Surprising Facts About College Consumers You Can’t Afford to Miss
College Explorer Series™
College students make up an ever-changing consumer community that cannot be ignored. With almost 13 million undergraduate students in the U.S., with a purchasing power of $376 Billion annually, brands would be remiss to not cater college marketing campaigns to these entry point consumers.
For our annual College Explorer Series™ research study, Refuel Agency collects and curates detailed data from college students nationwide to help our clients
authentically decode and engage with today’s fickle, yet vital college consumers.
College students represent an important demographic in today’s consumer
base. Refuel Agency not only aggregates research data specific to this group, but also utilizes these learnings to build both online and on-campus marketing strategies for brands across the US.
Key findings from this year’s college market study:
On Campus Marketing Is a Huge Opportunity
Students spend nearly 70% of their waking hours on campus, whether they live in on-campus housing or not, but over 75% of students live on or near campus full-time. Out-of-Home college marketing campaigns speak to students during this time and have been proven to be an effective brand building strategy.
College Students Represent a Huge Spending Segment
Undergrad students have annual discretionary spending of over $130 Billion.
Students Still Shop In-Store
Contrary to popular assumption, most students report shopping in brick and
mortar stores frequently.
Students Actively Engage with Varied Media
Students actively engage with various media types, including on-campus
out-of-home media, social media campaigns, and online videos.
About Jeff Miller
VP, Integrated Solutions
Jeff oversees the college and youth division at Refuel Agency. With his comprehensive understanding of this attractive consumer audience and extensive marketing experience, Jeff brings strategic, insight-driven thinking and unparalleled enthusiasm to decoding and engaging these consumers on behalf of his clients and the Refuel team.
About Refuel Agency
Refuel Agency is a leading marketing firm connecting a wide range of brands with niche consumer segments through scalable and impactful media and promotions solutions. With decades of expertise serving youth, multicultural, military, and local audiences, Refuel Agency deploys brand campaigns that speak to these consumers in their world throughout their day. The business was
formerly a central part of Alloy Media and Marketing Corporation. Refuel Agency has locations nationwide, with headquarters in New York City and
offices in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, CA, and Princeton, NJ
