Marketing to College Students

Wrap Up: The Power of College Students

2006-04-26T20:34:00.000-07:00

After spending the semester writing about marketing to college students, I have discovered a lot about the topic. As I have known from the beginning, college students are a unique demographic with a ton of spending power. Brands are constantly trying to find new ways to market to them because of their intense spending habits. In addition to the amount of money spent, I think that brands and products choose to market to college students because they are aware of the new and current trends. They tend to know about certain things before others, such as new technology, clothing styles, and music. College students are comfortable with using the latest technology. They are obviously more informed than older generations, such as their parents and grandparents, and have the money and responsibility to purchase these things, unlike younger teens and kids. iPods, digital cameras, Google, and even AIM are all newer technologies that most college students are comfortable using and even rely on these things on a daily basis. While recognizing the power of college students, I have learned a variety of ways in which marketing to college students will be the most effective.

College students have busy schedules that are unlike the schedules of any other. Often times they are viewed as being nocturnal, sleeping as late as they can during the day and doing work or partying through the night. They go to classes during the week days and hang out with friends and do work during the week nights. On the weekend, they are busy socializing, partying, and experiencing the college lifestyle. Basically, college students are in their own world. For these reasons, companies have found that using traditional media is often ineffective when marketing to college students. They do not pay attention to media such as radio, newspapers, as well as many magazines and television stations. There are several magazines and television shows that reach a percentage of college students, but the advertisements have to be exceptional if they want students to notice them. College students have “their shows,” which are the television shows that they take a break to watch with their friends. Even if this might seem like a successful way to reach them, companies have to remember that commercial breaks will most likely consist of talking, eating, and not paying attention to the commercials. The ineffectiveness of utilizing traditional media to market to college students has been proven when college students are not purchasing the products. Therefore, this has led companies to discovering new and unique methods of advertising to this demographic.

By figuring out what grabs their attention, companies have originated new approaches when marketing to college students. Essentially, it’s all about creating a buzz on campus. Some brands have discovered how college students pay close attention to their peers. For example, in a blog entry about creating a buzz on campus, I talked about how Microsoft hired student representatives at Boston University to market their product, One-Note. The student reps wore t-shirts with a catchy slogan, handed out flyers, and struck up conversations with other students about the product. Whether students are hired to create the buzz or a buzz is created on its own, students pay close attention to their peers. When walking around a college campus, you’ll notice many of the girls wearing similar clothing, and you will see half the students on their cell phones or listening to their iPods. College students are observers. They notice what others are wearing, what they’re saying, and how they’re acting. Some brands even hire companies to help them create a buzz. Companies such as Mr. Youth and Alloy Media + Marketing specialize in creating a buzz among teens and college students. They use viral and guerilla marketing techniques in order to create a buzz and get a product or brand noticed among this demographic. Even though many college students strive to be different or non-conformists, they are all in this bubble, being bombarded by advertising because marketers know that they have a ton of spending power. In essence, it’s about finding a marketing method that works for a company’s product, but it needs to be new, exciting, and unlike anything else, if the company wants college students to notice it.

Another finding that I have noticed is that companies who aren’t sure how to market to college students are using college students to figure it out. Instead of hiring an advertising firm comprised of adults, companies such as GM and Gardenburger are approaching college students to find out how they can be reached effectively. This method can not only save a company money, but can actually help them reach the demographic. Whether holding a contest for advertising students or approaching a specific college or university, brands are finding various methods to this marketing tactic. Some of the companies offer a reward to the group or college that wins the contest, but for a college student studying advertising, the best reward is pride and being able to put that on a resume. Additionally, college students are coming up with some of the best ways for marketers to currently advertise. For example, it was a group of college students who invented the new “pixel advertising,” in which a company can buy pixels on a website to put a logo that links to their website. The popular college student social network, Facebook, was invented by a college student and advertisers are now looking at it for major advertising. The majority of college students belong to the Facebook and check it at least once a day, making it almost guaranteed that an advertisement will reach them.

