It might have been early July or late June, but I was in Costco reveling in the freedom of the beginning of a new summer until I looked to my left and I saw a miniature haunted house decoration with the classic orange and black color scheme. I ignored this small reminder of what was to come and tried to enjoy the moment. However, as the summer progressed, apparently so did the fall. I encountered back-to-school advertisements before the month of June was even over, and Halloween seemed to be an ever-present part of my summer. That was until a few days ago, when I already saw a Christmas cupcake advertised on Instagram. Why do companies look so far ahead when selling these kinds of products? Why are we not allowed to enjoy living in the moment?
The primary reason for companies to do this is “to drive sales and excitement during a typically slow sales period” over the summer, as well as to increase excitement for the upcoming holidays. Additionally, each summer there is a blockbuster movie that companies can use as a means to boost sales while the hype of the movie is at its peak. This summer’s big ticket was, of course, Barbie, and iconic Halloween stores such as Party City and Spirit Halloween have already been selling Barbie miscellaneous since the start of July. This was a very smart move on their part, since many people were buying Barbie merchandise which they could then use for Halloween. For their customers, the thought of the holiday is in their minds far in advance.
However, it is not only the companies trying to drive sales early on, as the consumers themselves often start to think about upcoming holidays, such as Halloween, months in advance. “Based on market research and consumer trends, the company knows people generally start thinking about those products around Labor Day. However, you might find those products well before the tail-end of August.” I understand that there are people who love Halloween and that many people, myself included, look forward to the next holiday nearly as soon as one is over. Regardless, this doesn’t mean that I want to see scarves and Halloween decorations lining the stores when I am still in denial about the start of school.
Apparently this view is not held by everyone. After all, there are Autumn enthusiast groups that count down the days until the season of crisp leaves and wool sweaters comes around. One such group is an over 32,200 member Facebook group who mark the days until the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte is released. I understand that this is a very popular aspect of the fall, but when I hear of activities like these, all I want to do is simply enjoy the moments of summer. Yes, Halloween and Thanksgiving dinner are exciting parts of the year, but if I am relaxing in nice weather with the freedom of the summer, the last thing I want to see on my phone is a reminder of what’s to come.
The advertisements aren’t simply frustrating, but they can also bring on a slight sense of dread throughout the summer. “Rather than prolonging the season by introducing it sooner, companies have shortened the season prior by suffocating it with the major holidays and events that take place toward the end of the year.” Companies make it feel as though summer is slightly shorter, especially with all of the back-to-school advertisements, and they encourage people to look far ahead into the future when there is no reason to do so.
Enjoying the present moment is an unconventional practice in modern society. You should have the freedom to look forward to upcoming holidays and events when you feel it is the right time to do so; not when the corporate marketing strategists feel like it.
