Pixel Advertising: Created by College Students

Last fall, a new phenomenon was introduced in the advertising world. It is called pixel advertising. It began last fall when Alex Tew, a British college student, needed to find a way to pay for his college education. He came up with an idea. He created a website that sold advertisements on it for $1 per pixel. A pixel is a measurement on the computer screen of 1 millimeter by 1 millimeter, but the size also depends on the screen resolution. Word spread about Tew’s website called the Million Dollar Homepage. If you go to the website, the entire page is full of logos of different pixel sizes. When you click on one of the logos, it brings you directly to the advertiser’s website. To reach his million dollar goal, Pew auctioned the last 1,000 pixels on his site for $38,000 on ebay. The success of The Million Dollar Homepage has caused many others to create similar sites.

The latest news regarding pixel advertising comes from a trio of Miami-area college students. I found an article, “S. Florida entrepreneurs give pixel advertising a try,” which came from the Miami Herald online. The students, all finance majors who graduated from high school together in 2004, are up-and-coming entrepreneurs. They created a website called ownonlinerealestate.com, which is a 500,000 pixel map of the United States. The idea is that advertisers have to purchase a minimum of 10 pixels by 10 pixels over the geographical area they want to reach, therefore, the students are pitching it as destination driven.

Some industry professionals comment that they believe that Tew’s success was based on the fact that the website was “a novelty-driven fluke.” The flaw in his site is that it was basically a big billboard and nothing else. Kris Oser, who covers interactive advertising for Advertising Age stated, “I don’t know why you would want your ad crammed in there with everyone else.” She believes that the concept would probably work better on a website that already generates a lot of traffic, like a social network. On the plus side, pixel advertising has already proven that it is a real option for Internet marketing. Additionally, pixel advertising on the Internet is pretty inexpensive, so even if it is not that effective, not much money will be wasted.

I think the idea that college students are creating websites for advertisers is great. Tew started off with an idea and others have branched off of his idea by making it more organized in order to be more effective. The Florida college students formed a company called Globex and gathered up a couple hundred dollars to start up the site. Their endeavors prove that college students have the ability to come up with some great concepts, some which advertisers have not even thought of at this point. If college students who are not yet in the industry are generating successful marketing tactics now, I am eager to see what will be in store for the future of the advertising industry.

College Students Head South for Spring Break...to Clean Up

Instead of heading south to party and lay on the beach for spring break, over 10,000 college students went south to clean up beaches and houses that were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. This is part of what is called alternative spring break, in which college students participate in community service activities over their vacations. This movement has been gaining a lot of popularity over the past decade. In an article from Communitydispatch.com, Sandy Scott wrote a press release entitled, "10,000-Plus College Students to Spend Spring Break Volunteering in the Gulf," which describes some of the service projects that students were working on.

There are a number of organizations that sent students to the Gulf as well as other locations for alternative spring break. David Eisner, the CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and Learn and Serve America urged students to come to the Gulf for spring break, but a lack of housing prevented many students from doing so. Eisner commented, "It’s vital that students coming to the Gulf are connected and coordinated with organizations already on the ground so that their projects are meaningful and they don’t waste time or resources." Other alternative spring break organizations include, MTV's Storm Corps, which sent 100 young people to rebuild in a Mississippi Gulf community and Habitat for Humanity's Collegiate Challenge, which hosted 10,000 students in multiple locations, about 1,000 in hurricane affected areas.


Over the past few years, an increasing number of students have been partaking in alternative spring break trips. Young adults have gained an interest in community service and volunteerism. There have been several reasons for this. According to Scott, "Rising idealism among youth, an increase in service-learning courses, frustration with the partisan political arena, and major catastrophic events of recent years, such as September 11th and the hurricanes." Students are realizing that they can have a meaningful experience over their spring break. One Texas college student explained, "We have a lot of chances to go out and party during our college career and life in general, but how often are you going to get to do something good for the community, nation and world?”

I think the increase in students participating in alternative spring break shows a lot about the character of our generation. We want to make a difference, especially when it comes to issues or disasters that have affected our country. It seems as though college students are realizing that they have the opportunity to party all year and they can have a more meaningful experience partaking in community service, rather than a wet T-shirt contest in Cancun. Today's young adults have lived through some of the most tragic disasters in our nation's history, such as September 11th and Hurricane Katrina, which have hit home for a lot of people. Instead of watching as people suffer from the disasters, students want to take an active role by helping in any way they can. After reading several articles about the significant number of students who did an alternative spring break trip this year, I am very impressed by today's college students and how they truly want to make a difference by helping to improve other's lives.

