Your ultimate back to school marketing guide: Boost sales and engage students

Here we are, already talking about back to school marketing. We know. It’s tiresome.

And yet, every year, students think of new ways to surprise us and keep us on our toes.

And for marketers, that means revisiting marketing campaigns. It means finding new ways to target students during freshers and using data to better understand your target audience.

In this guide, we’ll provide you with everything you need to know about the freshers season. We’ll discuss why this is such an important time for marketers, dissect student spending habits, and share our marketing tips for engaging students ahead of this all-important time. Naturally, there’ll be some case studies along the way too.

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s head back to school…

What is the back to school period?

The back to school period doesn’t just cover the couple of weeks leading up to students’ return to (or start of) college: in fact, the majority of young people do their shopping in the months leading up to the start of the school year.

In the US, shopping can start well before August, with 46% of students looking to secure their back to school supplies well before then (although most – 31% – will start in early August). And with a later kickoff time for the freshers season in the UK, most start their spending in late August, with 24% starting their back to school shopping sprees then, and 22% starting in early September.

Brands: you should be targeting students the second this academic year ends in order to get your brand and products front of mind. There’s no time to lose!

Why is the back to school period important for marketers?

High excitement = high spending.

In fact, the 2024 season saw over $38B of spending in the US, while the average spend per household on supplies was nearly $900.

During the back to school season, thousands of young people will be actively seeking new products, experiences, and services to help them through this new phase of life. They’ll be spending time in their student unions and keen to find the best deals. And that’s where you come in.

This is a time that decides students’ preferences and consumption habits, often shaping their spending behaviors and brand loyalty well into the future: 65% of students said they’re likely to remain loyal to a brand they discover during the freshers period.

For marketers, this makes it an invaluable period to get your brand front of mind.

But, it’s not that easy. Competition is fierce and money is tight. Marketing strategies need to stand out against some pretty powerful competition.

How does Gen Z feel about going back to school in 2024?

This is a hugely important time for students. It’s a time for meeting people, returning to the structure of academic life, and celebrating newfound freedom as many move away from home for the first time.

But, much like putting their first wash on, they can’t do it alone. Students will be turning to brands for support, new products, and exciting experiences to help them make the most of their time at university.

Student spending habits

How will students shop back to school deals in 2025?

So, we know inflation is gripping the UK and US, but, good news: students are still spending. “We’re Gen Z college students”, says student Karissa, “we say we don’t have money but we’re easily influenced and always ready to consume.”

Pion data revealed that the majority of young people will be using their income from employment – 43% in the UK and 50% in the US will use their part-time jobs to finance their spending – as well as diving into their savings.

Interestingly, Buy Now Pay Later schemes are losing favor with Gen Z – last year, nearly 20% of students in the US used BNPL. This year, only 5% plan to do so.

Meanwhile, parental support is stepping up a gear, with 28% in the US and 33% in the UK hoping to financially rely on their parents during the season.

What will students be spending their money on this year?

Generally, the most popular sectors among students for 2025 spending will be school supplies, clothes, and accessories (securing those back to school outfits continues to be of paramount importance), and food and drink (getting their health kicks before freshers’ flu begins).

Perhaps no surprises there, but one to be aware of – after all, knowing what students want to buy will help you shape your back to school sales and offers.

We asked students: What items do you typically spend the most of during freshers and back to school?

• School supplies (75% US, 55% UK)
• Clothing and accessories (67% US, 68% UK)
• Electronics (45% US, 36% UK)
• Food and beverages (41% US, 50% UK)
• Beauty and skincare (28% US, 23% UK)
• Software and subscriptions (22% US, 13% UK)
• Furniture/home decor (20% US, 23% UK)
• Entertainment (19% US, 16% UK)
• Socializing (12% US, 32% UK)

How to engage students this freshers season

In this section, we look at leading student marketing trends you need to be aware of and share our top tips on how to run a successful campaign.

1. Freshers fairs

You may have heard rumors that freshers fairs, or welcome weeks, are on the decline. That students no longer want to meet IRL and would rather start their university experience online.

Well, spoiler alert: those rumors are false. In fact, IRL is more popular than ever before, and 57% of UK students say fun and engaging experiences during freshers would make them more likely to recommend a brand to a friend.

From freshers fairs (famously popular places to meet other students and join societies) to exciting student ambassador programs, 2025 is the year of experiential.

We asked students: What kind of events would make you excited to attend something hosted by a brand during back to school/freshers?