My topic connected to what we have studied this semester in audience research because of our media plan project. It just so happened that the media plan topic was spring break, which is marketed to college students. My group had to market to college freshmen for their spring break experience. We chose to market Acapulco as the freshmen spring break destination for a variety of reasons, including that it has the overall spring break package experience that includes both day and night activities. We had to use traditional media for our campaign in 10 cities/markets, but chose our media carefully. For example, advertising on television shows that reach a teen/college student audience and picking websites that are heavily used by the demographic. The project related to my blog in how we had to devise a number of guerilla and viral marketing techniques in order to create a buzz about our product, Acapulco. With everything from a booth at college orientations, a car – wrapped as the “Beach Bug” that would make appearances and later be raffled off at a campus concert sponsored by spring break Acapulco, student reps giving away t-shirts, advertisements in pizza boxes, and bookmarks inserted into textbooks in campus bookstores are just a few of the techniques we chose to use. My blog actually helped me when deciding on marketing tactics for the project because I am now fully aware as to what methods work when advertising to college students. To wrap it up, if a company wants to market to college students, creating a buzz by finding new, entertaining, and interactive advertising approaches is the key to an effective campaign.

Gardenburger Follows the Trend

2006-04-22T11:15:00.000-07:00

I recently reported about how GM is using college students to help market the Aveo to the young adult market. This seems to be becoming a common theme, using college students to help market a product to their demographic. With so much spending power, especially in discretionary items, many brands and products want to take advantage of this target market. The issue is that college students are a difficult market to reach, especially since they do not pay attention to traditional media advertising. They need to be pursued and want to be interacted with; therefore, companies are approaching college students and having them create unique marketing tactics in reaching this market.

The Denver Post has reported that Gardenburger is another company that has asked for the help of college students for a new marketing campaign in an article entitled, “CU May Seed Veggie Revival.” When veggie burgers were developed 23 years ago, they were almost impossible to find, mostly limited to organic food stores. Today “veggie burgers are available on menus, in major supermarkets, and increasingly, in college dining halls” (Crowell). Gardenburger has asked five colleges “to spearhead and drive its upcoming campaign and to give the company a fresh outlook.” Colleges asked include, The University of Colorado at Boulder, California State University at Long Beach, the University of Oregon in Eugene, and Columbia University in New York City. Gardenburger approached advertising classes at universities in health-conscious cities and plans to use at least one university for the new marketing campaign, which is planned to launch in the fall. Why college students? Young people are eating a lot of veggie burgers for health and social-conscious reasons. College students tend to be very aware of health and environment issues. Melanie Flaherty, a Gardenburger representative explains, “College students are a ‘natural target.’ They eat the products because they are vegetarian, or for health reasons, or for environmental and compassion reasons.”

Gardenburger is a small company and has to compete with food giants, such as Kellogg and Kraft which have bought out smaller burger companies, such as Boca Burgers and Morningstar Farms. Gardenburger’s 2005 Annual Report stated that the company plans to expand its market from only supermarkets by introducing the product in “sandwich chains, K-12 schools, and college and universities.”

CU-Boulder has a senior level class called Advertising Campaigns, which consists of 15 students who are brainstorming for Gardenburger’s new campaign. They are figuring out how to get CU students to eat Gardenburger products and want to implement some of their ideas before the semester is over. According to their research, “Students said finding vegan meals on campus was important to them. Vegan meals contain no meat, fish, poultry, dairy, or byproducts derived from animals.” Greg Wagner, advertising professor at CU-Boulder commented, “If we come up with terrific ideas, maybe they’ll use us as a test market. Then if (the campaign) works on Boulder they might say, ‘Let’s roll out to other college campuses.’”

This article differed from the GM article in that the GM competition already happened; therefore the campaign ideas were reported. The Gardenburger campaigns are in the works, so the article focused a lot on the company and why they need to reposition themselves (partly due to the fact that they filed for bankruptcy this past October). I find it so interesting that companies continue to approach college students rather than advertising agencies to help them with campaign ideas. I know that it saves them money by not using an agency, but they are trusting students to come up with ideas on how to sell their product. Also, I think that companies figure if they want to get opinions from college students, there is no better place to do it than a college campus. The students can perform research on the product and other students’ feelings on the product, which in turn, helps them with the campaign. There is obviously a trend occurring here and I will once again state that I think that more companies are going to use college students to help them with their campaigns if they want to reach the college student market.

The Rise of the College Newspaper

2006-04-13T10:38:00.000-07:00

A Newsweek article from December entitled, “College Papers Grow Up,” was about how some college newspapers have ads, readers, and budgets that match professional newspapers. The newspaper industry has not been having the best luck, which has led to shrinking profits and layoffs, but many college newspapers are thriving. “Today’s premier college dailies – big, colorful and aggressive – are often indistinguishable from professional broadsheets, and the resemblance goes beyond the front page.” Some college newspaper offices are comparable to those of a real newspaper. For example, the UCLA Daily Bruin’s office is lined with over 100 Apple workstations and the Harvard Crimson recently spent $400,000 on color presses and design consultants.

