Reaching Back-to-School Shoppers Where It Matters

Nearly 70 million American adults have school-aged children (ages 6–17) in the household. This massive group represents a highly engaged and motivated consumer segment, especially during the back-to-school season. With the school year acting as a natural reset point, families are not only shopping for supplies but also updating wardrobes, tech, and home essentials. This annual ritual creates a unique window of opportunity for brands to connect with engaged, purchase-ready consumers. For advertisers, this means a concentrated period of high intent and high-volume shopping behavior. With the right messaging and timing, advertisers can tap into this seasonal surge to drive awareness, engagement, and conversions.

Value is top of mind for today’s back-to-school shoppers

According to MRI-Simmons' Trending Topics Study, 80% of back-to-school shoppers plan their purchases around seasonal sales events, making them especially responsive to timely promotions. These consumers are actively seeking value, with 80% prioritizing price over brand loyalty when choosing where to shop. This shift in mindset opens the door for emerging brands and retailers to compete on equal footing with legacy names, especially if they can deliver compelling offers. Additionally, 79% of shoppers are planning to seek out more deals this year, signaling a heightened sensitivity to pricing and a strong appetite for promotions. Advertisers who highlight affordability and savings will be well-positioned to capture attention and drive action during this critical window.

Parents are not just shopping for utility; they’re also deeply invested in meeting their children’s needs and preferences. In fact, 79% believe it’s important to buy the products their child wants, and 78% are willing to spend extra to ensure their child is well-prepared to succeed. This emotional investment in the shopping experience makes back-to-school campaigns especially effective when they tap into both practicality and aspiration. Campaigns that speak to both the practical and emotional aspects of back-to-school shopping (such as confidence, self-expression, and readiness) can resonate deeply with this audience. It’s not just about what’s on sale; it’s about what matters to families.

Digital channels and brands are playing a big role in back-to-school purchases

68% of back-to-school shoppers say they rely on advertising to discover the latest trends and products, and the same percentage prefer to shop online. What’s more is that parents with school-aged children are 28% more likely than the average US adult to prefer connecting with brands on social media, and they are 25% more likely to be influenced to buy a product from an influencer. This dual reliance on digital discovery and e-commerce creates a seamless path for advertisers to influence decisions and drive conversions. Whether through social media, influencer content, or programmatic display, digital campaigns can meet shoppers where they are and guide them through the purchase journey. With 59% of shoppers planning to do more back-to-school shopping this year compared to the last, the digital landscape is more important than ever.

Parents of school-aged children are not only value-driven but also highly responsive to brand alignment and influence. They are 26% more likely than the average U.S. adult to purchase products from companies that sponsor sports teams, making sports partnerships a strategic lever for brand visibility. Additionally, this audience is 26% more likely to be influenced by celebrity endorsements, whether through traditional media or social platforms. Seeing a celebrity use a product can significantly increase their likelihood to buy, especially when the endorsement aligns with their child’s interests or lifestyle. These insights highlight the power of influencer and sponsorship-based activation strategies during the back-to-school season, offering brands a compelling way to build trust and drive conversion.

Back-to-school shoppers are spenders on their kids (and themselves)

Interestingly, dads are 32% more likely than moms to plan to do more shopping this year, highlighting a shift in household shopping dynamics. This insight opens the door for more inclusive and targeted messaging that speaks to both parents. Spending is also on the rise: parents of school-aged children spent an average of $247 on children’s clothing in the past six months, up from $239 last year, and $121 on children’s shoes, up from $118. These increases reflect not only inflation but also a willingness to invest in quality and readiness. For advertisers, this means a larger basket size and more opportunities to upsell and cross-promote.

Back-to-school shopping is a great time to reach an audience ready to spend on not just what their children need for academic success, but also on themselves. Adults with school-aged children spent 15% more on women’s and men’s clothing and shoes in the past 6 months than the average US adult ($907 compared to $792). While these shoppers hunt for kids’ shoes and backpacks, brands and retailers can take the opportunity to advertise deals just for them, showing them that this season can be a reset to their closets too. In the past year, these back-to-school shoppers were significantly more likely to buy from brands like Lululemon, H&M, and The Gap, so now would be a great time for these brands to appeal to this audience’s wallets.

Back-to-school shoppers are a high-intent, emotionally engaged, and digitally connected audience. With nearly 70 million adults in this segment, their strong focus on value, openness to advertising, and increasing spend make them a powerful target for activation. By aligning campaigns with their priorities, like affordability, personalization, and convenience, brands can drive meaningful engagement and measurable results. For media planners and marketers, the back-to-school season is more than a retail moment. It’s a strategic opportunity to connect with one of the most influential consumer groups of the year.

Sources: 2025 Q2 Trending Topics Study (W25 USA). Base: Q8 Base Have kids 6-17 years old.

Activating Back-to-School Shoppers through MRI-Simmons

Through MRI-Simmons' activation solution, ACT, marketers can leverage trusted and nationally representative data to target and reach Back-to-school shoppers. Curate your audience with over 60,000 consumer elements: 1000+ attitudes and opinions, 6500+ brands in 1000+ product categories; and 90+ proprietary segments. Then, activate your audience via the ad-tech platform or media partner of your choice.