Instacart Goes Back to School With New Technology, Ad Campaign

Company unveils functionality to enable tax-free shopping for consumers in certain states

8/10/2023

Instacart's biggest back-to-school campaign ever highlights how the company's grocery intelligence can help make parents' lives easier.

Grocery technology company Instacart has released an omnichannel, back-to-school advertising campaign dubbed "You've Got This, Parents," that details the ways families can save by using the company’s services. This marks Instacart’s biggest back-to-school campaign ever and includes popular brands across the United States and Canada, including Babybel, Chobani, Lunchables, Skippy, Yoplait and others.

The ad campaign spotlights Instacart's grocery intelligence and how its artificial intelligence-powered “Ask Instacart” search function can make school lunch prep a breeze. It’s being run throughout the United States and Canada across multiple channels including linear TV, paid and organic social, audio, affiliate marketing, and through pop-ups on the Instacart App.

[Read more: "Retailers Prepare for Back-to-School Season"]

"Back to school can be a hectic and bittersweet time for parents, and this campaign embodies how Instacart has parents' backs this season," said Instacart CMO Laura Jones. "From Instacart Shoppers who shop with the same care you do to our incredible selection of retailers including Best Buy, Costco, and Dick's Sporting Goods, Instacart makes preparing for school seamless so families have more time to enjoy these last moments of summer together."

Alongside the campaign, Instacart has lowered its annual Instacart+ subscription fee for new members to $49 for the first year, which is a 50% discount. The company also enabled tax-free shopping on eligible back-to-school items for consumers in Texas and New Jersey during those states' respective tax-free holidays.

Additionally, Instacart recently added Alaska to its service area, making it the first online marketplace to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. As with consumers in other areas, shoppers in that state can order groceries for delivery or pickup as soon as 30 minutes. Customers can also take part in a discounted Instacart+ membership for SNAP participants.

San Francisco-based Instacart partners with more than 1,200 national, regional and local retail banners to facilitate online shopping, delivery and pickup services from more than 80,000 stores across North America on the Instacart Marketplace.