Advertisers are looking to these big time college newspapers to reach the college demographic. Advertisers are aware of the fact that college students are young, educated, brand-conscious, and have a great deal of spending power, with an estimated $41 billion a year spent on discretionary items. An estimated 95 percent of college students read the campus paper, even though professional papers are losing readers. Alloy Media + Marketing, which I have written about in a prior blog entry, links college papers with national advertisers. They work with 1,800 papers which reach about 11.8 million students. Advertising in a college paper can cost more than $2,500 for a one-time full-page color ad, but this is only a fraction of what it costs to advertise in a daily metropolitan publication. Companies that have turned to advertising in college papers include investment banks and technology companies that are looking to recruit potential employees. Additionally, well-known companies such as Amazon.com, Verizon Wireless, and major movie studios are creating national campaigns and spending millions on student daily papers each year.

I have reported in past blog entires about how some people feel that advertising in college newspapers is ineffective and a waste of money. In some cases, that might hold true, but when dealing with publications such as the ones talked about in this article, advertisers are obviously finding them to be successful. The newspapers mentioned in the article come from big colleges and universities, which have large budgets and numerous staff members. The end of the article mentioned that many smaller colleges have just as good-quality reporting as the big schools. Having a bigger budget doesn’t necessarily mean that the journalism will be better. I was pleased that the article mentioned that, coming from a smaller school that has a weekly newspaper. I find that most students read the weekly newspaper here, so I assume that students read daily newspapers at their colleges. Even though newspaper ads are not interactive and do not always empower the consumer, they are guaranteed to have many students who will see the ads. If a company wants to market to the college demographic, newspaper ads definitely seem like an effective method, depending on the college and their newspaper’s reputation.

GM uses college students to market to college students

2006-04-12T20:38:00.000-07:00

The Detroit News had a recent article entitled, “Searching for young buyers, GM asks students for ideas,” which was about a contest that GM held. GM was seeking young buyers to purchase the redesigned Aveo, which will be released over the summer. The company wants to increase sales by attracting young drivers who will “become loyalists for life, moving from one GM brand to another as their tastes change and their income grows.”

In order to figure out ways to reach this demographic, GM decided to ask college students for their ideas. 33 college students from across the country competed to come up with the best public relations campaign for the Aveo. The Aveo is the lowest-priced new car in the United States. The students, who are all active in the Public Relations Student Society of America, were split into teams, and only had one hour to devise a campaign and then had five minutes to present their ideas. As the article mentioned, the contest seemed like a student version of “The Apprentice.” Instead of being rewarded with a job, the students won free admission to a Chevrolet-related event, such as a NASCAR race. Several of the groups came up with the idea of promoting the car on college websites such as facebook.com or myspace.com, which I have mentioned before, are social software sites in which students post information about themselves. Many current college students receive news from these sites. In order to advertise on the Facebook, Chevrolet would have to hire a student rep who would post information and run the site. Students also came up with a tagline for the Aveo as part of their campaigns. One student described it as a “small car with a big personality,” which led her group to propose the idea of a contest called, “Why I have the Biggest Personality.” The contest would allow young people to send in homemade videos to compete for an Aveo.

The winning team decided to focus on the fact that the Aveo was not arriving in showrooms until the summer. Many of the teams suggested campus test drives and T-shirt giveaways, which might not work since college campuses empty out over the summer. The winning team pitched a summer road trip for the Aveo, with stops at theme parks, concerts, and other venues. They also suggested the idea that local media be contacted for each stop to help publicize the tour and create a buzz. Additionally, a local at each stop would be chosen to drive the Aveo to the next stop on the tour. The winning campaign also integrated the Internet into their campaign, with travelogue videos, being able to personalize your own dream Aveo, as well as other interactive features.

This article really caught my attention and after reading it, I was amazed at how many of the topics I have discussed in my blog were used in the campaign proposals by the students. I have written about social software, such as MySpace and Facebook and how advertisers are looking to them to advertise to teens and college students. Also, the concept of consumer empowerment was used in the campaign ideas. This newer advertising method is becoming the way for advertisers to break through the clutter. Some demographics are difficult to reach, especially college students, since they do not always pay attention to traditional media. Therefore, consumer empowerment, or putting the advertising in the hands of the customer, seems to be a successful way to reach these demographics. GM’s contest was an excellent idea by putting the advertising in the hands of the demographic they want to reach. Who better to create a campaign than the target consumers? I predict that this will be one of many companies that will allow the consumers create the advertising.