Generation Wireless

In a recent article from AdAge.com entitled, "Understanding the 'Generation Wireless' Demographic: The Nearly Bionic Relationship of Teenagers and Their Cellphones," Bradley Johnson explained that 57% of teens aged 13 to 17 own cell phones, while 80% of adults 18 plus own a cell phone. The article focuses a good amount on the 13-17 demographic, but does include some interesting facts about the 18-24 market, which includes the college demographic. Over the past several years, an increasing number of teens have received cell phones. When teenagers receive a cell phone, it is like a rite of passage. Many parents get cell phones for their kids for safety purposes. When their kids have a cell phone, it means that the parents can get in contact with them at any time.

Cell phone are not only a necessity for many college students, but they have become an accessory. College students use their cell phones all day. You often notice students text messaging during classes and while walking around campus, you will always notice many students talking on their cell phones. Whenever someone gets a new phone, their friends are always impressed with the new features and gadgets it has. The 18-24 demographic, also referred to as young adults, is more likely than younger teens to use camera phones and download ringtones. The younger teens use more of the wireless content and features. In another article, "Teen, College Students Are Most Active Cell Phone Users," Enid Burns reports that a college student's cell phone bill ranges from about $41 to $60 per month, but 57.5 % of students are on family plans and don't pay their own bills.

In an article, "Cell phones are a college necessity" from the Daily Iowan, Seung Min Kim reported that sales representatives agree that a cell phone is now a staple of most college students' lives - going from a "toy" to a "necessity." Students do not spend a lot of time in their dorm rooms, so cell phones are the perfect way to keep them connected with others. Cellular stores can market expensive phones to college students because students want the newest, coolest, thing. They want a phone with a camera and color screen, the ability to download ringtones, and now to even be able to download music. Rick Treiber, an owner of seven cell phone stores, offers special deals for University of Iowa students. He offers a plan that gives subscribers unlimited calling from the campus area. College students sometimes tend to be careless and irresponsible. "For those who may have run over their cell with a car or dropped it in a cup of beer, have no fear. Area retailers will help by providing loaner phones, buyer's protection - a one-time phone replacement fee - and unlimited customer service for cellular troubleshooting." Cell phone store owners in Iowa are attempting to reach the college demographic with deals like these. It is clear that cell phones are not just a phone, they are a life line. College students depend on them for a variety of things. They are willing to spend money on them in order to have the latest features to stay connected and also impress their friends.

The College Brand

During any high school student's junior and senior years, they receive endless amounts of college brochures in the mail. My brother is currently a junior in high school and my mom mentioned that he has been receiving about double the number of brochures than I did. Colleges have begun marketing themselves in a different fashion; they are branding themselves in order to sell the school to potential buyers, high school students. Marty Nemko, author of "The Truth About Colleges," explains, "Fact is, 95% of American colleges are more like car dealers: doing whatever it takes to get customers to take a test drive, and subtly overselling to get them to sign the loan documents." Colleges now have the mission of selling their school. Most colleges and universities have some type of marketing department that has the sole purpose of developing a marketing campaign to sell the school. Many schools are not only selling to prospective students, but also to potential donators. In the article, "Catch phrases part of universities' pushes to brand and sell themselves," Bill Schakner describes, "With the hunt intensifying for public and private aid dollars, schools are reserving some of their most polished pitches for donors who might drop a million or two on the campus, and for community leaders who can favorably sway the public's perception of the school."

It used to be that students researched colleges and discovered what they were looking for. Now in many cases, colleges are finding the students. They brand themselves hoping that they will attract prospective students. In Schakner's article, Peter Sealy, a former Coca-Cola marketer now on the business faculty at UC Berkeley explains, "Schools are brands. When you're a brand, you have to enhance that brand, you have to define that brand and you have to promote that brand because you're in competition with other brands." College marketers have even come up with slogans in an attempt to sum up "identities built up over generations." For example, Michigan State University boasts, ""Advancing Knowledge. Transforming Lives."

In an article entitled, "Reforming Selective College Admissions" by Deirdre Henderson, she explains several reasons why colleges have become so selective, most having to do with marketing. For example, colleges fill mailboxes with glossy brochures and letters because they want to increase applicant numbers, in order to show more selectivity and increase their rankings. In addition, colleges and universities spend millions on enrollment management and marketing consulting firms. Some of these enterprises hold week-long national conferences in which admissions professionals learn the latest strategies and techniques to sell their schools, attract customers, create an image, and promote a brand. These are just a couple of the examples Henderson gives about how the college admission process has basically become a marketing and money game.

When searching for articles on this topic, I came across a website for a company called Corporate Communications Inc. This unique company offers a variety of marketing services to a number of markets, including colleges and universities. Their website explains, "When choosing a college or university, potential students are too often overwhelmed by unsolicited and unwanted marketing messages. We help academic institutions differentiate themselves in a highly competitive marketplace and bring a new dimension to outbound marketing campaigns with targeted communications that use a smart mix of broadcast, email, website and direct mail." It almost seems unreal that there are companies out there that will help colleges market themselves by breaking through the clutter of the usual direct mail brochures that colleges send to prospective students.

After reading these articles, I wonder if there will be changes in the way the college admission process is handled. Most likely, it will only get worse, in that colleges will probably start sending sweatshirts to prospective students. Students are already bribed will free application fees, merit scholarships, etc. in order for schools to increase their rankings. Colleges and universities want to be highly ranked on all of those lists, such as the Princeton Review. Just as many products look to create a buzz with the college market, colleges themselves are looking to create a buzz about their school with prospective students. From what I have read, it seems as though education has been put on the back burner while colleges search for the right campaign to make their school desirable for prospective students.

Welcome to iTunes University

In a recent news story, "Apple Offers College Lectures Via Podcasts," ABC reported that as Apple continues to expand their iPod and iTunes franchises, they have introduced "iTunesU." This service makes lectures and other course and educational materials available through Apple's iTunes software. Apple has been working on a pilot project with six schools over the past year. In January, iTunes expanded the program, inviting other universities to join. Many colleges and universities have course materials available via internet access, but iTunes and iPods put a whole new spin on this phenomeon.

Apple sets universities up with customized iTunes software, which allows schools to post podcasts, audio books, or video content on their iTunes-affiliated websites. These materials are able to be downloaded on regular computers and can then be transferred to iPods and other portable devices. Two universities involved in the pilot program include Stanford University and the University of Missouri. In addition to educational materials, Stanford offers audio broadcasts of sporting events through its iTunes site. The University of Missouri had already offered podcast lectures through its school website, but then joined the pilot program. Now they receive the software and service package for free, making their materials more accessible to the students and faculty.

I have mixed feelings about iTunesU. I think it's a great opportunity, especially for the college market. Most college students own iPods or similar portable devices. If they don't own one, most know how to use them. Additionally, all students with iPods use iTunes and even students who do not own iPods use iTunes in order to listen to music on their computers. Integrating iTunes with education seems like a great idea because it is mixing two every day things together - iTunes, which is used more for personal entertainment, with classes, which are a daily part of student's lives. The con to iTunesU is that it makes classes seem like they are more optional. With the course materials and lectures at the fingertips of every student, why bother going to class when they can download everything on their computers? I can picture lazy students looking outside, seeing snow on the ground and staying in bed. They won't care about what they missed because they can just download it all on iTunesU. Therefore, I feel that iTunesU does have its benefits and is definitely another phenomenal piece of technology. At the same time, the results of using iTunesU should also be observed and whether colleges feel that it will benefit the education of their students or hinder their learning in that class attendance will decrease.

Regarding marketing to college students, with the format of iTunesU, it could also be an opportunity for brands to advertise with Apple and the college's permission. If coursework and lectures are on the site, almost all students will be visiting it. That can provide a great opportunity for advertising, in which marketers will know that there will be a high flow of traffic, in order to reach a greater number of college students.

10 Tips for Successful College Marketing

I found this blog from Noah Kagan, a young guy who is currently a product manager for facebook. He also does other individual marketing projects. He is very interested in the 18-30 year old market, therefore he does a lot of work dealing with this demographic. In his blog, he shares his 10 Tips for Successful College Marketing. They are as follows:

1.) Advertise on Facebook - Clearly Noah would say to advertise on Facebook since he works for the company, but most students are members of the facebook and check it daily, if not more often. There are plenty of areas where advertising can be used; whether posting paid advertisments, students using their own profiles, or even creating groups around a product. For example, there were several groups at Ithaca created around spring break. Student spring break representatives invited all of their facebook friends to join groups and receive information about spring break trips through their employer.

2.) Make it funny - College students have very short attention spans. If something isn't interesting, they won't pay attention to it. If the advertisement is humorous, students will most likely pay attention and will even tell their friends about it. Funny ads can lead to buzz, since college students are always talking and always looking for a good laugh.

3.) Don't buy TV ads - According to Kagan, the average college student does not have time to watch TV and might not even own a TV; therefore advertising on TV is a waste of time and money. My opinion is that it is true that some college students do not watch or even have a TV, but there are some TV shows that really hit the college market. There are several prime time shows that college students are in to and shows on stations such as MTV that are directed at college students. If you have the money and a solid ad, television can sometimes be a good bet.

4.) Unique/Original - This relates to the make it funny point, if it isn't interesting, college students most likely won't pay attention. If they've seen it before, they won't pay attention. A lot of brainstorming needs to be done before advertising to college students. Creativity and originality play a significant role in successfully reaching this market.

5.) Free - This is the one word that can catch any college student's attention. College students are often short on cash, so when they see the word "free" it automatically catches their eye. No matter what the free thing is, you can usually count on college students to come check it out.

6.) Contests - Contests provide opportunities for students to be competitive and win things. They are fun, interesting, and attention-grabbing. If a contest is for a worthwhile prize, a lot of students are often willing to participate.

7.) School newspapers are a waste of money - According to Kagan, with the short attention spans of college students, many do not read the college newspaper. Those who do read it, spend little time focusing on the ads. I feel that the effectiveness of school newspapers depends on the college, some are very popular. Those students who do read the paper will notice the ad if it interests them or if it surrounds an article that they are reading. It also depends on the product being advertised. If there is a more efficient and effective way to advertise a particular product, then the school newspaper may not be the best bet.

8.) Sponsor organizations - College students obviously love money, especially since they often lack it. Supporting a school organization that students care about can help catch their attention. They will be appreciative of the fact that you are sponsoring their organization, which will make them more aware of your brand or product.

9.) Ditch the flyers - Kagan mentions, "flyering for your cause = killing trees and nothing more." Utilizing flyers is often ineffective due to the amount of other organizations that already flyer across campuses. Most schools have certain bulletin boards for general flyers, which are already covered with plenty of other flyers. The majority of students do not pay attention to flyers, especially since the campus is cluttered with them.

10.) Ask the pros - When Kagan says pros, he means students. Ask college students what they want or even go to a campus and observe the students. College students know their own demographic better than anyone else. Therefore, they can tell you what you need to know and what methods might work best for your product.

Kagan's website and blog is full of interesting stuff related to the college market. This is his interest and expertise and he is involved in a variety of businesses and organizations that market to college students. I thought that his 10 Tips for Successful College Marketing were right on. The one thing to remember is that these rules may not apply to all products or brands. Marketers have to choose methods that they feel will work best for their product. Kagan's overall message was clear and precise in that reaching the college demographic can be difficult. Putting money and effort in the right places can lead to a successful campaign with the college market.

MTV goes to College

mtvU (formerly College Television Network or CTN) is a TV channel of MTV networks which is sent to many college and university campuses across the U.S. Typically, TV monitors are set up in the student center or students' union building, especially in the cafeteria or game room. CTN originally began as a venture that installed video jukeboxes at these locations (Wikipedia).

The channel features music videos that are not shown on regular MTV as well as news updates from MTV News and CBS news. The news features are produced exclusively for the college market, with information on how to get jobs and interships, travel abroad info, and any other news that is directed at college students. mtvU can currently be found on over 730 college campuses, reaching over 6.5 million students in dining halls, student lounges, fitness centers, and dorm rooms.

What makes mtvU unique is the fact that it is not only a television station, it gives students access to concert tours and on campus events. mtvU brings celebrities to fill in as professors and hooks students up with opportunities to see and even interview their favorite bands. Every semester, mtvU looks for the best talent on college campuses, in any area, whether it be music, film, animation, anything. mtvU also has grants that they give away to deserving college organizations that are making a difference in their communities.

The mtvU website is extremely interactive, featuring live videos on their homepage with other featured bands and music. There are also several places for students to submit their work, including an opportunity for students to win an mtvU Student Filmmaker Award, similar to an MTV movie award. Another significant feature on the website is the section for activism. There are documentaries and other information about current world issues, such as the Genocide in Sudan to Hurricane Katrina disaster relief. The purpose of this section is to educate students, but to also show them how they can get involved.

mtvU is a great way to market to college students. Colleges that use the service have it all over the campus. It is used on campus televisions, but also becomes interactive when mtvU brings concerts and other special events to the campus. mtvU has internship opportunites and also hires campus representatives, in order to create a buzz. Campus reps have direct involvement in in marketing the mtvU network and brand experience to their campus. As mtv probably knows, students can often be the best marketing. By hiring students to represent mtvU, they can spread the word on the television network as well as events and opportunities that mtvU has to offer.

