Ah, shopping szn. The ultimate bargain holiday which has landed straight in the middle of Term 1 – and captured the heart of student consumer culture.
From “girl mathing” their way through ASOS reductions to compiling Black Friday finds on their Tiktok, 79.2% of UK students are gearing up to spend £1.2 billion this Black Friday.
Want to make sure your brand lands on their shopping hotlist? Read on to discover 3 ways to capture the attention of the youth market this shopping szn and beyond.
Amplifying your deals with digital media 📣
Sure , Gen Z students head to campus for their lectures and seminars – but that’s just the start.
From cramming in a last- minute assignment in the library, going for a sweet treat with your besties, or taking part in society activities, Gen Z students now spend an average of 18.4 hours on campus per week.
So why not make the most of it?
On-campus media ensures your deals hit students at the right time, in the right place.
Whether your brand is showcasing an exclusive student discount, counting down to your Black Friday event, or offering a QR code to sign up for pre-sale access, 71% of consumers say out of home advertising grabs their attention, while 83% can recall the content they’ve seen.
With access to over 120+ media spaces, we can help turn passive moments into active engagement this shopping szn.
Utilising the reach of in-person experiences 🫴
Let’s be honest – financial independence can be tough for students – especially around festive szn.
Between the cost of travelling home, participating in secret santa within clubs and societies, and of course, coughing up for the dreaded winter heating bill, it can be a lot!
And with their funds having shrunk since September, students are not simply spending on what they want the moment they think of it; instead, they’re being extremely deliberate with who gets their pennies, and when.
This is where campus activations come into play.
From live product demos in the student union to giving the students a chance to win product samples outside their halls, our research shows that 86.4% of students are eager to discover new Black Friday products on campus.
Why? Because students value transparency, and there’s no better way to start a customer journey than letting them experience your product first-hand. In fact, our research shows that 48% of students who engage with an in-person experience will go on to make a purchase.
With access to over 75+ uni campuses across the UK, we can help get your shopping szn deals in front of students, no matter where they are.
Harnessing the power of UGC 💪
The holiday shopping frenzy starts ahead of Black Friday, but with native research showing that over ⅓ of student shoppers are researching and planning their splurges in early November – many purchase decisions are still up in the air.
But the good news? 9 in 10 shoppers are willing to reconsider and purchase items they were previously hesitant about.
User Generated Content (UGC) has entered the chat.
Created by consumers for consumers, UGC is unfiltered, low-fi, peer-driven content – like product demos, unboxings and try on hauls – that showcases products or services via real-life testimonials.
So whether your brand is attempting to show-off a limited-time shopping szn offer or sway customers towards your new ‘dupe’ product, UGCcan help restore the customer confidence often lost during peak sale szn.
Why? Because native research shows that 47% of student shoppers are more likely to buy from your brand if it appears trustworthy, while another 58% are more likely to purchase if your products are high quality – So grab that camera, and hit record!
Not sure where to start? Our network of 70+ native brand ambassadors can help create the social proof needed to validate and secure those last-minute conversions.
Ready to tap into the buying power of Gen Z? Let’s make your brand top of their wishlist this #BFCM. Speak with a student media expert and book your package today.