Don’t miss Brandweek, Adweek’s ultimate experience for marketers, September 11-14 in Miami. Connect with peers and gain insights and inspiration from top brand marketers and industry icons at Glossier, Coca-Cola, Taco Bell and more. Register.
As back-to-school season rolls around, it’s a given that parents will worry about the welfare of their progeny—their safety, academic performance, the risk of cyberbullying and even what’s in the cafeteria lunches. But a survey conducted by OnePoll a few years ago revealed a concern that few people talk about: 42% of parents admitted they were stressed over buying school supplies.
It makes sense when you consider the numbers. The National Retail Federation recently reported that back-to-school spending will hit $41.5 billion this year, leaving the average household with a bill for $890. That figure, plus an ongoing worry about inflation, has led parents to start shopping earlier this year, searching for the best prices on essentials like notebooks, highlighters and sticky notes. Deloitte’s 2023 Back to School Survey, released July 16, revealed that 60% of shoppers will be hunting for good deals online.
Instacart will be waiting for them.
Order your carrots—and crayons, too
Instacart already enjoys a strong association with grocery delivery, but for the next six weeks the platform will focus its marketing efforts on telling parents that it can bring glue sticks and ballpoint pens to their doorsteps just as easily as it can drop off bread, milk and eggs.
A new 30-second spot titled “Back to School Delivered” shows a millennial dad, who is adding a pink streak to his daughter’s hair, on the Instacart app, pumped because his shopper has located the backpack that his daughter wants. Consumers may not have thought of Instacart as a way to find school accessories, electronics, clothing and even sporting equipment—but the platform’s new campaign, “You’ve Got This, Parents,” wants them to start.
Speaking with Adweek, CMO Laura Jones said the marketing effort aims to “highlight the message that we have everything [parents] need for back to school. Folks know Instacart for grocery, but we’ve got a ton of other items.”
You got it, and they’ve got you
Instacart has been branching out of groceries for a while now. When the pandemic isolated millions of Americans in their homes in 2020, for instance, it partnered with Costco to deliver prescription medications. Big box stores Lowe’s and Office Depot joined Instacart in 2022. Today, some 900 retailers are part of the platform’s network.