Fall aesthetics are becoming increasingly commercialized, with companies such as Starbucks, Trader Joe’s and Bath & Body Works selling notable fall-themed goods. Credit: Jackson Hall
Upon hearing the word “fall,” certain images often come to mind, from amber leaves to apple orchards.
The autumn season, however, is also associated with numerous material goods: a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks, salted maple ice cream from Trader Joe’s and a cranberry orange seltzer candle from Bath & Body Works being a few examples.
Many companies employ curated aesthetics as marketing tools to increase sales, Alexandra Suer, a senior lecturer in Ohio State’s Fashion and Retail Studies program, said. Besides playing an essential role in making products visually appealing, Suer said aesthetics can ignite sensory responses that prompt consumers to connect with products.
“I think aesthetics always matter across all products,” Suer said. “For example, the color choice of the product you are presenting will appeal to people in different ways. It’s going to evoke some sort of emotion or sensory experience.”
Companies capitalize on their consumers’ emotional attachments to fall — holiday traditions, happy memories with family and more — by marketing products that kindle a sense of nostalgia, Jonathan Grubb, a lecturer in Ohio State’s Fashion and Retail Studies program, said.
“Fall aesthetics express a certain feeling or meaning that gets people excited,” Grubb said. “It’s those thoughts and feelings that people associate to that specific product that makes them want to buy it. The idea of a connection is very important. People want that connection and purpose of meaning to the brand that they’re buying. It’s not just about quality, taste or price.”
Suer said college-aged consumers can be especially receptive to fall-inspired branding, seeing as the start of the autumn semester typically means moving away from family.
“It’s true that there’s a lot of association with home — that warm, comforting feeling,” Suer said.
Social media is also a driving force behind autumnal aesthetics’ trendiness. According to TikTok for Business Creative Center, the #cinnamoncookiebutterhair hashtag — which refers to a caramel-like hair color popularized by media personality Hailey Bieber — has accumulated 2 million views in the United States at the time of publication.
Julie Hillery, an associate clinical professor in Ohio State’s Fashion and Retail Studies program, said such diction is purposefully evocative.
“Perceptive wording is extremely important when describing anything in cosmetics or anything with fashion,” Hillery said. “Words give you more visuals. Maybe you make some association with the visual they’re trying to give you. Hopefully, it’s a good correlation.”
Hillery said aesthetics and social media will remain crucial marketing tools for the health, beauty, cosmetics and clothing industries — regardless of what season it is.
“When companies are thinking about their advertising, they must consider how it would play out on social media,” Hillery said. “How will this look on social media and how will viewers interpret it?”
