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Guide · Student campaigns

How to market to students: where to find them and when.

A marketing strategy to attract students comes down to three decisions: which students, where they spend their time and which weeks of the year they're paying attention. This guide works through each one for brands reaching students already at university or college.

7 min read7 steps6 checks
Leafleting team in matching kit for the Uniqlo store opening in Oxford
Write one sentence describing the student you want and the moment you want to reach them. It will decide the universities, the places and the dates far faster than a list of every campus in the country.The one thing to remember

Start here

Which students, where and when.

From the student you want to the mix of places that reaches them. Follow the line; tap any point to read it.

Starbucks chilled classics sampling team with students at a branded counter
01Step 1 of 7
Rollover brand ambassador in a bucket hat and sunglasses at a freshers stand

Decide which students you want

"Students" covers very different people.

  1. Freshers
  2. First weeks of term
  3. Halloween
  4. Student finance lands
  5. Exam season
  6. Summer exodus
Key pointWrite one sentence describing the student you want and the moment you want to reach them. It will decide the universities, the places and the dates far faster than a list of every campus in the country.
02Step 2 of 7
Rollover brand ambassador in a yellow T-shirt at a freshers stand on campus

On campus and at the freshers fair

Campus puts the most students in one place, and the students' union is often its centre.

  • A game
  • A hot sample
  • A prize draw
  • A demonstration
03Step 3 of 7
Marks & Spencer leaflet distribution staff member in a branded apron on a street

Just off campus and on the routes in

A few metres outside the main entrances, you reach the same students without booking campus space.

  • Leaflets
  • Samples
  • Vouchers
  • Quick sign-ups
04Step 4 of 7
Popeyes brand ambassador beside a spin to win prize wheel

Student neighbourhoods, housing and the doorstep

Most university cities have streets where nearly every house is a student let, served by takeaways, convenience stores and bars.

  • Evenings
  • Weekends
  • Outside exam weeks
05Step 5 of 7
Brand ambassador behind a Kopparberg bar at a Strathclyde Student Union freshers night in Glasgow

Nights out and the student calendar

Term-time student nights bring an almost entirely student crowd into a few venues, most nights of the week.

  1. Freshers
  2. Halloween
  3. First weekend back
  4. Student finance week
06Step 6 of 7
Sampling staff at the Boost Iced Coffee Stop

Guide: Reaching Students: Ideas that earn student attention

Students are offered a lot of free things, so the ideas that work are the ones that are useful, social or fun.

  • Useful
  • Social
  • Fun
07Step 7 of 7
Rollover brand ambassador beside a freshers week stand on the student tour

Choosing the mix and measuring it

Most student campaigns combine two or three settings: campus for reach, the streets around it for repeat sightings, and a night-time element where the product suits it.

  1. Campusfor reach
  2. The streets around itfor repeat sightings
  3. A night-time elementwhere the product suits it

Checklist

Before you choose locations.

Ready to plan.

Rollover sampling staff member behind a branded freshers week stand

The mix

Which place suits what.

Five settings for a student campaign, what each suits and what to watch for.

PlaceSuitsWatch for
On campusStands, demonstrations, games, sign-upsSpace booked ahead; fair days are crowded
Just off campusLeaflets, samples, vouchersNo fixed pitch, so the team keeps moving
Student streetsLonger conversations, local offersFootfall peaks at set times
Student housingWeekend street activity nearbyHalls and blocks are private property
Nights outDrinks, late food, competitionsGo early; check age rules

Common questions

Student marketing, answered.

When is the best time to market to students?

Freshers and the first weeks of each term, when routines are forming, plus Halloween and the weeks student finance arrives. Avoid exam periods and the summer, when many students have left town.

Can we promote in halls of residence?

Only with written permission from the owner. Halls and purpose-built student blocks are private property and most don't allow promotional activity, so work the streets and transport routes around them.

Do we need permission to promote on campus?

Yes. Campus space and freshers fair pitches are booked through the students' union or the university. Activity on public streets just off campus may need council permission depending on the area.

Is the freshers fair worth it?

It gives the biggest crowd of the year but the most competition. It works best with something to do on the stand and a follow-up visit later in the term.

How do we measure a student campaign?

Give every location a trackable next step, such as a unique code, a sign-up form or an app download link, and compare results by place and time.

Should we use students to run the activity?

Often, yes. Students know where their peers spend time and talk to them naturally, as long as they are briefed on the product and the rules of each site.

Leaflet distribution outside the University of Manchester

Further reading

How to plan a student marketing campaign

How to plan a student campaign step by step, from the brief and the calendar to the team on campus.

Read the guide →

Staffing a student campaign?

Teams for campus, streets and nights out.

EXECUTIONAL supplies the people behind student campaigns at universities and colleges across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: freshers fair teams, street teams and sampling teams, briefed on your offer and managed on the day. See our student marketing staff for what we cover.

Ask for a quote →