Interest in “Pumpkin Spice” simmers down in 2025, Montclair social media analysis finds

 *Social media posts reflect fatigue about pumpkin spice, concerns about price increases, and a growing mockery/memes*

MONTCLAIR, N.J.– A team of faculty from the Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication in the College of Communication and Media at Montclair State University today released a new study examining 2025 conversations, trends and sentiment on social media about pumpkin spice. While the ubiquitous fall flavoring continues to generate online activity, results suggest declining interest, concerns about price increases, and a growing preference for mocking (rather than celebrating) pumpkin spice products.

Highlights from the study from the School’s Center for Strategic Communication include:

• 15% fewer searches for pumpkin spice content online. The declining search activity represents the lowest level of interest since the COVID pandemic.
• 14% more online negative about prices for pumpkin spice products. 57% percent of posts discussing 2025 pumpkin spice product pricing indicates negativity related to cost increases. This is connected with broader concerns about inflation and the effects of tariffs that have increased the prices on pumpkin spice ingredients.
• Negative social media posts eclipse positive social media posts about pumpkin spice. Sentiment analysis on social media posts related to pumpkin indicate that negative sentiment has outpaced positive sentiment for the year.  This is in conjunction with a significant increase in posts mocking the trend and posts turning “PSL season” into a memetic event.
• 70,000 fewer social media posts were made about pumpkin spice in comparison to 2024. The combination of negative sentiment on a variety of pumpkin spice related themes may have contributed to a reduction in online interest and activity.
• Emotional evaluation of social media posts about pumpkin spice further reflected this negativity and disinterest. Disgust (41%) was the prevailing emotion in the posts studied but closely followed by still loyal PSL enthusiasts who showed pure joy (36%). Still, the negative emotions such as sadness (10%), fear (7%), and anger (6%) contributed to 64% of negative emotions in the collection of PSL related data. 
• The study was released prior to National Pumpkin Spice Day on Wednesday. Oct. 1. The full study is here.

The study was conducted by faculty Dr. Jin-A Choi, Dr. Yi Luo and Dr. Bond Benton. It is the 30th study released from the Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication, which provides social media analytics tools and training for faculty and students for classroom learning and research projects.  

“Our study indicates that rising prices, fatigue and continued consumer health concerns have led to the decline of pumpkin spice,” said Dr. Choi, who is the Director of Data Analytics for the Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication and an Associate Professor of Advertising. “The volume of conversations on social media about pumpkin spice this year has fallen nearly 70k from the previous year.”

“There were discussions of price concerns that produced negativity in the current economic context,” said Dr. Luo, who is an Associate Professor in the College of Communication and Media.  “Like many consumer goods, such sentiment can have an effect on how products are perceived,” she added.

“There was probably a lot of excitement about consuming products with public engagement after the pandemic,” added Dr. Bond Benton, who is a Professor of Communication.  “That may have waned and what was once celebrated may now be seen as overdoing it on an item like pumpkin spice.”

This study conducted by Dr. Jin-A Choi, Dr. Yi Luo, and Dr. Bond Benton is a follow up to the 2024, 2023, and 2022 reports from the Center for Strategic Communication on the same topic that garnered national attention. 

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Media Contact: Keith Green, greenk@montclair.edu, 973-655-3701

About the College of Communication and Media: The College of Communication and Media (CCOM) offers a range of dynamic programs to a talented and diverse student population of over 2,000. Offering degrees in advertising, animation and visual effects, communication and media studies, film and television, journalism and digital media, social media and public relations, sports communication and an online, asynchronous MA devoted to strategic communication and media, the College prepares the next generation of communication and media practitioners and leaders. Founded in 2012 and housed in world-class, state-of-the-art facilities just 12 miles from New York City, the College is the only program in the country that offers the following opportunities for students: a radio station (WMSC), newspaper (The Montclarion), strategic communications agency (Hawk Communications), sports network (Red Hawk Sports Network) streaming platform (Hawk+), digital newsroom (News Lab) and studio, and a social media listening center (Joetta DiBella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication). The College also has a Career Services team dedicated to preparing students for the internship and job search process. Student projects and programs have recently received national recognition from PRSSA’s Bateman Competition, an Edward R. Murrow Award, several Marconi Award nominations, and College Television Awards (“Student Emmy” awards) from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The College is also home to the Center for Cooperative Media, which serves the public by working to grow and strengthen local journalism and media. Through $7.1M in grants awarded over the last five years, the Center focuses on collaboration in journalism, media equity, media coaching and training, civic science and research. The Center is also home to the NJ Civic Information Consortium, the largest funder of media and journalism in  New Jersey, granting more than $10M over the last five years to support independent local media, journalism and training initiatives.