MySpace: The Trendiest Marketing Medium

2006-04-03T18:20:00.000-07:00

I receive a daily email called the AAF Smart Brief from the American Advertising Federation which features a compiled list of advertising news articles. This article came from MediaPost Publications and was about how teenagers using social software such as MySpace are promoting brands. Shawn Gold, senior vice president of marketing and content for MySpace.com explained that social networks are “about individuality and identification and connecting with others.” Teens are trendsetters and they like to be the first to know what’s in and to spread their knowledge. On MySpace, teens are incorporating brands into their pages by posting pictures of their favorite products or celebrities.

MySpace is about “empowerment of the individual,” which has become a common theme in marketing and advertising today. Consumer empowerment is a newer trend and social software has become a place for “early adopters” and word-of-mouth marketing. Many users view social software as a trusted form of media. Advertisers have to adopt the tactics of consumer empowerment in order to take advantage of it and somewhat unlearn the tactics of traditional media. For example, several upcoming movies are releasing their trailers on MySpace, and/or incorporating games or activities that empower the consumer. Universal Pictures wanted to create buzz about its upcoming movie “Slither.” They gave fans a chance to create their own 30-second spot for the film and the winning spot will run in one of their television ads. Senior vice president of new media at Universal Pictures, Doug Neil explained, “We’re empowering consumers to be part of the marketing message to spread it virally.”

Brands are beginning to catch on to the MySpace trend. Gold mentioned that Aquafina, the Beastie Boys, and Wendy’s all created accounts. Wendy’s already has 94,000 friends on MySpace and has a variety of features on its page including wallpapers, screensavers, AIM icons, audio, and video. Verizon Wireless, the Honda Element, and Toyota are also among some of the top brands that are developing MySpace pages. What advertisers have to realize is that users do not go to social networks to see advertising. Advertisers have to focus on brand programming that is designed to “catch consumers in their stride as they communicate and connect,” Gold explained. Several brands have taken the advertising route on MySpace including Best Buy, Boost Mobile, and the television show, “Family Guy.” Marketers hope that within the social network, mini social networks will be created based on common interests in brands and products.

Some other facts about MySpace include: As of Tuesday, March 27^th 2006, there were 66 million people on MySpace, with 230,000 people joining each day on average. At the end of the year, it is predicting that there will be about 98 million MySpace users. About 90 percent of MySpace users are from the United States. MySpace is the number two site on the Web behind Yahoo in content consumption. Each day, about 15 million log on to the site, 30 million songs are streamed, 11.5 million friends are added, and 15.5 million comments are left.

MySpace seems to be making the headlines of the news every week, whether positive or negative. This has definitely created a buzz about the social software. MySpace gives teens the opportunity to express and portray themselves in a creative way. MySpace and other social software networks are a great viral and word of mouth marketing tool. As the article mentioned, some brands are creating profiles to advertise to users and other brands are strictly advertising or using consumer empowerment advertising techniques. MySpace is also a great way for new bands to promote themselves and let users learn about them or even listen to their music. A band could even get discovered by a record label by having a profile on MySpace. The possibilities with social software almost seem endless. Once advertisers find the right method to use and come up with a creative idea, I predict that they will consider MySpace and other social software networks an effective medium to promote their brand and products.

Pixel Advertising: Created by College Students

2006-03-29T22:17:00.000-08:00

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

2006-03-27T09:58:00.000-08:00

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

2006-03-23T19:12:00.000-08:00

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

2006-03-21T13:39:00.000-08:00

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

2006-03-15T17:25:00.000-08:00

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

2006-03-15T14:18:00.000-08:00

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

2006-03-14T10:06:00.000-08:00

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

2006-03-07T13:21:00.000-08:00

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

2006-03-06T15:34:00.000-08:00

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.

They love shopping...without ever leaving their rooms

2006-02-23T10:45:00.000-08:00

Today's college students are among the first generation to have grown up with the internet. We are a generation of Googler's and AIM-users...always connected to others. You could ask almost any college student where to buy an item online and most likely, within about 2 minutes, they will find several of that same item for you. Between research, school work, and leisure time, college students spend a great deal of their time on the internet. Ask a college student if they can get through an assignment without being sidetracked online...most likely they cannot. Between checking away messages, the facebook, their email, as well as items to purchase. Online shopping has become a sensation, especially thanks to websites such as Ebay and Amazon. The concept that you can buy virtually anything online from the comfort of your own room is something that cannot be beat. You punch in your credit card number and within a week or two, your purchase arrives. There is literally no effort involved.

