Dive Brief:
- This year’s back-to-school advertising began later in the season, according to Ace Metrix, and volume was down 40% in July.
- Most (60%) back-to-school ads appearing on television this year are 15 seconds long, while only one in five (20%) was 15 seconds in 2014.
- Back-to-school ads started airing frequently in August, often featuring humorous or emotional messaging along with deals.
Dive Insight:
A review of 46 back-to-school ads airing this year performed by El Segundo, Calif.-based analytics firm Ace Metrix reveals that many brands chose to hold off on advertising such as seasonal deals and promotions until later in the summer season. Back-to-school ads were also shorter than in years past, with many large retailers opting to put content longer than 15 seconds on the Web.
Ace Metrix indicated that later airing schedules came in response to consumer frustration at ads that launched even before children had left school for summer vacation. While many shoppers start looking for such deals as early as May, Google search activity peaks in August just ahead of the new school year. Briefer content and a scaled-back schedule are likely an admission from retailers that thanks to the Web, most “necessity” shopping is now spread out throughout the year—unless it’s done last-minute.
