Q3 2026: BLOCK 1, Context

Q3 2026 - QUARTERLY WORKSHOP

BLOCK 1: Contextualization

1. Q3 Intro
2. Quarter 2 vs Quarter 3 in 2026
3. Quarter 3 2026 vs Quarter 3 2025
4. Q3 Historical Metrics
5. Q3 Consumer Behavior
6. Q3 Macroeconomic Context
7. Typical Mistakes to Avoid During Q3

Q3 Intro

Months: July, August, September

For this workshop → June, July, August, September

So it’s basically,

“the opening, middle and closing of Summer”

In general, Q3 is a rollercoaster because we have VERY different months with very different behaviors and metrics.

Quarter 2 vs Quarter 3 in 2026

Quarter 2:

• Summer anticipation
• After Spring Break+ Easter Holidays
• Higher CPMs but higher conversion rate
• Mother’s Day, Spring Sales, Mid Season Sales
• Lots of Summer Drops / Summer Collection Releases
• More emotional buying

Quarter 3:

• SUMMER
• Lower CPMs (August) , higher CPMs (June July)
• High purchasing intent in June/July for Summer

Lower purchasing intent in August,
Reset purchasing intent in September: Transition Mindset

• Flash Campaign: Father’s Day in some countries
• Flash Campaign: Summer Solstice
• Flash Campaign: 4th of July
• Flash Campaign: Summer Sales
• Flash Campaign: Prime Day (Amazon) (June 23rd-26th)
• Flash Campaign: Back to School
• Flash Campaign: Labor Day

Quarter 3 2026 vs Quarter 3 2025

At this point in 2025, we already had Andromeda.

It hit hard in July and then September.

• 2025: Still reacting and adapting
• 2026: The Andromeda structure is built and ready
  
• Different Creative Signals
  (Diversity in Concepts and Formats, for each angle)
• Flash Campaigns are extremely important, as the state of the economy has weakened
  
• Possible evolution: Brandformance
  The need for branding inside direct response advertising
  (We will talk more about this in the next months)

Q3 Historical Metrics

CPMs

Example 1:

Example 2:

Example 3:

Example 4:

What about Conversion Rate?

USA

UK

FR

WW (US/EU mainly)

Here we depend on seasonality a lot,

Fashion buys anticipation

April May → Anticipate Summer

Aug Sept → Anticipate Winter

July is in the middle of nothing

Conclusion:

• In 90% of the cases, CPM will go down in August
• But depending on your seasonality and your flash campaigns and messaging, conversion rate will or will not drop, so we want to be strategic there

Q3 Consumer Behavior

1. JUNE / JULY
   People have been working nonstop since January.
   It’s getting sunny, IG reels all about holidays, beach and idealizing the summer adventures.
   By June, some of your friends and relatives are already on holidays, dressing amazing, looking good, …
   
   What does the consumer want? Escape, reward, relax, pleasure, ease, no stress, enjoy, freedom, …
   
   “I DESERVE THIS”
   
   I want to buy things that will make my Summer better.
   I want to create my best “Summer Identity”.
   
2. August
   Traveling, No routine, Inconsistent attention
   August 1st-15th: Holiday spenders
   August 15th-31st: Reset spenders
   
   It’s the last block of time before the routine comes back.
   Also there might be guilt from overspending during the holidays.
   
   
   
3. September (as it happens in January)
   Reset and reinvention
   New routine, self improvement
   New habits, sign up to the gym, start this new activity
   People want structure + feel guilty from summer excess
   
   Rational Buying
   

So,

June/July = Emotional Selling

August = Mix

September = Rational Selling

Q3 Macroeconomic Context

USA: Consumer Sentiment

Focuses on three areas: how consumers view their own financial situation, how they view the general economy over the near term, and the economy over the long term.

Euro Area Consumer Sentiment

From 100 to -100
Measures the level of optimism that consumers have about the economy. The survey is made by phone and covers 23 000 households in the Euro Area.

The Iran War was supposed to last for 2-4 weeks, but we are around day 100

The length of the conflict is what I think really affects consumers.

GOOGLE TRENDS

Look for your country and defensive/expanding search terms.

Defensive spending search terms: unemployment, credit card debt, why rent is so high, buy now pay later, …..

Expansive spending searches: Luxury handbags, premium skincare, travel destinations, …

Typical Mistakes to Avoid During Q3

1. NOT RUNNING FLASH CAMPAIGNS
   
2. NOT ADAPTING YOUR MESSAGE AND CREATIVES TO EACH MONTH
   
3. NOT PRE-PLANNING HOW TO JUMP INTO Q4
   Summer to Sept/Oct transition
   
4. Trying to scale during low demand weeks
   Wave surfing is also important for this
   
5. Not doing any awareness action (during low CPM times) that will be very beneficial for Q4
   Example: 10,000 new IG followers might turn into $7.5k in Q4 if 1% buys
   
   *Make Doc
   
6. Also quick win: Reactivate Summer 2025 ad sets