Barni “Back to School” Campaign: Supporting Children Through Transition

In 2025, the international brand Barni launched a large-scale integrated marketing communication campaign as part of its “Back to School” initiative, implemented in the Georgian market with the support of Starcom Georgia.

The Back to School campaign was aligned with the autumn period and the beginning of the academic year, when children either start school for the first time or return to schools and kindergartens. This period is often associated with stress, adaptation to new environments, and emotional challenges for both children and their parents.

The main objective of the campaign was to support children and parents during this transitional phase and to highlight themes such as friendship, emotional intelligence, responsibility, and the importance of an inclusive environment.

Therapeutic Stories: From Concept to Execution

To help children adapt more easily to new environments, the central idea of the campaign focused on the creation of therapeutic stories. Storytelling provides children with a safe and natural way to understand emotions and navigate psychological challenges.

The project involved collaboration between a creative team, psychologists, and education specialists to ensure that each story was grounded in professional recommendations and reflected real-life experiences of children.

The stories addressed important themes including:

• Making new friends at school and kindergarten

• Expressing emotions in a healthy way

• Developing independence and preparing for the learning process

• Support, friendship, and responsibility

Based on these themes, the campaign collaborated with children’s writer and poet Mariam Tsiklauri, who authored the following stories:

• “Who Mixed Up the School Bags”

• “The School of Friends”

• “Nato - Rato Rora”

• “Diaries of Kindness”

Audio versions of the stories were also created specifically for the Georgian audience, making the content more accessible and engaging for children.

Parenting Podcast: Expert Conversations for Parents

As part of the campaign, Barni collaborated with the Academy of Thinking for the first time. The brand became the supporting partner of the first episode in a parenting podcast series.

The episode focused on “Fairy Tale Therapy,” discussing the role of storytelling in child development and the challenges parents face during transitional stages.

Participants included:

• Nino Buadze, psychologist and host

• Mariam Tsiklauri, children’s writer

• Nino Kandelaki, psychotherapist

The discussion explored emotional development, parent-child relationships, the formation of socially acceptable behavior, and approaches to helping children cope with fears.

Promotional Activation and Consumer Engagement

During the campaign, a three-month promotional activation took place on Barni’s website, combining educational content with consumer engagement.

Users could register on the website, upload a photo of product packaging, and gain access to the stories. Participants also had the opportunity to win prizes such as children’s books, vouchers, and toys.

Social media supported the activation by extending campaign visibility, encouraging participation, and maintaining engagement with parents throughout the campaign period.

This campaign mechanic strengthened interaction with the brand while supporting the wide distribution of educational content.

Results

Barni’s “Back to School” campaign positioned the brand not only as a producer of children’s products but also as a supportive partner for parents and children during the adaptation process at the beginning of the school year.

By combining educational content, expert involvement, and an emotionally driven narrative, the campaign achieved social relevance and created value-based communication aligned with the needs of families during the start of the academic year.