This thesis will aim to examine the ways in which university students can best be reached through marketing efforts. Through the use of quantitative and qualitative data, this thesis was an attempt to uncover valuable insights into the minds of the college consumer, and determine how best to direct marketing efforts. This thesis addressed topics such as social media consumption, brand interactions, online shopping, consumer behavior patterns,.
The researcher discovered that students experience a shift in what they value in brands and products. Although popular and trendy products and brands are significantly appreciated at the beginning of student life. These insights were among many others that came to light during this dissertation research.
It is the time in life when an individual strengthens their faith in the world and decides what they want their role to be in life. One of the aims of this thesis is to prove or disprove the hypothesis that consumers – specifically university students – are increasingly allowing products, brands and companies to play a greater role in their everyday lives.
COLLEGE STUDENT CONSUMERS
The increasing online presence of students (and young people in general) is great news for the marketing industry. Young people of all stripes have embraced the age of self-promotion and are spending a lot of time, effort and concern to create the perfect picture of their lives on social media. What if marketers could harness this power and match social media users with their favorite brands and products.
The ability to personalize social media ads is one of the biggest opportunities marketers have seen in years, and it's all thanks to people's willingness to give up their personal information to have an online presence. A survey of college students found that the majority of students freely reveal personal information on social networking sites – from relationship statuses to political views and interests. In an article published by Forbes, the writer outlined six benefits of social media marketing.
The common denominator in these factors is that in some way they are all part of the concept of customer relationship management (CRM). In fact, 60 percent of college student participants were in the habit of reading hang tags on items.
QUANTITATIVE DATA
Only a scant 1% of respondents said they often use social media to post a status, picture, or tweet about their favorite product, brand, or company (see Figure A-8). Almost half (47%) of respondents said their social media behavior is motivated by being a fan of a brand or product. In addition, 82% of participants indicated that they follow at least one of their favorite brands, products or companies on social media.
Only a quarter of participants (25%) responded that they 'occasionally' posted a message, photo, status or tweet on social media about a product, brand or company, and only 1%. As academic classification progresses, students are also less likely to make an online purchase as a result of an advertisement or social media post. In addition, respondents who made an online purchase in response to an advertisement or social media post said they were more willing to try new things every now and then.
However, women are more likely to make a purchase when they see an advertisement or post on social media. More than half (51%) of participants indicate that they use a discount voucher or promotion at least once a month.
QUALITATIVE DATA
The findings from the qualitative data matched the findings from the quantitative data very well. BRAND LOYALTY AND SIGNIFICANT BRAND OR PRODUCT QUALITIES From the interviews, the researcher found that students are very brand loyal to "bigger" or specific products such as Apple products, Levi Jeans, and Patagonia or North Face jackets. One interviewee, a senior managing director, had the following to say about his high level of brand loyalty: “I think I'm very loyal to the brand.
When asked about trying new brands and products, the second-year exercise studies interviewee said, "It's easier to buy what I know works." Although the interviews show that student consumers are often brand loyal, they are occasionally still open to new products if they are highly recommended by friends. Information from the interviews showed that word of mouth is the best way for students to learn about new products and brands.
However, data from the interviews suggest that this pressure to conform to popular styles diminishes during a student's time in college. Speaking about purchases he has made in the past, Joe said: “I bought them because they are products that I know will last me a long time; they are worth investing in.”. Interviewees expressed that they were best friends, but then TV and online had the most impact.
One student said, "If I'm in the store, it's going to be more of an impulse buy, and if it's online, it's going to be more of a thought out decision." Another student said something similar about ads being most effective when you can take advantage of them. Perhaps the most detailed answer on what type of advertising works best was from the first year interviewee. Marquita, a sophomore biology major, said, "I'd rather buy makeup from a friend than go to Belk to buy it." Another interviewee said: "I think it's very effective as long as they get their name without being annoying." But while some
Josh, an international studies junior said, “I think it's terribly ineffective for companies...they're not picking people who are actually targeting the company, so they're probably not growing the company's following...it's a lost resource... a campus representative will associate with a group of like-minded people who are most likely already buying that item.” Another interviewee talked about the success of brand reps, saying she thought it "depends a lot on the availability of the product," citing Advocare and ItWorks as products that are widely available. When discussing Coca Cola's visit to Ole Miss, Joe said: “Coca Cola is a great example of such a brand name and you are allowing people to personalize it.
IMPLICATIONS
On a broader level, one can be sure that University of Mississippi students do not perfectly represent all college student consumers. The researcher wants to know if the trends seen in college student consumers at the University of Mississippi are unique to the region or if college student consumers are fairly similar across the country. The purpose of this research was to discover trends and patterns in college students' consumer behavior during their undergraduate years.
The survey data collected served as easily measurable information about the college student consumers, and the in-depth interviews conducted were excellent exploratory conversations that led to wonderful insights. Findings from the survey indicated that many students still use social media regularly, but brand and product interactions on social media are declining and appear to be less effective overall. The survey data also suggested that college-aged consumers are brand loyal when it comes to larger, riskier purchases.
In order for a student to try a new brand or product, it generally needs to be highly recommended by a few friends. The results of the qualitative research showed that students complete the transition during their university studies. In addition, non-traditional forms of marketing such as on-campus brand ambassadors, on-campus promotional events, and guerilla marketing approaches seem to capture the attention of student consumers.
How often do you post a status, photo or tweet on social media about a product, brand or company. Some people follow or like some of their favorite products, brands or companies on social media. How many of your favorite products, brands or companies do you follow on social media?
What are your reasons for following your favorite products, brands and companies on social media. Have you ever made an online purchase because of an ad or post you saw on social media. Do you follow or like any of your favorite companies, products or brands on your social media accounts.
When you shop, do you usually stick to brands or products you already know and like? How much do you think your friends influence you on your product or brand preferences? Have you ever made an online purchase as a result of an ad or social media post?
Seventy-nine percent of large international companies use at least one social media platform to connect.
