Research announced this week by Redbus Media, a specialist UK Out-of-Home media owner, has shown that there is a substantial opportunity to reach and market to students as they head to university this September.
James Lane, Managing Director at Redbus Media told us “In what will be a return like no other to universities this September, advertisers have a real opportunity to capture the attention of a typically hard-to-reach audience on campuses across the UK. As the start of term kicks off, footfall is expected to be up across campuses, and students will be channelling a positive state of mind, fuelled by the prospect of new relationships and environments. Pair this with student loans coming in and a fresh intake of newly independent adults seeking out new products, services and experiences, and you have the ideal opportunity for marketers.”
After a year of turbulence, the study reveals an overwhelming desire to return to normal as 80% of Students’ Unions plan to host a bigger or pre-COVID sized Freshers’ for incoming students and more than half look to host additional events for those who missed Freshers’ 2020.
Amongst students there is real buzz in the air as they gear up for these anticipated events, with 63% of students looking to socialise more this year, coupled with over half of respondents hoping to spend more time outdoors.
This appetite for social activity is encouraged by the widespread support for the UK vaccine roll-out, with 87% of students planning to get vaccinated ahead of the academic year – a 17% increase versus August 2020.
Jack Skeffington, Sales & Partnerships Coordinator, King’s College London Students’ Union “We are encouraged by this research, as it further supports the importance of Students’ Unions and the opportunity we present for marketers looking to reach a Gen Z audience. We’re really excited to welcome students back in September and our partnership with Redbus Media and the Eighteen-24 Network will play an important role as we look to engage our student community across campus.”
Redbus Media Group owns the UK’s largest on-campus advertising network, Eighteen-24 that reaches 18- to 24-year-olds through engaging digital advertising screens in universities across the UK. The team at Redbus has delivered impactful campaigns for brands including Microsoft, Spotify, Netflix, Amazon, Deliveroo and Coca-Cola.
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