Some great marketing tips for companies who wish to advertise to college and university students. This was written from the view point of a current student, and focuses on what she thinks would be most effective when marketing to her peers. Great marketing ideas from Brand Innovation.

1. Effective Marketing to Students
Are you looking for ideas for giveaways in South Africa? As a student on campus
during an open day, l've eagerly joined a line, hoping to get my hands on some free
giveaways.
Marketing to university students
The most popular freebees usually received range from;
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sticky notes
free rulers
coffee mugs
flash drives
pens
water bottles
All these gifts serve as a great way for companies to keep their name branded in any
students mind.
The key to getting your brand out, is providing a gift that will provide a long term
branding effect. The above mentioned marketing products are generally targeted
for mainly an academic environment.
As great as the above mentioned gifts are, the more practical the gift and the more

2. usage it provides in everyday living, the bigger the chance of getting your name seen
by a variety of people.
Free gifts should not only be targeted at students for their academic work, but should
expand to their social lives too.
This is why a great lecture bag (can be used for a variety of things not only lectures),
a keyring, and even a cellphone cover, are great ways to get your companies brand
across, without limiting itself to the academic world only.
Students have lives outside their academic lives, which is why their usage of
these free giveaways, should range beyond their academic lives too.
New gift ideas include:
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Lecture bags
laptop/notebook/ipad covers
cell phone covers
keyrings
diaries
notebooks
calendars
• Lecture bags for girls
When it comes to lecture bags, from a girls perspective, bigger is better.
There is nothing more frustrating than having to squeeze things into a tiny bag,
particularly in rushed situations. In addition to having all our books and stationary,
girls need to have space for various other things too.
Most girls today make sure they never leave the house with a bottle of water, odds
and ends for makeup reapplication, as well as other bits and bobbles essential in
every girls life.
Colour tones should generally be neutral, like black , baige or brown , for a quick
change from lecture to a handbag.
A bag should also have various compartments for all the separate things it is used
for storing.
For instance, a small pocket for parking tickets and car keys, to reduce time wasted
on looking for small things.
• Lecture bags for boys
In a boys world, less is generally best.
From personal experience boys either have only the book they need for their
lectures, or a very small and simple bag, easy to carry and chuck in their boot if need
be. A simple book bag with a branded logo will work perfectly.

3. • laptop/notebook/ipad covers
University students love a lifestyle filled with notebooks, notepads and the iPad.
With this new craze comes the need to have the most fashionable accessory, which
is why businesses' should use this as an opportunity to get their brand out.
Cover's ranging from leather, to bright and funky patterns are popular amongst
students.
The demand will only expand as the world is continually adapting towards a world
filled with these types of products.
• Cellphone covers
In a world of smartphones, a cover needs to be many things. I
t needs to fill its protecting purpose, as well as maintain its slim shape.
As great as these smartphones are, unbreakable they are not.
Which is why everyone owning a smartphone, ownes a protective cover too.
The problem with many covers are that they are seen as too bulky.
Most students want their phones to be protected, but they still want their phone to
look sleek.
Which is why cellphone covers should remain slick as well as protective.
• Keyrings
A keyring is something every student will find the need for.
Being away from home, most students have a million keys for their houses, lockers,
bags and of course, their cars.
A complimentary keyring will be always be used and should therefore remain simple
and ready to be switched around to various sets of keys.
• Diaries/Notebooks

4. Every student needs a diary!
Whether it be for copying down their timetable, remembering their homework
assignments or even noting down important dates.
A5 diaries are generally the most popular and can fit easily in to a variety of lecture
bags.
• Calenders
Being a student, you never stop socializing and attending events as well as meeting
new people all the time.
In order to balance their social and academic lives, it is important for students to
remain organized and write everything down!!
Businesses should use this to their benefit and provide calendars as an
organizational tool for students and if the calendar is any good,
the customers will be sure to come back for another every year.
Marketing products for students - Summary
The main companies advertising their services on such days, are usually
accountancy and financial firms. Marketing products are therefore targeted at
students in those faculties. This is a limited strategy by any company in my opinion.
As a non-bachelor of commerce student, I feel various companies are missing out by
advertising for these students alone. There are thousands of students in other
faculties, who are not encouraged to attend these pop up stores as they do not form
part of this specific niche. Companies should branch out to all faculties in the
University, which could enhance their image amongst a broad range of users and not
only a limited range of students.

5. This article was written by Lara West – Brand Innovation
www.brandinnovation.co.za is a premier supplier of marketing products in South
Africa.