Schools are back in session and retailers couldn’t be happier! And with “Back to School” comes Back to School shopping.
“Word of mouth” was once known as the holy grail of advertising. We are all more likely to consider recommendations from friends and family. That circle has extended to people we don’t know in real life but know virtually.
Kids have always pushed their parents for the coolest in back-to-school gear, and today, children and teens have some backup: social media influencers (let’s face it, parents—social media influencers are much cooler). Students 13-24 (Gen Z) spend significant time on social media exposed to these social influencers constantly throughout the day.
Social Media amplifies the notion of ‘Keeping up with the Joneses’, with a slew of influencers telling your child what they ‘need’ to have this year. That can make back-to-school shopping a real headache,” says NerdWallet
6 in 10 parents say their children are influenced by peers or social media when making their back-to-school wish list. And about half of these parents (51%) say they typically end up buying back-to-school products their kids want because of these influences. We end up spending more money than we expected.
Gen Z consumers keep up with the trends by following influencers that have similar values to match their own. It makes sense that they will be more likely to trust a company that their favorite influencer endorses.
As a parent I am feeling the pressure of spending more money on the trendy items my teenage daughter sees on Instagram and Tik Tok. Frankly, it’s annoying. We need an influencer who endorses cheap things.
But as a Media Buyer – I am excited to have platforms for my clients to build brand loyalty with this younger generation.
This blog post was written by Jennifer Pupshis, Account Manager
