STUDENTS – THE MOST IMPORTANT CONSUMER TARGET GROUP
STUBRAND is something new and unique for the marketing community. Students (young people at the age of 19-27 years) are one of the most important and influential demographics in society, on an economic level, as well on a societal level. They are key to numerous markets, from mobile, fashion and technology to alcohol, snack foods, entertainment and more. Highly social, open-minded, honest, aspirational and ambitious, students are full of energy and enthusiasm, exploring a life that surprises them every day.
Most students experience independence and living on their own for the first time during this stage and this is when they establish their first adult buying habits. The brand names and companies that they prefer identify their passions and have an impact on how these brands are perceived. Students also make a lot of decisions based on word of mouth and the choices of their peers. If a brand gains momentum and becomes popular with others, it is more likely that students will follow each other’s lead and latch onto it.
Students are important now, but there’s also the future to think about. By capturing their interest and commitment today, companies secure a relationship for life. They are likely to display brand loyalty for many years afterwards based on the choices that they make now.
Attract students loyalty today, and retains it forever!
PERCEPTION, OR IMAGE OF THE BRAND IS MOST IMPORTANT FOR LONG TERM BUSINESS SUCCESS!
The image of the brand, as one of its most important dimensions, explains what perceptions and associations exist in the minds and hearts of the target group customers. Today businesses don’t sell only quality and usefulness of the products, but also the PERCEPTION for its quality and usefulness. Perception can be created through personal use of products, promotional messages advertised on mass media, recommendations from peers, stereotypes, etc.
There is a very important connection between the positive perception or image of brands and the long-term profitability and business success. This especially applies for companies which main target groups are young generation customers, including students, who through the massive use of “Word of Mouse” communication through the Internet influence the creation of the perception or image of the brands in front of the whole public.
UNIQUE METHODOLOGY – NOT EVERY BRAND CAN BE A STUBRAND!
Every year, and in each country, we collate a list of hundreds brands that are relevant to the everyday lives of students (young people 19-27 years old), based on those they use, those who evidently market to them, those discussed in forums and social media, etc.
We also involve a council of marketing experts and exclusive set of opinion-makers, influencers and achievers from fashion, sport, music, advertising, PR, journalists, who help us to identify the shortlist brands.
Once the list of brands is agreed, it is down to students themselves to rank them. They can access the survey through the official STUBRAND’s web-site, the official STUBRAND’s Facebook page, as well as through banners and advertisements posted on popular student web-sites.
The survey had to be simple and user-friendly for the amount of data we were looking to collect. For each brand shown to the students, they could choose their feeling towards it: Love, Like, Neutral, Dislike, Hate or Don’t know. It was as simple as that: an instinctual, first emotional reaction when presented with the brand name in front of them. Only brands which enjoy positive image of 50% and above (Love+Like percentage) are qualified to be STUBRANDs for the particular year.
