For kids and parents alike, it’s one of the most important times of the year – going back to school. Whether it is getting new school clothes or grabbing all the items on the school supply list, the retail industry knows that this is an exhilarating time of year that requires loads of preparation. Our list of Most Viewed Video Ads for Back to School in 2022 illustrates this years trends.
According to the most recent U.S. Census data in Oct. 2020, about 45% of children ages 3 to 6 were enrolled in pre-k and kindergarten in the country. There were 48 million students enrolled in public kindergarten through 12th grade in fall 2020.
While there is a slight decrease in projected spending, the National Retail Federation still puts it at $36.9 billion, down from $37.1 billion last year. However, spending per house is projected to increase from $849 last year to $864 this year.
The Most Viewed Video Ads of Back to School season show that there is an emphasis on a multicultural strategy, a return to normalcy, and… shoes? With 4 of the top 10 ads being from shoe retailers and an increase in overall viewership signaling society’s comfort toward the world reopening, this year’s collection of Most Viewed Video Ads offered great insights.
Top 10 Most Viewed Video Ads: Back to School 2022*
| Rank | Brand | Campaign | Release date | Views |
| 1 | Shoe Carnival | 2022 Back To School | July 28, 2022 | 58,242,541 |
| 2 | Publix | Back to School with Publix | July 13, 2022 | 19,739,577 |
| 3 | Burlington Coat Factory | Back-To-School Deals | July 19, 2022 | 12,507,213 |
| 4 | Dick’s Sporting Goods | School is Back | July 21, 2022 | 7,770, 890 |
| 5 | DSW | Back To School Shoes for the Whole Family | July 12, 2022 | 7,231,622 |
| 6 | GAP | Everyone Belongs | July 27, 2022 | 7,026,333 |
| 7 | Staples | Back to School 2022 | July 29, 2022 | 5,466,651 |
| 8 | Famous Footwear | Back to School ’22 | July 05, 2022 | 4,757,815 |
| 9 | Best Buy | See Your Future Take Flight | July 25, 2022 | 4,591,747 |
| 10 | Best Buy | College Tech Recos from MKBHD | August 8, 2022 | 3,898,029 |
*Data collected by AcuityAds True Reach™ insights platform from July 5th to August 26th
Multicultural Strategy
It’s interesting to note that two of the top three campaigns feature both English and Spanish language creatives, highlighting the importance of a multicultural strategy. As consumers continue to become more and more invested in seeing a complete representation of society’s demographic makeup, businesses can now see that multicultural marketing is well-received in terms of viewership.
Return to Normalcy
When compared with total viewership from 2021 Back to School MVVA data, viewership of the top 10 campaigns combined was up 72%. An increase in engagement of that caliber could be an indication of the market’s attitude toward businesses, restaurants, and retailers opening up full-time. Returning to normalcy is something consumers have been wanting for quite a while; despite inflation, it appears as if people are getting back out there.
Footwear
More than any other category, shoes have left quite the footprint (pun intended) on this year’s round-up of Most Viewed Video Ads. Shoe Carnival’s spot at the top features various customers unboxing what’s possible with a new set of shoes. Famous Footwear also landed higher on the list, showing that confidence comes with new shoes. It’s clear that retailers and consumers are aligned on one thing: anything is possible with new footwear.
Want to see more Back to School ads? Check out illumin’s top picks for 2021 and 2023.
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