul to help with transferring, together with pop-up outlets that can roll out in key faculty markets.
The retailer additionally launched a Dream Dorm Makeover Contest on Pinterest in partnership with HGTV. Moreover, City Outfitters might be on campuses in August and is bringing again its UO Reside expertise for a second yr to function Gen Z-favorite artists and creators. The marketing campaign, knowledgeable by social listening, is a part of City Outfitters’ long-running efforts to help faculty college students all through their journey, Leo defined.
“Within the final two years, we actually needed to double down on our offense to actually ensure that not solely have been we supporting as a model holistically, however we have been actually taking a look at key insights on what does this buyer want and the way can we greatest present up for them?” she mentioned.
For American Eagle, a celeb tie-up was key to its marketing campaign, a tactic it has relied on previously by means of partnerships with stars together with Coco Gauff, Lola Tung, Addison Rae and Jenna Ortega. The retailer’s inventory soared the day after its marketing campaign with Sweeney debuted in July — and surged once more extra just lately after the hassle obtained reward from President Donald Trump.
“To me, not together with any apology to those that they unintentionally offended was weak, and a obvious omission.”
Myles Worthington
Founder & CEO, Worthi
Nonetheless, the model’s effort has continued to be the topic of criticism and seen a poor response from Gen Z. One advert particularly, which has since been faraway from the model’s social channels, sees Sweeney whisper, “Genes are handed down from mother and father to offspring, usually figuring out traits like hair shade, character and even eye shade. My denims are blue.” Some critics imagine the script promotes eugenics by suggesting Sweeney’s blonde-haired, blue-eyed genes are extra fascinating than others.
American Eagle’s marketing campaign emerged amid an already polarized political ambiance, with the present administration agency in its anti-diversity, fairness and inclusion stance. That focus may trickle down into the psyches of promoting executives and drive them to be extra cautious of their inventive output, defined Mita Mallick, a office strategist and former head of inclusion and multicultural advertising and marketing for Unilever. To keep away from missteps, the chief recommends creating an atmosphere extra open to suggestions, together with from extra numerous and junior degree staffers.
“Does Gen Z have a voice on the desk?,” Mallick mentioned. “The query is, are the people who find themselves writing checks and inexperienced lighting this work, are they only so faraway from this, or are additionally they petrified of the local weather and this present administration and saying that, you already know, we’re simply going to return to what was secure.”
American Eagle later launched a response on Instagram standing behind its marketing campaign that learn, “‘Sydney Sweeney Has Nice Denims’ is and at all times was concerning the denims.” For some, the shortage of an apology is seen as a step within the improper path.
“To me, not together with any apology to those that they unintentionally offended was weak, and a obvious omission,” Worthington mentioned. “It will likely be attention-grabbing to see what their subsequent transfer is.”
The way forward for back-to-school advertising and marketing
Whereas a number of manufacturers are keyed in on Gen Z, the back-to-school interval additionally supplies a useful time for entrepreneurs to attach with older members of Gen Alpha, the era born between 2011 to 2025, defined Emily Weiss, principal researcher at Gartner. To take action, Weiss recommends interesting to millennial mother and father and their Gen Alpha kids, whose values are nonetheless in flux, with messaging that empowers children and resonates with household values. Mother and father contain their Gen Alpha children in small family selections as early as age seven, per Gartner analysis.
“These manufacturers do have the flexibility to make these inroads with children pretty early, not in a essentially invasive means, however as a result of their mother and father each need their opinions and in addition do loads of stuff with them that builds a model relationship a lot earlier on,” Weiss mentioned.
One instance referred to as out by Weiss is L.L. Bean’s nostalgic back-to-school advert showcasing its backpacks. The spot shows a wide range of colourful kinds accessible for the backpack and is about to “Return of the Mack,” a 1996 R&B tune by Mack Morrison, a possible attraction to cohorts like millennials and Gen X, the exec defined.
“They form of have been chatting with their very own model values, chatting with the nostalgia of millennials and younger Gen X and simply getting of their brains to be like, ‘Keep in mind this?’” Weiss mentioned.
Regardless of being open to branded digital content material, 43% of Gen Alpha mother and father are very or extraordinarily involved concerning the impacts of extreme display time on children in comparison with 35% for different mother and father, per Gartner. The perception backs Weiss’ advice to manufacturers to prioritize extra offline, sensory experiences that have interaction each mother and father and youngsters.
Whereas millennial mother and father make up 71% of Gen Alpha’s dad or mum group, Gen Z mother and father are slowly coming into the fold, giving entrepreneurs one other alternative to faucet into evolving client traits. Particularly, Gen Z mother and father are extra keen on digital experiences than their older counterparts: 30% of the cohort plan to buy straight on social media, in comparison with 17% of fogeys general, based on Deloitte’s Skelly. The group, which is extra probably to make use of social media of their purchasing journey typically, additionally trusts influencer content material nearly twice as a lot as different mother and father.
As manufacturers map out future back-to-school efforts, those that anticipate and adapt to ever-evolving client preferences might be in a stronger place to type deeper connections with the subsequent era of family resolution makers.
“We’ve talked quite a bit about how [Gen Z parents] are going to form of reshape again to high school,” Deloitte’s Skelly mentioned. “Their preferences are a lot extra digital, and that’s one of many enjoyable issues that’s on the horizon … There’s gonna be a very good story right here in a few years as soon as this youthful era has just a little bit extra buying energy.”