Experience Inc., a career services provider, did a recent survey that revealed that "Online Advertising Motivates College Students to Purchase." Over 300 college students and recent college graduates were polled nationwide. The survey found that 98% of college student have bought a product or service online. The 18-34 year old demographic is responsible for $175 billion in consumer spending. Students do a lot of online researching before purchasing a product or service. Therefore, after doing research, they tend to buy the item online. Students have high expectations for online advertising. If an online advertisement relates to them or resonates with them, they are more likely to purchase the product. In the survey, 52% of the respondents said they have purchased a product or service based on an online advertisement.

A study done by Yahoo! Search Marketing found that college students rely on search engines more than any other media. The article, "Students: Search Engines More Credible Than TV Ads" was posted on the Online Media Daily. The study involved surveying 486 college students in August and conducted in depth interviews with 12 college students. The results showed that 81% of the college students rated search engines as the best source of information. Friends and family were rated best by 64% and traditional media (television, magazines, newspapers) was only rated the best by 34%. Students also explained that keyword searches provide the best information. Regarding truthworthiness, search engines came in second to friends in family, but only by a small margin. This study proves that students have basically become reliant on the internet. Why go researching through magazines and newspapers when they can just type a single word in a search engine and receive hundreds of thousands of results.

With this being said, if marketers want to reach students, using the right type of online advertising in the right places can help in making the product or service a success. When students can relate to the advertising and if it is memorable, there is a greater chance that the student will purchase that product instead of a competitor's. With millions of websites out there, marketers need to find the best places to put their advertisements. Finding out what sites the college students are using the most is key. With this combination, a product can become successful if the right steps are taken to market it online to college students.

Creating a BUZZ on campus

2006-02-20T18:34:00.000-08:00

So what is Buzz Marketing? It seems to be this new term that is used in advertising, but more specifically in marketing to college students. Wikipedia defines Buzz Marketing as "Word of mouth marketing is a term used in the marketing industry to descibe activities that companies undertake to generate favorable word of mouth publicity about products and services." A buzz is a highly intense form of word of mouth marketing to the point where everyone is talking about the topic. College students are a unique demographic because they often do not pay attention or respond to the usual forms of advertising, such as television and print. If a brand really wants to market and appeal to the college demographic, they have to do something to make students aware and excited about their product. Campuses are cluttered with flyers for on-campus activities in addition to off-campus activities and products. College students are very busy and stuck in their daily routines (I know, I am one). I tend to look more closely at advertisements since that's my major, but most students do not pay attention to advertising while they are preoccupied with work, friends, etc.

Several months ago, my mom sent me an article from the Boston Globe, entitled "Creating the Campus Buzz: Guerilla Marketers". Popular companies have started hiring campus ambassadors or street teams to promote their products. Microsoft, Victoria's Secret, JetBlue Airways are a few of the companies that have begun using this marketing tactic. Students have been hired in several cities, many in Boston, which is full of college students. Students at Boston University, Tufts University, and MIT have been hired by some of these companies to promote their products. These students are hired to talk up a product to other students as well as hand out fliers, stickers, and other give-aways. Students at BU were hired to promote the Microsoft product, OneNote. Ambassadors wore T-shirts with the slogan "Save trees. Use OneNote," while also handing out postcards about the product. The article interviewed students who said that they were willing to listen to the student ambassadors because it is a peer, someone on the same level. Rather than pushing the product at them, it is more like the student ambassador is simply giving their opinion on the product. At each school, the promotion is catered to the type of students at the school. Student ambassadors know what the students at their college are like. For example, at MIT, students respond better to numbers and lists, rather than something very artsy and colorful.

There are companies that speciailze in helping companies create the buzz on campus. Some of these include Mr. Youth and Alloy Media + Marketing. I will post other entries about these companies and what they do in the future. After browsing the websites for these companies, it seems very interesting for what they do to help companies create a buzz on campuses or in other areas highly populated with youths. The buzz marketing tactic is proving that if companies want to appeal to the college student market (who have a great deal of spending power) then they need to do something more. Traditional advertising is not going to work with this demographic, therefore, the more creative and exciting the "buzz" is, the more likely that there will be a greater response from college students.

