[Monthly GC] What's Coming Up in the U.S. This Fall? (We'll Be at Anime Expo!)

5 days ago
3 min read

Hello everyone,

This is JH Kim from GC USA.

Have you been following the World Cup?

I heard many people in Korea gathered in their offices to watch Korea's opening match together. It seems the excitement around the World Cup is as strong as ever there. Here in the U.S., however, I haven't felt quite the same level of enthusiasm—though that may be because I don't live in Los Angeles, where the opening match took place. There have also been plenty of discussions around expensive ticket prices and the challenges of long-distance travel.

One of my soccer-loving nephews recently asked me to get him a collectible World Cup cup from McDonald's, featuring stars such as Christian Pulisic, David Beckham, and Son Heung-min. So it looks like I'll be enjoying a Big Mac while watching a few World Cup matches myself.

Global News

Key U.S. Marketing Seasons for the Second Half of the Year

Universities across the U.S. have already entered summer break, and most K–12 schools have either started or are about to begin their vacations as well.

With that in mind, let's take a quick look at some major U.S. events and shopping seasons coming up in the second half of the year.

June — Amazon Prime Day

Amazon Prime Day 2026 will run from June 23–26, spanning four days.

Often referred to as the "Summer Black Friday," Prime Day 2025 became Amazon's largest Prime Day ever after expanding to four days for the first time, growing more than 30% year-over-year.

July — Independence Day (July 4)

There are surprisingly few holidays in the U.S. that are celebrated primarily by date, and Independence Day may be one of the few exceptions alongside Christmas.

As one of the biggest summer holidays, it's a day filled with fireworks, barbecues, and outdoor gatherings. Although July 4 falls on a Saturday this year, many companies and organizations are expected to observe Friday as a holiday.

A common tradition is to claim a good viewing spot early, enjoy a barbecue with family and friends, and stay for the fireworks show in the evening.

August — Back-to-School Season

The new school year begins for many students in mid-to-late August.

Families start shopping for school supplies, clothing, and other essentials, making this one of the strongest seasonal spending periods of the year.

September — Labor Day

Unlike many countries that celebrate Labor Day in May, the United States observes Labor Day on the first Monday of September.

The holiday is widely considered the unofficial end of summer and also marks the beginning of both the NFL and College Football seasons.

October, November, and December

From Halloween in October to Thanksgiving (along with Black Friday and Cyber Monday) in November, and Christmas in December, major consumer events continue almost every month through the end of the year.

If you're planning marketing activities in the U.S., these periods are well worth considering. Consumer spending reaches its peak during many of these windows, while influencer content consumption tends to rise alongside it—creating excellent opportunities to maximize campaign performance.

If you'd like to discuss your U.S. marketing plans, feel free to reach out anytime.

GC News

Anime Expo 2026

The GC team will be attending Anime Expo in Los Angeles from July 2–5.

We'll be on-site supporting influencer activation programs and helping exhibitors invite local creators to their booths. We're expecting another exciting year following the success of last year's event.

We've also heard that several Korean game developers and publishers will be participating this year, which should make the event even more exciting.

If you'll be attending Anime Expo or would simply like to connect while you're there, we'd love to meet. Feel free to reach out anytime.

ContentFlux

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