back to school campaigns

Does September feel like “back to school” or “back to work” season for you too? For many brands, this period has become synonymous with Back to campaigns. But lately, “back to” doesn’t stop at school anymore. Brands have stretched the format into Back to Work, Back to Style, Back to Home - and more.

 

The real question is: Does every brand actually need a “back to” campaign? And if so, how can they make it more than just another discount mechanic - how do they turn it into a real experience?

 

Naturally, a September wrap-up wouldn’t be complete without covering these campaigns. So today, we’re going all in on Back to.

 

Back to… Where?

We’ve already talked about how frequent discounting affects brand image. In recent years, it’s become clear: no business wants to miss the chance to push a promo, even if the campaign doesn’t directly relate to them.

 

Take Back to School. It’s obvious for schools, bookstores, stationery shops, clothing brands, and tech retailers. But what about kitchen appliances? Or supermarket chains?

 

That’s the thing - the link doesn’t always need to be direct. (Whether that’s good or bad is another conversation.) What matters is how you adapt the format. And that’s how we ended up with Back to Work, Back to Style, Back to Home, and the rest.

 

Here are a few standout examples that caught our eye this September.

 

When You Just Can’t Wait (Zoommer)

Zoommer built its Back to School campaign on a simple line: “When you just can’t wait.”

 

Visuals showed variations of this thought: when you can’t wait to start, when you can’t wait for something new, when you can’t wait to return. On the first day of school, they released a video - “The Most Restless Ones” - featuring kids answering curious questions.

 

What stood out most? Zoommer didn’t lean on discounts. Instead, it focused on the value and relevance of tech in kids’ lives. One ad told us: “Don’t silence the Picasso inside you” while showcasing the features of the Honor Pad 10.

 

In practice, it seems two campaigns were merged into one, with plans to release a series of videos featuring kids passionate about different fields. Recently, we even met 15-year-old robotics enthusiast Merab Mamardashvili.

 

At the same time, Zoommer was running its iPhone launch campaign with equally playful visuals. Look at their feed now, and you’ll see it’s a mix of everything. Which raises a question: is this versatility - or chaos? What do you think?

 

Back to School – Start a New Chapter (dressup.ge)

Dressup also offered discounts and deals, but their contest is what really stood out — and honestly, it almost felt like influencers “forced” people to join.

 

Here’s what happened: in early September, Dressup announced a TikTok and Instagram contest. To participate, you had to show your outfit for the first day of school, university, work, or simply the new season.

 

At first, almost no one posted. Then a few influencers stepped in — especially @foxy_eleniko, who directly scolded followers for not joining: “Why aren’t you participating? Don’t complain later when content creators win!” (If you remember the PSP x Mizon drama, you know the vibe.)

 

Soon after, entries exploded. The winners received ₾1000 vouchers, and lots of fun content was created.

 

This raised two interesting points:

1. Clarity of rules is critical. Many people thought they could only wear Dressup clothes in their videos. Several comments confirmed this confusion.
2. Video contests are always a gamble. Even in today’s content-heavy world, you never know how many will actually participate. (Again, PSP x Mizon’s contest is a good reference here.)

 

Your Checklist – Back to School (Tbilisi Mall)

Tbilisi Mall tied its Back to campaign to a competition. The rules were simple: the first 30 people who spent the most across mall stores won gift vouchers (₾1000, ₾500) and other prizes.

 

Alongside the contest, the mall pushed a broader narrative: September isn’t just about Back to School. It’s also Back to Work, Back to Style, Back to Home. In other words, the season of return and renewal is for everyone - kids, adults, employees heading to their first day back, freelancers at home, even those who don’t work.

 

The open question is: did this campaign really motivate people to choose Tbilisi Mall? Was there visible growth compared to last year? That’s the metric that counts.

 

Where Are You Going Next? (Beka’s School)

As I said at the start, educational brands are the most natural fit for Back to School. This year, one clearly stood out: Beka’s School.

 

An English language center with almost a decade of history, Beka’s focuses on practical, conversational English. Humor is part of their DNA, and it shaped this campaign too.

 

The line was simple: “Where are you going next?” And the videos went viral:

• When the Nigerian prince actually writes to you — where are you going?
• When the toastmaster asks you to translate his speech — where are you going?
• When you match with a foreigner on Tinder — where are you going?

The message was crystal clear: when you really need English, where will you go? Straight to Beka’s.

 

Why did it work so well? Because it didn’t rely on discounts. It showed real, relatable situations (okay, maybe not the Nigerian prince) with humor and clarity. September was the perfect time to launch it — the start of a new academic year.

 

So, Does Back to… Work?

Like any seasonal campaign, Back to School is most effective when it goes beyond discounts, fits the brand and its audience, and delivers a distinct experience.

 

Call it Back to School, Back to Work, Back to Home — whatever the name, if the campaign doesn’t solve a problem, meet a need, or create value, it risks becoming just another campaign for campaign’s sake.

 

So tell us — which September campaigns stuck with you?

 

the photo materials used in the visuals belong to the respective brands and constitute their intellectual property.