Businesses Marketing on College Campuses

In this blog post I would like to talk about marketing on campus universities. While I was an undergraduate at UCLA, I noticed an incredible amount of various companies that marketed on campus. Whether it were by posting flyers all over campus, or having company tents with representatives set up along our “Bruin Walk,” companies always managed to find a way into the view of the tens of thousands of college students that walked through campus on a daily basis. During different seasons of the year, the marketing rush seemed to vary. It was definitely more prominent than others.

            I not only noticed the assortment of marketing strategies and presence on campus by various businesses, but I also observed student reactions.  Personally, being as busy as I was, all of the companies and offers etc… really began to become a blur after a while. Unless a company was online giving free burgers, like In & Out Burgers would do yearly, or free things like shirts or supplies, my attention was always easily distracted by my tasks at hand and business I needed to attend to. I saw this to be a reaction many of the students on campus had. If a company was offering something free, they were sure to gather the most attention, and in the end the most contract information from students.

An article called “Building a Buzz on campus” on Boston.com highlights that “College students have long been prime targets of corporate marketing because as they shop for themselves for the first time, they are poised to form brand loyalties.” This is very interesting. This train of thinking is used within the same realm of reasoning credit card companies’ use when marketing for college students’ attention. Really, all companies can be seen doing this. Companies push hard to gain the interest of the college generation for hopes they will gain lifelong customers. Living on my college campus, daily I was made to feel like I was a “prime” target.  “Building a Buzz on Campus,” also goes to highlight that marketers have their work cut out for them while on campuses because students really follow social media trends and also what their peers like primarily. I definitely agree that it is hard to really succeed at having someone try a product or join a group, etc… when being marketed to on campus unless the company relates to something the college student was previously drawn to or interested in, or perhaps deals with aiding their future aspirations in some way.

Sources cited:

http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2005/10/24/building_a_buzz_on_campus/?page=full

Photo:

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDi7O2_2xOTIverkKnwUusl4ReFPaQmgrtghJXxpv-0uWC3FlvIlBCAsxgToRc2-E7mTQLYi4423tOhNSrNUug4ZH07DA2nTJrVXfUD5SLJuIPI4nUMgINGwkAtpmnoOEl4gaYSE_chA/s1600/marketing+strategy1.jpg

Social Media

This week I would like to write a blog about social media and the dependency on it that continues to grow, much beyond it’s already close to a billion membered groups of followers and participants. Social media has become more than just social media—it has become an outlet for almost everything and anything you can think of. Social media wears the hat not only of a marketer, advertiser, game provider, consumer electronic seller, fashion trend creator, but hundreds of other hats also.  Social media has become an accessory to other habits such as watching television, and listening to music. It is a staple for many to keep in contact with friends and family. But some would argue “we” as a people are letting social media go too far. That we are letting social media replace things that should not be replaced such as hand written letters and simple phone calls.  Do you agree?

I definitely think that social media has become somewhat of a household staple (if you will) to the masses. Not only are children and businesses using it, but mothers and grandfathers are also using it as well, and very frequently. Social media as a whole has moved beyond the “fad” stage, and has become somewhat of a lifestyle.  Alex Priest in “Facebook Dies, Twitter Freaks Out, and We Realize Our Social Media Dependence,” highlights a time when Facebook was down and the response the public over the Internet reacted. It illustrated a direct addiction type of behavior with social media. This addictive nature is what is creating somewhat as an uncomforting energy in society towards excessive social media, but I think that is soon to fade away. Over time the stamp of social media will become more and more bold. There is no stopping it.

And in regards to businesses and social media, there certainly is no way around not only participating in social media, but there is also  no way around needing it. Because of the lack of privacy, some businesses have strayed from being involved with social media. I do not think this is smart. What social media represents today means that no businesses owners especially can afford to not participate in social media.  “Tapping into Social Media Smarts” by Terri Griffith even encourages business owners to encourage social media participation with it’s own employees. This is an extremely new age idea, but as explained it is important to be open.  If everyone keeps social media as the background to daily living, and even business running, I think all will be ok. 

Griffith, Terri. “Tapping into Social Media Smarts.” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703518704576259252907505330.html

Preist, Alex. “Facebook Dies, Twitter Freaks Out, and We Realize Our Social Media Dependence.”

http://technorati.com/social-media/article/facebook-dies-twitter-freaks-out-and1/