Are peers the best advertising?

2006-02-15T08:48:00.000-08:00

Walk around a college campus and you might notice something. A lot of the students "look" the same. I am not talking about their hair color, body types, etc., but their styles - clothing, shoes, accessories. They all seem to be variations of each other. There are a lot of trends that college students are aware of that have not been advertised in the usual mass media. For example, the ever so popular Livestrong Bracelet trend. These bracelets were created by Lance Armstrong to raise money for cancer. Little did he or anyone else ever imagine that these simple yellow rubber bracelets would become the fastest-growing trend in America. Teenage girls were no longer sporting their Tiffany's bracelets, but proudly wearing their Livestrongs. Other companies soon followed, both charities and non-charities attempting to have the success that the Livestrong bracelet had. Bracelets were designed to support breast cancer, while others such as Nike bracelets, were just for the fashion statement. In the fall of 2004, when I came to Ithaca College as a freshman, it seemed as though every student had a Livestrong bracelet. I would be working out at the gym and noticed that it was like a rite of passage; every student on an elliptical or treadmill had their bracelet on. The Livestrong bracelets never had a formal campaign. There is a Livestrong website that is still running strong today where bracelets could be ordered. The popularity of the bracelets spread due to the word-of-mouth or buzz effect. The bracelets got others to ask, "What is that?" or "What is that for?" As more and more people, especially students, noticed that it was the in thing to wear the bracelet and show that you supported a worthy cause, everyone needed to have one.

If you walk around the Ithaca College campus, or any college campus for that matter, I am sure you will notice that every girl is wearing some variety of the ever-so-popular UGG boots. Now more brands are making their own version of the UGG boots, with all sorts of ties, buttons, zippers, etc. Being at a college where the winter climate can be harsh, I also own UGG boots. I will admit that I did need a pair of boots and since these are what is in style, I figured that they would be a good buy. Additionally, since they are made of sheep skin, they are extremely warm, perfect for the Ithaca winter weather. The UGG brand does not use commercials or any formal advertising to sell their product. The boots have been featured in style magazines, but have gained so much popularity by girls seeing their peers wearing the boots. The boots are no longer just to keep warm as you will often see girls wearing them with mini skirts during the warmer months. In an article entitled, "Students weigh in on fall fashion trends" from The Daily Free Press, an independent newspaper at Boston University, students claimed that the most influential factor for their fashion trends are their peers. Advertising professor, Christopher Cakebread explains, ""The point of advertising is building brands and the way to build brands is to connect with the consumer," he said. "If [the consumers] see someone else in that product, they are more likely to buy it." Students, especially females are concerned with image and how they look. Often times, when they see other girls wearing something trendy that looks good, they are likely to buy it.

Another example is the iPod, that I am sure will be mentioned and written about numerous times in this blog. The iPod is not only a piece of technology, but has become a trend and a way of life. Even though Apple advertises for the iPod (everyone knows the colorful and musical iPod commercials), many people see others with the iPod and the lifestyle benefits it offers. Before the iPod started advertising, I saw people with them during the Summer of 2004. It made me curious as to what it was and how it was used. I immediately fell in love with the concept of the iPod. The iPod has now revolutionized the way people listen to music and now even the way they watch movies, tv shows, and music videos. If you walk around a college campus, you will see dozens of students walking from class to class with their iPods. You know that when you see the little white earbud headphones that a student is listening to their iPod. All students are aware of what the iPod is and the majority know how to use one, even if they do not own one. The iPod has become an accessory to an outfit, a trend for every day living.

With college students being up-to-date with the latest trends in fashion and technology, it is apparent that a lot of their knowledge comes from their peers, especially since this is a difficult demographic to market to. Brands need to discover new and unique ways to target this group in order to be successful with them.

Welcome!

2006-02-14T13:49:00.000-08:00

Hi and welcome to my blog, Marketing to College Students! This blog is for my Audience Research class, in which each student is making a blog concerning a different current communications issue or trend. If you walk around a college campus, you notice that college students are up with the latest trends and styles. College students are a unique demographic that possess a lot of spending power. Different medium need to be used to reach college students in the most effective manner possible. The common forms of advertising including television, newspaper, magazine, and direct mail do not always work for this demographic. My blog is going to cover some general information, the latest trends, as well as brands that focus on marketing to college students. Additionally, when I come across articles or websites concerning the topic, I will post about them. Thanks for checking out my blog and enjoy!