Much marketing spend has been focussed on the annual January reset moment – new year, new me – but are we missing a trick by ignoring the same feeling that bubbles up around September? Holiday lulls come to an end (or holiday surges for those left holding the fort), planning cycles kick off, and a sense of purpose takes over before we crash into the Christmas silly season. We spoke to some real people to see how they feel about this time of year.
Summary.
September is the Monday of the year.
Holiday season ends, planning season begins.
Daylight fades, and so does fun.
It's all about getting stuff done before Christmas hits.
Back to school means back to reality and routines.
September is the Monday of the year.
One of the biggest markers moving into September is the end of holiday season, especially for those with kids having to squeeze in holidays outside of term time. For people still working, this period offers a quiet opportunity to get unfinished business done, but shorter staff numbers can take its toll. Coming back from holidays feels like the biggest Monday with the biggest “Sunday Scaries” feeling. Tapping into this feeling could help B2B marketers hit the right tone.
“Coming back and catching up is a bit of a downer, getting into the slog of everything – it’s like the Sunday evening feeling. The holiday feeling seems to wear off quite quickly after a day” - Shelley, 47
“It’s awful, you’ve put work on hold, but you know those jobs are mounting up while you’re away. You get back to work with a big smile on your face, which gets wiped off the first morning and you feel like you haven’t had a holiday or a break.” – Dipesh 44
“After the holidays back to work is that Monday morning feeling, but it quickly gets shaken off and you’re back into the flow of it.” – Chez, 34
Holiday season ends, planning season begins.
As summer fades and autumn looms, work activity ticks up again. Projects paused for holidays resume, budgets refresh, and planning for the year ahead speeds up. It’s a moment felt by real people, not just businesses: a chance to re-focus, line up the month-to-month with what actually matters, and face September with a clearer sense of what’s possible. Brands need to ensure they’re on top of people’s minds if they want to be part of people’s plans.
“Going into September is when I’m really focussed on what’s happening and what it's looking like 2-3 months ahead.” - Max, 18
“From the end of August to the beginning of October is our planning season for coming up to flu & covid jabs in the winter/autumn time.” – April, 31
“September/October is when I feel the most purpose as my workload increases" – Chez, 34
Daylight fades, and so does fun.
There are probably no two side-by-side months more different in energy than August and September, with the nights noticeably starting to draw in and colouring people’s mood. The fading light underlines the feeling that summer fun time is over, and now it’s time to get back into the routine of normal life.
“I enjoy work more in the summer months because it’s still bright and you feel like you can still do something in the evening. September/October time is when it starts to get a bit more stressful and it feels like life isn’t as fun.” - Dipesh, 44
“You just have to persevere until it starts getting light again and you start feeling a bit better” - Shelley, 47
“For me it’s comforting knowing what I have to do and when I have to do it. In the summer I’m free range and I have no clue what to do.” – Max, 18
Getting stuff done before Christmas hits.
There’s an unwritten agreement and a tacit understanding in the UK that nothing really happens or gets done at Christmas, which piles pressure onto autumn time – there’s a natural time limit by when stuff must be done, lest it slip into the new year. With the fun of summer over, people feel the need to atone, and hunker down ahead of the next silly season. Christmas advertising will be on the horizon, but there’s a big, busy moment before that many brands aren’t talking to people about.
“September hits and it gets busy up to Christmas”– Chez, 34
“Christmas is this big thing in the diary where you try to get all your work done, before life gets a bit crazy. The stress levels ramp up as you’re trying to do lots of things and also finish off your work.” – Dipesh, 44
“You gear up towards it with the parties and then it’s finished. You come back in January and it’s horrible” – Shelley, 47
Back to school, back to reality and routine.
Kids going back to school is a familiar reset that we all learned in our own childhoods. For parents it brings a sense of relief along with new anxieties, especially at moments of change – new schools, university, heading into GSCE or A-Level years. They may have more space to think about work, but the kids being out of the house doesn’t mean stress levels have dropped. Understanding parents’ anxiety here could help brands connect with parents beyond the functional back-to-school needs.
“It’s relief to have them back at school but at the same time it’s also the worry – are they going to be OK, particularly with the new schools. I would want them to be settling back in. Doing the school runs is a pain in the arse and getting them back into a routine is hard” – Shelley, 47
“September is characterised by the back-to-school thing, it’s very much the end of summer in our minds. It’s get the kids ready and buy endless amounts of pens, pencils and uniforms” – Dipesh, 44
“It can be a bit daunting going into September. Having a new routine and not just slipping back into what you’re doing is challenging and it takes a bit of time.” – Chez, 34”
