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Author: David Hussong | Senior Director, Research & Insights
Retailers used a variety of messages and promotions to reach students, parents, and college shoppers during this year’s Back-to-School season. Their headlines centered on school, campus life, and dorm rooms. Four categories offered the widest range of approaches: Apparel, Home, Office Supplies, and Grocery. Retailers in each category paired seasonal themes with loyalty rewards and discounts.
Apparel retailers linked their products to campus life and supported the message with discounts. Adidas called its Samba the “trend-setting sneaker that goes with everything,” offered 25% off full-price and sale styles, and gave adiClub members double points on app purchases. Target offered 30% off children’s clothing and school uniforms under the message “stock up and save on all their back-to-school faves.” It also promoted $8 activewear and an NFL/NBA 90s fan shop collection. DSW advertised “Campus Essentials,” with up to 40% off select Nike styles and a free pack of socks with qualifying purchases.
Home retailers focused on dorm furnishings and move-in needs. Ballard Designs offered 30% off select “Dorm Room Essentials,” including headboards and bedskirts. Meanwhile, Pottery Barn Teen discounted dorm headboards and grouped its “dorm faves” into bedding, storage, and decor. The campaign urged students to “get ready for move-in” with everything a college student “actually needs all in one place.”
Office Supplies retailers paired product messages with discounts and rewards. HP promoted its “All-In Plan,” a subscription that includes a new printer, automatic ink delivery before supplies run out, and 24/7 support. The company described the service as “zero printer stress” and said it makes “printing one less thing on your mind.” Canon urged parents to “Make Back to School Unforgettable with DIY Crafts” and featured printable projects such as personalized bookmarks, lunchbox labels, and notebook stickers. Office Depot targeted students from “Pre-K to College” with $0.55 composition books, 20% back in Bonus Rewards on paper, and a free graphing calculator with a $100 purchase. Additionally, Lenovo’s “Score Grade-A Tech Deals” campaign offered bonus savings codes on orders over $500, double rewards, and an additional 10% discount for verified students.
Grocery retailers addressed parents and relied on school-themed wordplay. Kroger promoted “Smart Back to School Snacks,” encouraging shoppers to keep their “snack IQ strong with A+ options” and study their “favorite multipack snacks.” A follow-up campaign recommended smoothie bowls and portable breakfasts to “boost their brain power” and give children “a delicious start to their school days.” Hy-Vee’s “Back to School Reset” campaign featured lunchbox staples, healthier snacks, and simple meals, urging parents to “pack smarter, spend less” with Hy-Vee products. Walmart sorted supplies, clothing, lunch gear, and backpacks by grade level, from preschool through high school, under a “Pop Quiz” theme and the tagline “Easy A’s for every grade.”
2026 Back-to-School marketing paired specific offers with familiar school routines. The strongest campaigns showed where a product fit: campus life, schoolwork, meals, or move-in. Adidas connected sneakers with campus style, HP framed its subscription as a way to avoid running out of ink, and Kroger used school references to sell snacks. Each campaign matched a common need with a clear financial or practical benefit.
