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Brands Are Popping Up On College Campuses
Transferring in // Illustration by Kate Walker
Consumer brands are heading back to college, looking to find new customers, spark organic marketing, and embed themselves in campus culture.
Why It Hits: This new wave of university marketing marks a graduation from the recent NIL-deal boom that funneled hundreds of millions into college sports. By leaning on student ambassadors and IRL activations, brands hope to build loyalty that rivals the alma mater itself — or at least go viral on social media.
Behind The Campuses: Brands really want to be popular, The Business of Fashion reports.
Urban Outfitters is hosting the second edition of its “UO Live” back-to-school parties at campuses in Tennessee, Colorado, and Arizona, featuring performances by Yung Gravy and Rebecca Black.
Jewelry label Gorjana launched its “Sports Club” initiative at Arizona State University, gifting every female student athlete and spirit squad member gift cards and “free rein to create content about their visit to one of its Arizona stores.”
Pacsun and Faherty are hosting tailgate parties during college football games, and Hollister is taking it a step further with a full-season takeover of the University of Texas at Austin’s stadium.
LoveShackFancy’s viral sorority house competition, which led to a full-property makeover by Pottery Barn, was so successful that the brand launched an ambassador program called “College Besties.”
Final Test: So far, these campaigns are passing with flying colors. For instance, revenue from Gorjana’s new product catalog is up 35% from last year — prompting the brand to boost its digital ad spend on user-generated content from 5% to 30%.
But since college only lasts four years, brands want to maximize their student ambassadors’ impact. Case in point: Pacsun is already scouting incoming freshmen who could make strong brand reps. That’s a whole new kind of early admission.
Next Semester: How soon until a brand launches a student-loan sponsorship? That’ll be The Hunger Games of higher education.
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Today’s email was written by David Vendrell.
Edited by Nick Comney. Polled and Copy-edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar.