Fall is officially here, and you know what that means. Yes, it’s pumpkin spice season. From the well-known drink, to autumn inspired candles, you may see more pumpkin spice- themed items than leaves on the ground this season. Whether you love it or leave it, it’s unavoidable. What can marketers learn from the pumpkin spice trend?

1. Pumpkin spice gets the fall rolling.

The dawn of the pumpkin spice latte announces the end of summer, and begins to inspire sweater weather. While autumn fans celebrate the new season, summer lovers say goodbye to sunny months. But no worries, retailers will make sure they ring in fall with new products to excite customers. The lesson here? Something as small as a scent or flavor can introduce a new line of products, marketing promotions, or customer connections.

2. The spice gets social.

Pumpkin spice isn’t just a drink, it’s an icon of the season. Starbucks even has an official Twitter account for @TheRealPSL, complete with hashtags from #PSL to #PSLisBack, and more. Users from both pro- and anti- pumpkin spice teams are weighing in on social with their personal spice stance. What better way to interact with customers than to talk about a timely trend?

3. Cracking open the trend.

Not a fan of pumpkin spice? You’re not alone. It’s no surprise that not every retailer, business, or especially customer jumps on the pumpkin spice bandwagon. In fact, it’s become a parody for many. The lesson? Whether customers love or hate pumpkin spice, it’s just one example of a topic for gleaning a reaction. Marketers know better than anyone that reactions start conversations. Looking for a laugh? Label anything pumpkin and wait for your customers to interact.

Now we’ve explored the pumpkin spice fad. Anyone up for coffee?