The 5 Most Impressive Press Releases from July: Back to School Edition

Seasonal marketing is a great approach to keeping your brand relevant, having it stand out from just a typical product rollout. Tying your editorial calendar to major seasonal events is a good tactic quarter to quarter – not only in possibly incorporating the theme with your brand, but also to ensure you avoid possible competition for eyeballs when you’re not associated with a trending seasonal topic.  

From Tripadvisor’s new app launching “just in time for the summer travel rebound,” to the Olympics where “Kraft Peanut Butter (KPB) is giving Canadians a virtual way to go to Tokyo and support Team Canada,” examples of PR focused on seasonal events abound. These brands understand that crafting content around a seasonal event gives your audience a chance to connect to your brand on a more personal level. 

One annual season that dominates calendars is of course “Back to school.” And if you think July is too early to start engaging your marketing outreach, think again.  In fact, it’s the perfect month to start. The five releases selected for July stood out for using sub-headlines that provided more context to their audience up front, while also embracing the seasonal theme by quickly answering the question, “Why is this news important?”

These five press releases from July were: 

1. Target Readies for Highly Anticipated Back-to-School and College Season

The giant retailor sets the stage by reminding their target (no pun intended!) audience of the positive store experience: “With vibrant displays and a dedicated section in its stores, along with interactive experiences online, guests can easily check everything off their lists, saving them time and money.”

2. Pop-Tarts® Is Partnering With Lyrical Lemonade To Transform Back-to-School Basics Into Crazy-Good Gear

Kellogg’s announces a fun back-to-school limited edition run, where they highlight their partner (Lyrical Lemonade) with this great campaign-leading description: “they consistently hack the mundane and create the extraordinary." (Sarah Reinecke, Senior Director, Brand Marketing, Pop-Tarts)

3. Frito-Lay Variety Packs Blasts Off With Aspiring Astronaut Alyssa Carson For Back-to-School Program Sending Girls To Space Camp

PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay has a subhead that inspires through good will, with a charitable pledge tied to the new school year season: “Iconic snack brand to donate $150,000 through Space for Her Scholarship Fund, to help develop more diverse talent within STEM.”

4. Back to School 2021: Let's Find Out what the future holds with Staples Canada

This announcement answers that all-important “Why does this news matter to me?” question right at the start with that headline, and a subhead that digs deeper: “Exclusive brands, the latest technology and new low prices help students, teachers and families start the new school year with confidence.”

5. Gap Welcomes Kids Back to School with Educational Changemaker, David Jamison, Who Celebrates the Joy of Being INDIVIDUALS

Gap goes big here, stating in their subhead “… in the New GapKids Campaign Inspiring Representation, Inclusion and Optimism.”  Including a great video, this announcement declares, “the creative plays tribute to Gap's modern American optimism rooted in music and dance.”

Bottom line: It’s never too early to think about the next season – from the upcoming holidays to January 2022’s CES tech show, and beyond. Reach out to your Cision account manager to discuss how we can help with future campaigns, or contact us for a demo.