• Fun social events, e.g. parties or meet ups (57% US, 16% UK)
• Health and wellness events (e.g. fitness class) (56% US, 49% UK)
• Creative workshops (54% US, 47% UK)
• Career advice or job-related (48% US, 39% UK)
• Tech-related events (32% US, 28% UK)

So we know what, but why? What is it they’re after, and how can you step up?

Unsurprisingly, freebies and samples were the number one driver for students to attend brand events during freshers (82% in the UK and 78% US). 74% in the US (69% UK) like these events as an opportunity to use discounts and offers, and 51% in the US think it’s something fun and different to do.

So, to summarize: spend, save, socialize.

2. Routine is key

After a summer of fun, many students look forward to returning to the rhythm of campus life, structure, and security.

We know – if we had two months off, we wouldn’t be complaining, either.

With this in mind, don’t be afraid to start your campaigns as soon as possible: students won’t hate you for it! In fact, they’ll appreciate the structure for future-them.

3. Back to school deals

Money is tight but students are eager to spend, so discounts are vital if you still want to capture their spend. And this won’t just help you with freshers sales, but will drive loyalty too: 83% of students in the UK and 86% in the US say high-quality discounts would make them recommend a brand to a friend, and 85% of Gen Z would be more likely to shop with a brand if they offered a student or young person’s discount.

And the best way to do that? With a trusted provider, of course (think Pion’s student discount platform, Student Beans): 77% of students in the UK and 73% in the US say that partnering with a student discount provider would increase their trust in a brand during Freshers.

4. Let Gen Z plan their spending

With competition high and money in the bank low, young people want to be able to plan out their spending in order to make savvy decisions.

By giving them plenty of notice regarding what’s going to be discounted and when, you’ll not only stand out, but you’ll earn their trust and spending, too.

5. Work with creators

Creators: they’re authentic, creative, and guaranteed to connect with student shoppers. In fact, 57% of students in the US trust content shared by influencers and creators over the back to school period.

But the beauty of a creator lies in their niche – their topic of interest that inspires and engages their dedicated communities. To tap into this, you need to understand it. So, we asked students: What types of influencers and creators do you enjoy following during freshers/back to school?

• Relatable student creators (54% US, 42% UK)
• Lifestyle influencers (37% US, 31% UK)
• Study-related creators (34% US, 24% UK)
• Fashion and beauty creators (31% US, 23% UK)
• Fitness and wellness influencers (29% US, 25% UK)
• Tech and gaming influencers (17% US, 16% UK)

In terms of what students want creators to promote when talking about back to school, the overwhelming majority wanted BTS access: 84% in the UK and 82% in the US wanted them to be honest and genuine about their experiences. Discounts, deals, and giveaways were also popular, and 43% in the US (38% UK) want content that feels relevant to student life.

7. Create bespoke pages with deals

We’ve established that students love a bargain, but making your bargain stand out ahead of a busy freshers week is a whole new ball game.

Creating shopping hubs or bundling popular, must-have items together is the trick to grabbing their attention. That way, they can secure the item they know they want, while also discovering the item they didn’t know they wanted…

Case study: Pion x Papier

Already one of the leading stationery brands in the UK, Papier wanted to raise the bar during the back to school season.

As part of their annual plan with Pion, they ran a full funnel package to promote the brand during the freshers spending period.

And the results speak for themselves:

• 18% YoY increase in revenue
• 72% increase in revenue during the 60 days of freshers compared to the 60 days before

Key takeaways

• The back to school season is a time that decides students’ preferences and consumption habits, often shaping their spending behaviors and brand loyalty well into the future. Whether it’s filling their baskets with back to school clothes or sampling a wide range of free foods, this is the time to connect with them.
• Students don’t just want to see your brand, they want to experience it. Working with student ambassadors, holding experiential events, and running IRL activations will help you stand out from the crowd and capture their attention.
• Money is tight and students are desperate. Students will be cutting down on spending due to high inflation and the rising cost-of-living, so discounts are vital if you still want to capture their spend.

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We are Pion: Your ticket to next-level growth

At Pion, we help brands harness the growth-driving power of consumer groups with full-funnel insights, advertising and verification. Our ecosystem of solutions helps expand your brand’s customer base and supercharge sales.

Since 2005, we’ve uniquely built our expertise to help brands better understand, engage and grow loyalty with students, Gen Z, and other strategic consumer groups. From initial insight through to targeted promotion, our solutions drive growth on the right platforms, in the right ways – all to take your business to new heights.

Understand, engage and grow with a single partner. You’re in good company. We’re trusted by over 1,000 brands in more than 100 countries.

Want to know more? Get in touch with the Pion team today to discuss your student marketing goals and find the solution to fit your brand.

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