Back to School is Back

‘Tis the back to school season and all through the land, parents are joyous and children are…tanned. That’s right, summer is officially over, school is back in session and social media is rife with back to school ads, primers, tips and tricks. Here are three selections which give a glimpse into the type of back to school brand content propagating social media in 2018.

1) The Students Are Coming!

Discovered on Facebook and published by the Wall Street Journal, this article provides a somewhat terrifying glimpse into what happens when a horde of 150,000 students invades a city of 700,000. It’s a yearly tradition, and for those who live through it, it is apparently quite the experience. I would share the story because its fascinating and entertaining – people tend to be fascinated by invasions, and more clicks = more ad revenue for the Wall Street Journal.

2) Gap Ad, Courtesy of Buzzfeed

Discovered on Facebook and published by Buzzfeed, the ad features actual students from P.S. 153 in Harlem, New York. Anytime an ad features real kids, score it as a win for the brand. The Gap, a brand known for diversity and inclusiveness, cannot possibly be more diverse with this ad. The ethnically diverse group of kids are modelling the latest fashion trends from the Gap, and one girl is even wearing a hijab. This is a very shareable piece of content, and has already generated a considerable amount of buzz on social media.

3) Target Ad

Discovered on YouTube and published by Target, this video is the brand’s annual attempt to appear hip and relevant. It works, at least in our family, as Target is our go-to back to school store. The video features a diverse group of kids playing and dancing to an upbeat, hip song. It even features a girl “flossing”, because every brand video these days must, apparently. I wouldn’t necessarily share it, and considering it was published towards the end of July and only has 34k views, not too many others are sharing it either. Nevertheless, it is a fun, very Target-y type of ad and is probably getting much exposure on TV and other mediums.