Alloy Media + Marketing

Similar to Mr. Youth, Alloy Media + Marketing offers similar services, marketing to America's youth. According to their website, Alloy is one of the country's largest providers of targeted media and promotional programs. Alloy is a bigger company, with offices all over the United States, while Mr. Youth seems to be more up and coming. The company is split up into several branches including, Alloy Media, AMP Agency, Alloy Education, and Alloy Entertainment. In the Alloy Media pull-down menu, there is a section called Youth Network with several options, including College. Alloy describes, "Away from the influence of home, college students make hundreds of first-time, independent buying decisions... decisions that will influence their preferences and purchasing habits for years to come. But creating and executing a successful college marketing plan is no simple task. The ability to engage transient and elusive college students requires specialized skills, knowledge, and capabilities." Alloy offers numerous College Programs to help brands market to this demographic. These include: Out-of-Home, Newspapers, Online Advertising, Direct Marketing, Print Advertising, Movie Screenings, Bookstores, Sampling, Events, and Market Research.

From the information on their website, it is clear that Alloy is an established company, especially since it is a publicly traded company. Their focus is obviously marketing to youth, but they divide this broad category into tweens, teens, college, and young independents. In addition to their marketing strategies, Alloy plays a significant role in the entertainment industry, which includes books, movies, and television. Alloy Entertainment's first and largest business is books. They have released popular youth series, such as the Traveling Pants series and the Gossip Girls series. I am amazed at how a company that only works with the youth market is so successful. It is obvious that they have taken youth marketing to another level with the wide range of industries they are involved in. Alloy has found opportunities in the youth market that no other company seems to have discovered yet. Alloy looks like a great place to intern or even work in the future.

Mr. Youth

In a prior entry, I wrote about Mr. Youth which is a company that specializes in marketing to youths. As their website says, "Mr. Youth continues to help household and emerging brands further penetrate the youth market with defining and results-oriented marketing initiatives." You can explore the Mr. Youth website which provides information about the company, their team, services, portfolio of work they have done, press they have received, and current events they are involved in. Mr. Youth offers a variety of services, in which they work with a brand to choose which service fits best. Experiential marketing, a newer technique, brings a brand to life in ways not yet imagined, since "Generation Y is the touch and feel generation." By using techniques such as brand mobile tours, product demonstrations, and brand samplings, experiential marketing allows teens to experience a product. Another tactic that Mr. Youth uses is Guerilla Media. Kids are responding less and less to traditional media advertising, since they are now in control of their "media consumption" with the increasing use of iPods, Tivo, and the Internet. Other services include stunts, event sponsorship, or whatever you can possibly think of. One last service is campus media. According to their website, Mr. Youth has a proprietary placement system allowing its clients to reach 2,200 college newspapers, 400 top college radio stations, and other youth media outlets around the country.

The Mr. Youth website provides case studies to some of the work they have done. These studies include the challenge they were presented with, the objectives, Mr. Youth's answer, and the results. For example, in 2003, the WB Television Network wanted to promote the network and its sponsors to college students, which led to the idea for the WB on Campus 2003. The objectives were to raise brand and sponsor awareness, local network interaction, and drive tune-in. Mr. Youth helped the WB execute its rockin national college tour event with emerging bands, such as The Format and Socialburn. The results included satisfied sponsors, thrilled college students, and millions of impressions.


I have begun noticing an increasing number of companies like Mr. Youth are emerging. With the growing popularity of marketing to college students and other youth markets, brands need help to find ways to market to these unique demographics. As many articles have mentioned, college students are responding less to traditional advertising. Students control their media; they listen to their own music on their iPods, record television shows on Tivo where they can fast foward the commercials, and for news and information they use the Internet. With companies specializing in the youth market, they can focus on new ways to reach this demographic. I found the Mr. Youth website to be extremely interesting, especially as someone who is studying the advertising and marketing field. College students want a chance to experience a brand or product, not just be told about it. I have a feeling that we will be seeing more brands using services like Mr. Youth in order to reach the college and youth market in the near future.