If you wanted to launch an app at a single school and reach as high a percentage of penetration there as possible, how would you go about it? Do you know of success stories one can learn from? Techniques, hacks, companies, organizations or other useful tools for targeting school audiences? Beyond targeting a single school, what would you do differently to target the full high school to university audience?
College marketing involves creative, high-impact marketing campaigns that specifically target college students, aged between 18-24. For this reason, a successful college marketing campaign is built on sound research and smart planning. Using college marketing connects brands with thousands of young consumers who are reaching a particularly important part of their lives. Research has shown that young people from the highest quintile of socioeconomic status are 50% more likely to be enrolled in college than classmates from the lowest quintile. Then consider that median earnings for young adults with bachelor’s degrees is $50,000, and it becomes apparent why it is worth marketing to these people at a young age. It would be fair to argue that just because an average college student is likely to come from a higher socioeconomic background does not guarantee that they will necessarily spend the money that they have been bequeathed from their status.
Although they have many things in common with their predecessors, such as an affinity with modern technologies, there are also some subtle differences that should be noted to target them with effective marketing. Taken as a whole group, these students are the second generation of ‘Digital Natives’. Raised in a world of mass connectivity and social media, their affinity for technology has reshaped how they engage with retail, as such they are more aware, more informed, and more empowered than any generation before them. Taking time to get inside the minds of college students is a key part of understanding how to market to them.
The move from High School to College denotes a major shift in lifestyle for the average student. The majority of students will move out of home when starting their new life at college which brings a host of new responsibilities that these young adults must learn and master if they wish to properly thrive out of the nest. Though students may have less expendable income than other groups, they still have discretionary money and are willing to spend it on brands that gain their attention and understand their values. Advertisements geared towards college students should be tailored to their values and be suitably attuned to their spending power and priorities.
Whilst the survey respondents were overall less likely to form brand attachments, they were still keen to engage with them, suggesting that a focus on creating authentic experiences could be the key to marketing to Gen Z college students. A survey conducted by HSBC highlights the multifaceted nature of a college student’s day and shows how important convenience is to this demographic. On average, a college student will spend 2.3 hours studying in class, 2.8 hours studying at home, 4 hours socialising and up to 4.2 hours a day doing paid work. Other than confirming what many parents might have already guessed related to the number of hours students actually work in a given day, these findings show just how busy a college student’s day is and demonstrates that in order for brands to get their message heard they need to find the best gap in this schedule in order for their message to be heard.
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