Smart retailers are tapping into dormcore – the idea that students shop by vibe, not just utility – by creating style personas that help them browse according to aesthetic. Others keep it practical with college life hacks and spotlighting overlooked segments – including commuter students.

The majority (97%) of US teachers report that school budgets don’t fully meet classroom needs – they spent on average $895 out-of-pocket during the 2024–2025 school year on school supplies (Adoptaclassroom, 2025). Several brands centred teachers, amplifying their voices as trusted guides and creative leaders within the school community.

Responding to the 64% of American parents with school/college children who are concerned about back-to-school season costs this year (The Harris Poll, 2025), brands are introducing e-commerce features that lessen the burden on parents’ mental juggling and wallets simultaneously, or free up finances with tech trade-ins. Meanwhile, emotionally resonant campaigns support budget-conscious spending without stigma.

Other brands are tapping into non-judgemental storytelling. This is especially relevant in a climate where social dynamics can feel harsh or exclusionary – about a third (35%) of US parents with children under 18 say they are extremely or very worried that their children might be bullied at some point (Pew Research Centre).

Brands including British supermarket Asda and American department store Macy’s are recruiting parenting influencers to riff on ultra-relatable back-to-school tropes including manic school mornings and the punishing spectre of the parents’ WhatsApp group, while unvarnished kidfluencers turn established formats on their head. 

Several brands are tapping into anemoia for (a nostalgia for eras consumers haven’t lived through) for the 1990s, both wrapping consumers in comforting escapism and imparting a sense of creative and social freedom made possible by more analogue (thus uncaptured on social media) era.