Spring break marks the time of year that every college student is excited travel to a different town and lose all inhibitions with their best friends. There are several hot spot destinations for spring breakers, including Miami, Las Vegas, Lake Havasu, and Daytona Beach. However, the real question for the marketing world is what are big name companies like Coca-Cola, Malibu, and Axe doing at places like these? We will tell you, they've taken these spring break locations and turned them into the breeding grounds for cultivating meaningful and everlasting relationships with these college students
There are many terms for this kind of marketing, some call it spring break marketing while others call it college marketing. We call it genius. These big time companies spend over $75 million dollars just to market to college students during the break. We have analyzed some of the tactics that these companies are using and we hope that you enjoy them.
When it comes to spring break, even the most classic of classic marketing tools will work. Many of these companies organize promotional teams which deliver branding and marketing messages across towns. With the help of swag bags, contests, and other eye catching items, companies are able to reach thousands of college students during the week. This type of marketing tactic may seem outdated, but trust us when we say that this grassroots method really works.
Of course with any good marketing plan, social media is a must. However, most of these companies emphasize their use on Snapchat since 77% of college students us it daily. By utilizing Snapchat, companies are able to send out a mass media message that can reach thousands at once. By using Snapchat, companies can market promotions, contents, and swag bag distribution locations. This can cultivate a trusting relationship between brand and student.
It isn’t a secret that most college students leave for Spring Break with the intention of having some fun and going to parties. Many of these companies will sponsor several celebrity events. With the help of these celebrity events, companies are able to gain a greater traction because their brand will have the perception that these celebrities support and trust the brand.
In the previous tactics we told you come of the ways that companies can promote their company, but the items that they are passing out are just as important. Swag is essential for any good marketing plan, and companies who take over these hot spot destinations know this. They provide students with things like sunglasses, hats, shot glasses, and towels. Relevant items that these students will need to have the best Spring Break. By providing students with these items, companies like Coca-Cola, can stick their branding on the item and subliminally market to students. The students think that they are just getting free stuff, but little do they know these companies are slowly creating brand recognition and trust.
Now that we've told you how it's done, do you have any favorite spring break marketing tactics you'd like to share? Tell us with a comment below! We love hearing about companies who are doing spring break marketing right!