Four Key Insights for the 2021 Back to School Season

Even though summer is still a couple weeks away it39s time for marketers to start planning their backtoschool campaigns And like virtually everything else BTS shopping is going to be a little different this yearFor one thing a lot more of it is going to be digital Online purchasing increased 35 percent from January 2020 to January 2021 1 and overall digital sales are expected to grow 20 percent this year 10 Sixtysix percent of parents say they plan to do most of their BTS shopping via the Internet this summer 2Students who spent the last year wearing sweatpants and flip flops will need to refresh their wardrobes Parents are planning to spend more on clothing for their teens this year 3 and twothirds of Gen Z plans to spend more on fashion in 2021 than they did last year 4We39ve identified four key trends brand marketers need to be aware of as they prepare for the BTS shopping season1 Parents are Hungry for Guidance and SupportDespite their enthusiasm for a return to classrooms parents remain concerned about their children39s wellbeing While more than half say they have a larger BTS budget this year they39re still keenly focused on getting the biggest bang for their buckParents are turning to online content to help them make their purchase decisions 238 want backtoschool shopping guides35 need advice on how to help kids safely return to school13 are looking for tips on how to save moneyBranded custom content and shoppable gift guides can help you reach parents as they39re making these decisions At Verizon Media we know that presenting the right information in the right context will inspire shoppers to take action RYOT Studio our branded content agency can help you develop immersive consumer experiences and connect with audiences at key moments during the customer journey2 Consumers are Seeking New Experiences Nearly three quarters of Americans changed their shopping behavior during the pandemic 1 and a big part of that change involved trying new thingsAbout 40 percent say they switched brands in 2020 twice as many as in 2019 Millennials and Gen Z led the way with 44 percent saying they switched versus 35 percent of Baby Boomers Four out of ten of those younger consumers say a key factor driving that change is whether a brand39s values align with their own 3Increasingly people are open to new experiences and shopping in new ways Innovative formats like augmented reality ads or shoppable videos which allow consumers to make purchases from directly inside content provide readers with opportunities for unexpected discoveriesLearn more from our quotCommerce Beyond Covidquot report on seven trends shaping the future of how we shop3 Want to Get Gen Z39s Attention Use Personalized AdsIncreasingly parents are also asking their kids what to buy Our research shows that students have a significant influence on more than half of the major BTS categories including electronics school supplies clothing fitness goods food and arts ampamp crafts 2According to our April 2021 study half of people aged 18 to 34 shop exclusively online One in four Gen Z shoppers say online advertising has become more influential in their purchase decisions and 64 percent pay more attention to brands and products tailored to their interests 2Younger shoppers expect personalized ads and respond more favorably to them Brands can increase engagement with this growing demographic by providing relevant interactive content shoppable videoamp160and email marketingTo learn more about how to reach Gen Z shoppers check out our quotYoung and Influentialquot eBook4 Personalization is Key Consumers are looking for a hyperpersonalized experience Forty percent of shoppers have utilized personalized ad recommendations over the past six months with a 92 percent higher conversion rate over nonpersonalized native image ads 5By leveraging unified ID solutions like Verizon Media39s ConnectID brands can evolve their communication strategy and speak more specifically to different segments of their audience leading to increased conversionsVerizon Media39s Dynamic Product Ads DPA allow brands to build intuitive shopping experiences that are built for creativity yet mindful of a user39s specific interests DPA dynamically pulls creative content from a brand39s product feed and serves it based on each user39s unique online shopping behaviorReady to Get StartedFor this backtoschool shopping season work with a trusted partner that knows how to operate at scale Verizon Media allows you to easily buy immersive personalized and innovative brand experiences in the No 1 ranked DSP from Adweek 9 reaching nearly 900M users globally 6With new partnershipsamp160such as Shopify for small businesses extended reach on digital out of home and our content suite available through Verizon Media Immersive Verizon Media39s ad solutions can help you capture attention build trust and meet consumers wherever they areSources1 Survey US Consumer Sentiment During the Coronavirus Crisis McKinsey ampamp Co May 20212 2021 BacktoSchool Omnibus Study Verizon Media April 20213 McKinsey May 20214 Student Beans Insights newsletter May 20215 Verizon Media internal data August 20186 Comscore Key Measures Verizon Media and Microsoft Partnership Avg JanJune 2020 Global7 Comscore Plan Metrixamp174 MultiPlatform Verizon Media and Microsoft Partnership Persons 1834 March 2021 US8 Verizon Media internal data Q4 20209 The Readers Have Spoken Verizon Media Scores Top Honors Adweek July 27 202010amp160ROIrevolution May 2021Image courtesy of VerizonClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNetamp160

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Four Key Insights for the 2021 Back to School Season

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