We see it every year, often even before the leaves start to change. Suddenly, Gilmore Girls is back on our TVs, pumpkin-flavored drinks are back on the menu, and Bath & Body Works has somehow released yet another entirely new collection of candles, lotions, and hand sanitizers so that we (and our homes) can smell like a freshly baked pumpkin pie.

As a communications professional, when I think about seasonal marketing, my mind often jumps to specific holidays: Halloween, Black Friday, Christmas, New Year’s, etc. However, fall itself has become a marketing event, and I can’t help but notice the strategy behind it. Now, whenever I find myself contemplating another overpriced seasonal drink or pumpkin candle (both of which I definitely don’t need), I also think about the communications strategy that went into making me want it in the first place.

With the fall well under way, here are a few campaigns that have caught my attention this season and some that have stuck with me over the years.

Starbucks

I would be remiss to talk about fall marketing without mentioning Starbucks. Since its introduction in 2003, the Pumpkin Spice Latte (otherwise known as the PSL) has become a cultural phenomenon. Although the flavor is brought back on the menu at the end of August (weeks before the real start of fall), if you ask me, once the PSL is here, so is fall.

So, what makes Starbucks so successful?

First, exclusivity. By only offering pumpkin spice drinks for a limited amount of time each year, Starbucks creates excitement and anticipation about the return of its most-loved menu items. But beyond exclusivity, Starbucks has managed to create a sense of community behind the PSL. Each year, its return generates buzz on social media: influencers reviewing the latest menu items, consumers sharing their first #PSL of the season, and some fans even counting down the days until the PSL’s return.

From a PR perspective, this is where Starbucks really shines. The annual launch creates a cultural event that generates earned media coverage and organic conversations that make Starbucks unavoidable from August to November. Ultimately, Starbucks has turned a product launch into a familiar tradition for consumers.

Dunkin’

Although Starbucks has mastered the Pumpkin Spice Latte, Dunkin’s fall marketing is hard to ignore. The brand is especially great at turning seasonal launches and celebrity collaborations into fun, memorable moments for consumers.

This September, Dunkin’ brought together Emma Bunton (Baby Spice) and Geri Halliwell-Horner (Ginger Spice) in an ad talking about their long-lost sixth bandmate: Pumpkin Spice (played by comedian Rachel Dratch). In the ad, the Spice Girls recall how “Pumpkin” was a bit too seasonal, and Pumpkin herself reveals she left the band to focus on lattes.

While the Spice Girls and “Pumpkin” were holding Dunkin’ drinks, the ad barely spoke about Dunkin’. Instead, the brand used humor and nostalgia to create something fun for people to watch and share. Spice Girls fans get a reunion, comedy fans get Rachel Dratch, and pumpkin spice fans get a reminder that their favorite drinks are back.

Rather than trying to create a cultural moment from scratch, Dunkin’ tapped into two existing ones: pumpkin spice culture and the Spice Girls. By bringing them together, Dunkin’ was able to make its seasonal drinks part of a larger conversation, giving consumers something to talk about beyond the menu. And in a season where pumpkin spice is seemingly everywhere, Dunkin’s creative approach was refreshing to watch.

Dr Pepper

Dr Pepper has taken a more unique approach to fall marketing. Instead of making a pumpkin-flavored soda (which would be equal parts genius and delicious), the brand opted to focus on another fall favorite: football season.

Since the fall of 2018, Dr Pepper has been releasing Fansville, a series of episodic ads dramatizing the world of college football. The ads feature recurring characters and rivalries between schools, making Fansville feel like less of an ad and more like a soap opera.

Similar to Dunkin’s approach, while Dr Pepper is featured throughout the ads, the product does not take center stage. Instead, the brand uses humor and vivid storytelling to pull viewers into the college football experience.

This campaign’s effectiveness lies in its ability to build brand association. While Starbucks and pumpkin spice have become synonymous with fall, Dr Pepper has positioned itself alongside college football.

What’s especially smart about this is that the brand leans away from the flavors of fall and taps into the activities and traditions of the season that are meaningful to viewers. Dr Pepper’s campaign shows that seasonal marketing doesn’t always need a seasonal product. Sometimes, good seasonal marketing is about finding a natural moment the brand can fit into.

What can we learn from fall marketing?

While these brands have different approaches, their campaigns show that seasonal marketing is about more than just the product. For Starbucks, it’s about exclusivity, anticipation, and the community created around a drink. For Dunkin’, it’s about humor and entering the cultural conversation. And for Dr Pepper, it is about association with shared experiences and traditions that consumers already look forward to.

What is most compelling about these cases of fall marketing is that these brands are not doing anything new. Pumpkin spice has been around for more than 20 years, and football season and celebrity endorsements have been around for even longer. Yet, these brands are taking something familiar and turning it into a conversation worth having. These brands have become part of how we experience the fall season.

So, if that means I end up buying another Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, then I guess the PR is working. And honestly, I’m not complaining.