Picture this: It’s August in Dubai. The heat is relentless, but the malls are buzzing. A mother scrolls through her phone while her seven-year-old tugs at her sleeve, pointing at colorful backpacks. Across the region, millions of similar scenes play out as families gear up for a new school year.
This isn’t just shopping, it’s a cultural reset button that happens every year across MENA. And for brands willing to pay attention, it’s a masterclass in consumer behavior, emotional marketing, and the art of being genuinely helpful when it matters most.
The MENA Back-to-School Phenomenon: More Than Just Shopping
Back-to-school season in MENA feels different from anywhere else. It’s not just the scale of spending (though that’s impressive), it’s the emotional investment families make in this transition.
The numbers tell one story: Household spending surges across categories — uniforms, gadgets, supplies, food, and everything in between. The average shopping basket doesn’t just grow, it transforms entirely.
But the real story is behavioral: This is when families are most open to trying new brands, most willing to invest in quality, and most influenced by trusted voices in their community. It’s a perfect storm of intent, emotion, and purchasing power.
What makes this particularly powerful in MENA is how mobile-first these decisions have become. Parents research on their phones during lunch breaks, kids influence choices through TikTok trends, and purchase decisions happen across multiple touchpoints. The old linear path to purchase has been replaced by something far more dynamic and social.
Case Study 1: Lee Cooper x Shoemart – Back-to-School with AnyTag
Shoemart wanted to spotlight its Lee Cooper back-to-school collection of bags and shoes in a way that resonated naturally with students and young professionals. Instead of leaning on traditional display ads, the brand tapped into trusted lifestyle influencers to create content that felt more like a personal recommendation than an ad.
Through AnyTag, Shoemart partnered with three influencers — Tasneem, Seraj Hakeem, and Vrinda Devi — whose audiences aligned with the brand’s target. Each influencer showcased how Lee Cooper’s products fit seamlessly into their everyday routines: from resetting with a fresh look, to preparing for a new semester, to powering through student life.
The campaign rolled out across Instagram and TikTok with in-feed reels, stories, and short videos. The content highlighted not only the products, but also tips, styling, and relatable moments that made it feel authentic.
The results spoke volumes:
- Total followers engaged: 196K
- Views: 25K+
- Engagements: 813 (ER: 6.7%)
- Top performance: Tasneem’s reel drove a 17.58% engagement rate with over 13K views
- Virality: Seraj’s content sparked 86 shares and 13 saves, while Vrinda secured a complimentary TikTok repost that expanded organic reach
Key Learning: When influencer content is tailored to their authentic voice and style, it feels natural to their audiences, turning simple back-to-school promotions into genuine lifestyle stories that people connect with and share.
Case Study 2: Turning Screens into Playgrounds
How Shoemart gamified discovery with POKKT
If mom influencers speak to parents’ hearts, mobile interstitials can capture kids’ imaginations. In a region where mobile penetration rivals anywhere in the world, the question isn’t whether to go mobile-first — it’s how to make mobile experiences memorable.
Shoemart’s challenge was straightforward: showcase their diverse back-to-school shoe collection while actually driving purchase consideration. Traditional display ads weren’t going to cut it with an audience that scrolls past hundreds of ads daily.
Through POKKT, we created something that didn’t feel like advertising at all — a drag-and-match game where kids on screen asked for specific shoes, and users had to tap and collect to reveal the right product. Once the game ended, players were seamlessly directed to Shoemart’s e-commerce page.
The results spoke volumes:
- UAE: 871K reach, 17.16% engagement rate, 3.5% CTR, 73.91% VTR
- KSA: 817K reach, 14.13% engagement rate, 3.81% CTR, 61K clicks, 80.37% VTR
Both markets smashed benchmarks (category average engagement ~9%, CTR ~0.5%), with peak engagement between 3 PM – 12 AM among users aged 21–30.
The magic wasn’t in the technology — it was in understanding that the best ads don’t interrupt, they invite participation.
What This Means for Back-to-School 2026 and Beyond
These campaigns reveal three shifts that smart brands should be planning for now:
1. The Rise of “Momfluencers” as Trusted Advisors
We’re witnessing the emergence of a new category of digital influence. These aren’t traditional celebrities, they’re parents who’ve built authority through authenticity. For brands, this means shifting from reach-based influencer strategies to relationship-based ones. The question isn’t “How many followers do they have?” but “How much do their communities trust them?”
Action for 2026: Start identifying and nurturing relationships with mom influencers now. The most effective partnerships will be built over months, not launched overnight.
2. Gamification as an Attention Currency
In an increasingly crowded digital landscape, engagement has become more valuable than impressions. Interactive formats aren’t just performing better — they’re becoming the baseline expectation for memorable brand experiences.
Action for 2026: Begin testing interactive ad formats year-round. By the time back-to-school season arrives, you’ll know what resonates with your audience and can scale what works.
3. The Blurring of Entertainment and Commerce
The most successful campaigns didn’t feel like advertising — they felt like valuable content that happened to feature products. This signals a fundamental shift in how brands need to think about their role in consumers’ lives.
Action for 2026: Start planning content that adds genuine value to families’ back-to-school preparation. Think less about what you want to sell and more about how you can help.
Strategic Implications for Next Year’s Planning
- Start Earlier: The most successful back-to-school campaigns began their influencer relationships months before the season started.
- Think Omnichannel: The customer journey doesn’t happen in one place anymore. Successful campaigns synchronized touchpoints across social, mobile, and physical retail.
- Bundle Emotional + Functional: Products met functional needs, but campaigns succeeded by addressing emotional ones — excitement, anxiety, and hope for the new school year.
Why AnyMind’s Integrated Ecosystem Makes the Difference
Here’s the reality most brands face: running campaigns across multiple platforms means juggling multiple relationships, dashboards, and success metrics. It’s complicated, time-consuming, and often leads to fragmented results.
AnyMind solves this through integration:
- AnyTag connects brands with the right influencers and provides the tools to manage relationships at scale, ensuring authenticity isn’t sacrificed for efficiency.
- POKKT transforms mobile advertising from interruption to interaction, creating experiences that users actively engage with rather than scroll past.
- Our unified ecosystem means every touchpoint is connected, every interaction is measured, and every campaign insight feeds into the next. You’re not just running individual campaigns — you’re building cohesive brand experiences that compound over time.
The Bigger Picture
For children, back-to-school represents possibility — new friends, new challenges, new stories waiting to unfold. For parents, it’s a mix of pride, anxiety, and the eternal hope that this year will be even better than the last.
For brands willing to show up thoughtfully, it’s an invitation to become part of these stories — not through hard sells or pushy tactics, but by being genuinely helpful when families need it most.
The most successful back-to-school campaigns don’t just generate sales — they generate gratitude. They make parents feel more confident in their choices and kids more excited about their new year. In a world of endless marketing messages, that’s the kind of impact that builds lasting brand loyalty.
Ready to Make Next Year Count?
The 2025 back-to-school season is already over, but the lessons are just beginning to sink in. The brands that start planning now — building influencer relationships, testing interactive formats, and developing truly helpful content — will be the ones that win when August rolls around again.
Want to explore how AnyMind can help you create campaigns that consumers actually appreciate? Contact our team to discuss your 2026 strategy, or schedule a demo to see our integrated platform in action.
Because the best time to prepare for next year’s back-to-school season isn’t August — it’s right now.
