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Kids, teens, and parents are going back-to-school shopping earlier with renewed enthusiasm

Young audiences have the final say in what families are buying, so safely engaging with them on their favorite platforms is crucial for brands’ back-to-school strategies.

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£191 spent per family on back-to-school in 2020¹

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+6.7% growth in total back-to-school spend from 2020-2021²

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69% of young people in the UK make back-to-school purchase decision³

But you can’t group all young people together. Meet some of the kids, tweens, and Young Teens, who are heading back to school…

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Alex is 13 and like many of her peers, her favorite activity is gaming.

Even when she’s not gaming herself, Alex and her friends watch their favorite streamers on Twitch.

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Taylor is 16 and has a close bond with her mom, and they have a shared interest in health and wellness.

Taylor’s Mom loves that they share an interest in self-care and is keen to help Taylor feel comfortable at school.

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For 8-year-old Cam, going back to school is all about new school supplies.

That means showing up in style with his favorite pencil case and backpack to show off to his friends. One of the main reasons he’s excited about getting back to school is the chance to draw with new pens and pencils.

5 actionable insights for a smarter 2022 back-to-school strategy

1. Kids and teens exert massive influence over what their parents buy for back to school 

The sway of kids and teens is strong – influencing over $1.2 trillion in annual spend. 84% of Young Teens influence clothing purchases, and 74% influence electronic/tech decisions. 53% make the final decision for back-to-school items.

2. Online is the most popular venue for back-to-school shopping 

34% of parents in the UK say that the majority of their back-to-school shopping will take place online, followed by brick and mortar clothing stores (27%), supermarkets (21%), and stationery shops (18%). 

3. Gen-Z spends an average of 11 hours each week playing video games.

Linear TV is no longer the top form of entertainment among young audiences. Gaming platforms such as Roblox aren’t just where youth are spending time – they’re where young audiences learn about brands and get inspired to buy. More than half (51%) of young people say seeing a brand in-game would motivate them to buy something in real life or visit the brand’s store.

4. Second to their friends, kids trust influencers most when discovering new products

When influencers promote a brand, kids, Young Teens, and parents not only listen, but act. In fact, influencers drive purchase intent for over 80% of youth and over 60% of parents in the UK, and more than one-third of influencer-led purchases happen on the same day.

5. 78% of parents plan to do most of their back-to-school shopping in July.

To avoid supply chain stockouts, back–to-school shopping is happening earlier. 59% of total back-to-school spend will take place in July. Brands should start planning their campaigns earlier, as the peak purchasing window has moved up a month.

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The purchase funnel is changing

Digital media and gaming are central to the discovery AND purchase process.”

Our industry-leading solutions guarantee kid, teen and brand safety, and our understanding of youth and family audiences ensures an effective approach.