Inside this brief, our team highlights all the important dates, trends and products that we’ll be featuring and, more importantly, customers will be searching for in the coming Back to School season.
Speaking of Back to School, our marketing campaign this year is called Designed to Be You and will run from early July through September. For our back to school collections, we’re celebrating individuality in all shapes and forms—from the designs you choose to the artists you support.
Featured art by Raya Sader Bujana.
Calendar of Key Events
This season is full of opportunities to promote your business. Below we’ve outlined the main events and product launches that we’ll be focusing on through marketing and promotions.
July
7/7 Back to School Catalog hits mailboxes!
August
8/26 National Dog Day
8/26 Women’s Equality Day (US)
New Wall Art, Tabletop and Apparel launches. Stay tuned for more info!
September
9/7 Labor Day (US)
9/15 – 10/15 Latinx Heritage Month
Back to School Trend Report
Your roundup of trending themes that customers can’t get enough of. Whether you are an illustrator, pattern designer or photographer, we can’t wait to see how you interpret these trends in your own unique style.
“This back to school season we’re celebrating individuality in all shapes and forms. Refreshing color combinations, gradients, neon hues, trippy patterns and hints of nostalgia are likely already stars of your social feeds, and are not going anywhere come back to school season. Bold and experimental designs are in as we’re looking to have a summer to remember.”
– Jessica, Site Merchandiser
Trending Themes
Warped & Checked
Take a trip back to the 60s and 70s with this blend of groovy, psychedelic patterns and soothing colors.
Featured Art: Floral seven by Milly Amalia
Playful & Organic
Bright colors and designs inspired by nature are always a favorite, especially as those headed back to school are looking for peace of mind in their downtime.
Featured art: Flower Eyes by Kayla Lane
Retro (or Future Nostalgia)
We’re seeing an uptick in a new take on retro designs, incorporating groovy flowers, warm gradients and bright, motivational sayings.
Featured Art: Retro 70s Boho Rainbow Clouds Pattern by InkTally
Neon Dreams
Lose yourself in this back to school trend, highlighted by trippy patterns and bold neon colors.
Featured art: TERRAIN by Matthew Custar
High Contrast
Go back to the basics by playing with color blocking, clean lines and classic color combinations in this refreshing take on abstraction.
Featured Art: Abstract Floral by DEN-ALICIA-STUDIO
Gingham
Breathe new life into this classic pattern by playing with color, scale and incorporating other summer-y elements.
Featured Art: Strawberry Fields by Millie Amber
Top 10 Search Terms
These are the terms that customers are searching for again and again. We’re seeing many trends staying consistent since Spring with a few newcomers. Consider adding these as tags to relevant artwork or use as inspiration to create something new.
1. Matisse
2. Cat
3. Beach
4. Mushroom
5. Retro
6. Abstract
7. Tiger
8. Mid Century
9. Ocean
10. Vintage
Pro Tip: When tagging your designs, focus on your intent for the design and be precise with the tags you add. When possible use single word tags. If you do want to use more words, keep it to a maximum of 3 and use dashes (-) in between words instead of spaces.
Trending Search Terms
We took a deep dive into the numbers to bring you the biggest search-term movers this season.
Matisse >> +102%
70s (+55%)
Mushroom (+95%)
Mid century (+33%)
Tiger (+24%)
Dinosaur (+33%)
Octopus (+40%)
Trending Products
Each month we’ll be focusing on a key list of products that have high-demand from customers. What this means is that we’ll be marketing and running promotions with the goal of driving sales in these categories throughout the Back to School season—helping you decide what to promote and when.
“This year, back to school looks a little more like it used to, meaning on the go accessories and school supplies will return in a big way. Backpacks, tech accessories, stickers, notebooks and more will let those headed back to school express themselves while getting the job done. We’re also seeing an uptick in mindfulness must-haves like yoga mats, yoga towels and water bottles to refresh and recharge this season. And as things cool down for fall, tabletop and furniture hosting essentials will be top of mind for indoor gatherings.”
– Jessica, Site Merchandiser
High-Demand Product Insights
These ten products have been picking up in popularity recently and we expect to see continued interest during the Back to School season.
Art Prints
Shower Curtains
Window Curtains (both sheer and blackout)
Wall Tapestries
Outdoor Floor Cushions
Throw Pillows
Wallpaper
Beach Towels
Rugs
Bath Mats
Monthly Product Trends (July/August/September)
Each month we’ll be focusing on a few key categories with our on site promotions. Consider adding these categories to your shop, enabling new work on these products, and promoting these category sales.
July
Tech
Office
Backpacks
Tote Bags
Carry-All Pouches
Throw Pillows
Wall Clocks
Tapestries
Posters
Beach Towels
Water Bottles
Yoga Mats
Yoga Towels
August
Bed & Bath
Tech – especially phone cases and laptop sleeves!
Office – especially notebooks and stickers!
Art Prints
Posters
Tapestries
T-Shirts
Backpacks
Tote Bags
Water Bottles
Travel Mugs
Throw Pillows
Blackout Curtains
September
Tabletop
Furniture
Wall Art
Welcome Mats
Yoga Mats
Yoga Towels
Throw Pillows
Throw Blankets
Shower Curtains
Trending on Social
Living your best life this Back to School season? CHECK…print that is. Not to be confused with plaid or gingham, checkerboard pattern (this is for you “The Queens Gambit” fans) has trickled its way from the 2020 fashion runways into this years must have print for…well…everything else.
From totes to throw pillows, art prints to phone cases, it’s hard not to be drawn to the contrasting bold colors of a check pattern. Warped checks, floral checks, classic B&W checks, you can expect to see this versatile pattern all over the gram and beyond this BTS season!
PRO TIP: Check out our webinar Promote Your Society6 Shop on Social Media for more helpful insights from our social media team.
Image: Instagram @kspring
Image: Tik Tok @kimsterrrs
Community Team Tips
Only design for and promote the trends that feel relevant to you and your business. Authenticity is key!
We’ve recently launch Wine Chillers and Yoga Towels. Consider adding these designs to your shop and spreading the word about these exciting new products! If you’ve already enabled Yoga Mats, Yoga Towels should automatically be enabled in your shop using the same crop and positioning from your Yoga Mats.
If you’re new to selling with Society6, check out our introductory webinar designed to help new artists learn more about setting up their shops and working in Artist Studio.
Don’t miss your chance to earn extra money on the sales you refer. Make sure to include your affiliate link on any links you share (especially the link in your IG bio!) to earn an extra 10%.
Cheers to a successful Back to School season!
Comments