Major brands across the board are eager to go back to school

Two important things occur every September: Kids return to school, and marketers roll out major school-themed initiatives.

Besides basic things like pencils and binders, unlikely items such as cell phones, hand sanitizers, and even ice cream are being pitched under the "back-to-school" umbrella, an $18 billion opportunity, according to the National Retail Federation.

Starting in mid-August, the back-to-school period is prominently on the minds of parents and kids. In turn, marketers hope that even items with only a tenuous tie to schooling ...