Summer is warm, soft air, radiant blue skies within reach, long and lazy days, and evenings scented with grilled meat and carefree holidays, followed by night silence broken only by the chirping of crickets in the grass. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last long. The most beautiful time of the year is as fleeting as a drop of dew that quickly evaporates on the hot asphalt. That’s why the summer season needs to be used to the fullest. People tend to be more open and receptive to new experiences in summer — travelling, barbecuing, relaxing, and shopping. They actively seek new products and inspiration for summer moments, which gives brands space to introduce innovations or limited summer editions.
Consumer behaviour in summer
There is no lack of demand. But grabbing attention requires the right timing of the advertising message. Brands should monitor which topics and products resonate during the summer, as these trends can serve as a foundation for future seasonal campaigns and long-term product development. Making the most of the summer season isn’t exactly easy. What is the summer routine of today’s consumers?
- They prefer experiences to spending — memorable moments matter more to them than extravagant purchases. Brands that help customers find value without sacrificing experience will earn their loyalty.
- They look for discounts and deals — consumers use discount apps, loyalty programmes, and cashback offers to better manage their summer expenses. Summer can be quite costly for families, as spending on travel, entertainment, and food adds up. Families often alternate between domestic and international vacations to save money, while also seeking affordable activities to keep the kids entertained.
- They alternate between treating themselves and saving — customers spend on certain experiences, like family vacations, but save in other areas, such as cooking at home instead of eating out.
That’s why it is important for brands to focus on shifting spending priorities and understand how consumers balance moments of indulgence with family budgets. This insight can help them tailor their offers, messaging, and product positioning.
Typical summer drivers are vacations, festivals, barbecues, time by the water, and sports activities. All these moments create opportunities for brands offering products associated with relaxation, flavours, beauty, comfort, or entertainment. Seasonal products like ice cream, lemonade, sunscreen, summer fashion, and outdoor gear experience a huge sales boom during this period. Advertisers should also not forget about summer sales and limited editions that encourage quick purchases.
Video: Boots – Let’s Feel Good About Summer
Summer and TV advertising
Although the media mix changes in summer, television maintains a key position. No other channel can convey the summer atmosphere, colours, sounds, and emotions as effectively as a well-produced TV ad.
The summer vibe was perfectly captured by Starbucks, which recently released a new TV spot titled “Your Summer Berry Refresher Is Ready.” The music in the ad features “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra, creating an optimistic festival atmosphere.
Video: Starbucks – Summer-Berry Refresher
TV ads also have the power to reach the whole family. In summer, kids are home, and families often gather around the TV screen together, for example, during sports broadcasts. And it is children who appear in McDonald’s 2017 ad. They run on the beach, swim, play with seaweed, climb trees, change clothes—and, of course, enjoy McDonald’s food.
Video: McDonald’s – Go Full Summer
Heineken also tapped into the summer vibe, adding a touch of humour. The brilliance of their “Now You Can” campaign lies in the fact that it doesn’t go exactly as expected. At first, the issue seems to be that the man is drinking beer in the car. But he doesn’t get fined for that:
Video: Heineken – Now You Can
The summer marketing boom isn’t just for producers of sparkling drinks, grilling tools, or sunscreens. The summer season is also crucial for travel agencies and airlines:
Video: Southwest Airlines – Big Flex
Next stop: Water and beach
Even in the digital age, television remains an exceptionally powerful medium. For seasonal advertising, it offers several key advantages that make it an ideal tool for campaigns during periods like summer. Besides reaching millions of viewers across demographics — from families to young adults — advanced planning, such as targeting by time of day, programme type, or audience segment, allows ads to be directed where seasonal interest is the highest — for example, to afternoon summer shows, sports broadcasts, or family films. A TV ad also serves as a perfect starting point for broader seasonal communication, acting as a strong “kickoff” for digital, outdoor, or in-store campaigns. Moreover, TV spots can be easily adapted for social media or YouTube.
Summer is perfect for TV advertising. In our summer series focused on summer-flavoured TV ads, we will take a closer look at various topics related to the season—whether it is summer refreshment, vacations, summer fashion, or barbecue parties. Next time, you can look forward to ads themed around swimming and sunbathing on the beach. The summer advertising season is just getting started!