Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice? An Assessment of Social Media Mentions of Pumpkin Spice

Pumpkin spice may only be a mix of a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves, but it has become an enduring staple of the transition to autumn for both consumers and brands. Cumulatively, pumpkin spice has a unique cultural space enhanced by the emergence of specific demographics, supported by sensory aspects of the trend, driven by nostalgia, and fostered by the illusion of scarcity from its time-bound availability. With that in mind, evaluating pumpkin spice’s space in terms of activities in social media is an important area of investigation for researchers and consumer brands. To that end, this analysis explores current social media and internet search activity related to the term “pumpkin spice.” Results suggested that discourse about pumpkin spice matches the sensory and seasonal dimensions of the term. Results also indicated positive sentiment toward pumpkin spice and trend growth