Topics: Campus Media
It may seem strange to be talking about college back-to-school advertising for fall when spring has just begun, but there’s no time like the present. Student preparations and purchasing begin months in advance, and so should yours. Learn why college back-to-school advertising is important for any organization targeting this demographic.
College back-to-school advertising basics:
The back-to-school season is a prime advertising time for businesses targeting college students (and their parents). Whether young adults are preparing to head back to campus or step foot on campus for the first time, they’re a fertile advertising field.
Back-to-school advertising is a year-round effort, not a short-term commitment. To maximize ROI, brand awareness, trust, and loyalty must be formed before back-to-school shopping begins.
“Luck is where opportunity meets preparation.”
– SENECA
The benefits of college back-to-school-advertising:
From increased brand awareness and loyalty to driving traffic, engagement, and sales, there are a host of reasons to include college back-to-school advertising in your marketing mix.
Perhaps most importantly, this tactic allows you to multiply your impressions without increasing your cost. With the influx of students on college campuses at the start of each semester, the area population nearly triples in a short period. In fact, the back-to-school season offers the potential to reach more than 15 million college students (and their families).
+ Learn how to advertise on campus.
On-campus college students are captive buyers. This important audience will see your ad every morning as they walk to class, every afternoon on their way to work, and every night on their way to dinner or the dorm.
Back-to-school shoppers equal long-term consumers with plenty of money to spend. College students collectively have $593 billion available to spend annually, and it doesn’t all go to tuition and rent. Much of it is used for food, alcohol, entertainment, and other personal expenses. Retailers rake in dollars during back-to-school and college shopping. Back-to-school shopping brings in an estimated $68 billion in a few weeks and back-to-school advertising campaigns contribute more than 15% of annual retail sales.
+ Overcome common roadblocks when advertising to students.
The college years are prime time for brands to get in on the ground floor, create connections with this audience, present solutions to their challenges, and build brand trust and loyalty. Every year, millions of college students graduate and begin professional jobs, earning more money than they ever have before. In fact, the average median earnings of a young adult with a bachelor’s degree is $60,000. You can rest assured that a properly designed and well-run college back-to-school advertising campaign is a wise investment.
Do you need information on how to run a successful college back-to-school advertising campaign? See our complete guide to advertising to university students.
Editor's Note: This post has been fully updated as of April 2024.
Here at MSS Media, Inc., we’ve been providing Education, Government, Real Estate & Lifestyle clients with succinct, optimized, and successful marketing solutions for more than 15 years. Consider MSS Media, Inc. a full-service, one-stop shop for all your Media and Public Relations needs. Your goals are our motivation. And our mission is to propel your message, further and faster, to achieve the outcomes you’re looking for. If you found this blog post helpful, please share!
