Marketing Excuses*
AUG
8

Saturday

August 8, 2026POOR

Problem

Back-to-school shopping is inflating CPMs.

Excuse

1 / 40

Every parent in your funnel is comparison shopping backpacks with the focus of a procurement department.

Zipper quality is being evaluated. Your ad is not.

Seasonality

Also in effect on this date

The full docket. Any of these would hold up in a Monday standup.

  • Everyone is squeezing in one last trip before school starts, all at the same time.

    Vacation · in effect 08-01 to 08-15

  • The summer slump is real, documented, and conveniently unfalsifiable.

    Seasonality · in effect 06-01 to 08-15

  • Back-to-school budgets are flooding the auction and your CPMs are collateral damage.

    Seasonality · in effect 08-01 to 09-05

  • The school supply list has first claim on household spending and it is seventeen items long.

    Seasonality · in effect 08-01 to 09-05

  • Out-of-office density has crossed the threshold where outreach becomes performance art.

    Vacation · in effect 06-15 to 08-15

  • It is too hot to exist, let alone convert.

    Weather · in effect 06-15 to 08-31

  • Nobody comparison shops at 97 degrees.

    Weather · in effect 06-15 to 08-31

  • Everybody with purchase intent is currently in a body of water.

    Weather · in effect 06-15 to 08-31