Crafting Targeted Promotions in 2025: A Regional Perspective

Key Takeaways From the Report: 

1. The Midwest is the only region where Black Friday retail visits outpace Super Saturday. 

But several major Midwestern markets, including Chicago and Detroit, actually see higher shopper turnout on Super Saturday.

2. Holiday season demographic shifts also vary across regions. 

Nationwide, electronics stores see a slight uptick in median household income (HHI) in December – yet in certain markets, electronics retailers such as Best Buy see a drop in captured market median HHI during this period. 

3. Back-to-school shopping starts earliest for clothing and office supplies retailers in the South Central region, likely tied to earlier school schedules. 

But back-to-school visits surge higher for these retailers in the Northeast later in the season. 

4. The share of college students among back-to-school shoppers varies by region. 

In August 2024, “Collegians” made up the largest share of Target’s back-to-school shopping crowd in New England, and the smallest in the West. 

5. Mother’s Day drives the biggest restaurant visit spikes in the Middle Atlantic Region, while Father’s Day sees its biggest boosts in the South Atlantic states. 

Mother’s Day diners also tend to travel farther to celebrate, suggesting an extra effort to treat mom. 

6. Western states proved particularly responsive to McDonald’s recent Minecraft promotion. 

During the week of A Minecraft Movie’s release, the promotion drove significantly higher visit spikes in the West than in the Eastern U.S.

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