Summer changes the rules of the game. At first glance, the season seems to signal a slowdown: school breaks, closed offices, unanswered emails… Yet this “pause” is also a time of great opportunity for agile brands that know how to be creative and flexible.

Whether you operate in B2B (business-to-business) or B2C (business-to-consumer), aligning your marketing with the summer rhythm allows you not only to stay visible and relevant but also to deepen your connection with your audience—precisely when they’re most receptive.

A Change of Pace Calls for a New Strategy

Summer drastically shifts behavior. Schedules become more flexible, routines ease up, and priorities evolve. This shift reshapes how people interact with brands.

On the B2C side, consumers are looking for:

• spontaneous purchases driven by mood, weather, or vacation plans;
• enjoyable, simple, and accessible experiences;
• content they can engage with on the go—between two activities or from the beach.

What to focus on:

• Reduce the frequency of your newsletters or rework them into shorter, more visual formats.
• Opt for more personal interactions: direct messages, interactive social media content, personalized email campaigns.
• Offer experiential content: summer contests, light-hearted polls, or getaway ideas tied to your brand universe.

On the B2B side, the dynamics shift too:

• Decision-makers are often away or harder to reach;
• Teams are running with reduced staff;
• Projects take longer to move forward.
  

Concrete strategies:

• Prioritize in-person, informal meetings: coffee on a patio, business lunches, or short outdoor catch-ups—far more engaging than a Zoom call when it’s 30°C and sunny!
• Frame your communications with clear deadlines (e.g. “Please reply by July 12”) to limit response delays.
• Strengthen relationships without pushing for a sale: send an inspiring article, suggest a follow-up meeting, or share a helpful update about your services.

The goal is simple: stay present and relevant—without overwhelming an audience that’s mentally on vacation.

The Importance of Timing

One common mistake in summer? Waiting until mid-July to launch your campaigns. But effective summer marketing is planned well in advance, often starting in May or early June.

Summer campaigns: act early to leave a mark

The brands that stand out are those who anticipate:

• the first heat waves, which spark impulse purchases (fashion, patios, outdoor gear);
• the start of vacation season, which lowers responsiveness to commercial messages;
• the back-to-school mindset, which begins as early as mid-August.

Recommended tools and tactics:

• Create a seasonal content calendar (using Notion, Trello, or Asana) that includes key moments like Canada Day, construction holidays in Québec, or regional festivals.
• Launch segmented email campaigns: “pre-vacation” offers, “back-to-routine” promotions.
• Use geotargeted ads to tailor your message to local realities (e.g. Vancouver festivals, Gaspé weekend getaways).

Inspiring example:
La Cordée, a Québec-based outdoor gear retailer, publishes themed guides in June (for cyclists, campers, hikers) tailored to different types of vacationers—boosting engagement and conversions early in the season.

Mid-Year Check-In

Summer is also an ideal time to conduct a mid-year review—with clients (in B2B) and internally. With less pressure and more mental space, it’s a perfect window for strategic reflection.

In B2B:

• Set up a follow-up meeting or informal call;
• Review results since January;
• Reassess mandates or agreements;
• Ask: “Where do we stand? And how can we improve moving forward?”

Sometimes all it takes is: “Want to grab a coffee and talk about what’s next?” to reignite or deepen a collaboration.

Internally:

• Reevaluate your goals, KPIs, and available resources;
• Assess team morale, workload, and motivation;
• Plan strategic adjustments for Q3 and Q4;
• Revisit long-postponed projects: website redesign, marketing automation, new service launches…

Why not organize a summer team retreat? Patios, brainstorming, and strategic alignment can be a great way to recharge together.

Adjust Your Tone and Visuals for the Season

Summer is an open invitation to lighten things up. It’s the perfect moment to humanize your brand, inject emotion into your messaging, and adopt a more relaxed, friendly approach.

What to adjust:

• Visuals: favor bright colors, immersive formats (short videos, carousels, stories), and outdoor scenes that evoke relaxation, travel, or community.
• Tone: maintain professionalism, but let your brand’s personality shine. A warm, even playful tone can go a long way in summer communications.

Standout example:
Montréal-based eyewear brand BonLook runs playful summer campaigns, like: “Do your eyes go on vacation too?”—a fun, memorable line that fits the season perfectly

Useful and Engaging Content

Summer is also the perfect time to share content that supports your audience’s lifestyle:

• Travel or packing checklists;
• Fresh and easy recipes;
• Local guides like “What to do this summer in Montréal” or “Can’t-miss events in Vancouver.”

These lifestyle-driven formats help reinforce your brand’s relevance and proximity, while staying aligned with your mission.

Lean Into Seasonal Localization

Summer doesn’t look the same across Canada. Adapting your campaigns to regional realities is key to remaining relevant.

In Vancouver:

Summer means urban outdoor living, street festivals, farmers markets, and craft breweries.
Local brand Earnest Ice Cream increases its presence at neighborhood events with mobile pop-ups and partnerships with other local businesses—boosting brand visibility on the ground.

In Québec:

The season revolves around construction holidays, local festivals, and life outside the city.
Cascades, a Québec-based eco-friendly company, hosts interactive booths at family-friendly events to raise awareness about sustainability—an excellent example of brand education in real-life settings.

Key takeaway: Even if your global message stays the same, adjust your visuals, cultural references, and distribution channels to local realities. It shows cultural awareness—and drives stronger engagement.

Start Preparing for Fall Now

While most companies slow down, those who use the summer to get ahead on fall are better positioned to hit the ground running.

What to work on now:

• Update your Q4 goals;
• Reassess your content strategy;
• Plan your September campaigns (launches, events, new offers);
• Pre-produce visuals, videos, and copy so you’re ready without last-minute pressure.

Seen in the field:
Many service-based SMEs (design, communication, tech) use July to update their websites, produce evergreen content, and pre-schedule fall campaigns. This gives them a head start—while others are still scrambling in September.

In Summary: Don’t Underestimate Summer

Far from being just a pause, summer is fertile ground for repositioning, deepening relationships, and testing new ideas. When approached strategically, it can turn a seasonal lull into a springboard for growth.

Whether through a more human tone, seasonal content, or smart planning, your summer marketing can bring you closer to your audience—and set the stage for a strong fall.

What if we planned your summer together?

At Pacific Québec, we help you tailor your campaigns, tools, and messaging to the rhythm of the seasons—and the realities of each region.

Creative. Localized. Goal-driven. Even when everyone else is at the beach.
Need a hand with your summer campaigns or year-end planning? Get in touch — let’s talk it through!