Why Target College/Youth?

Why Target the College Market?

• The college market is seemingly recession-proof. Most college student purchases and plans to purchase have increase this year compared to last.
• Students shop at a variety of stores. More than half have shopped at convenience stores and grocery stores in the past month. More than a third have visited malls and department stores in the past month.
• Students have access to credit/debit cards. Sixty-six percent have a credit card of some kind.
• Students work, receive money from home and have money available for discretionary spending. Undergraduates have an estimated $1.5 billion in discretionary spending power after room & board, tuition and books.
• Students spend in a variety of key product categories including food, entertainment and personal care.
• Students consume a broad array of media. Students watch nearly 10 hours of TV and listen to more than 10 hours of radio each week. Seventy-four percent have read at least one of the last four issues of their campus newspaper. Seventy-six percent access the Internet at least once a day.
  

Source: Student Monitor Lifestyle & Media, Fall 2001

Why Target the Youth Market?

• It's estimated that teens spent $100 billion in 2001 and influenced an additional $50 billion of their parent's spending.
• Brand loyalties begin to form at as early as 10 years old and are fixed for many products by age 15.
• Sixty-one percent of teens have visited a shopping mall in the past month.
• Teens spend in key categories including clothing, entertainment and food.
• Young consumers respond to advertising. One third of teens and 'tweens report encouraging their parents to buy something they've seen advertised on TV.
• Teens & 'tweens watch more than 2.5 hours of TV and listen to about an hour of radio each day. Teens read newspapers - 79 percent belong to subscriber households.

Sources: MPA Teenagers Market Profile, Z Magazine Marketing to Teens, Teen Fact Book 2000, AdAge, Kaiser Family Foundation Kids & Media The New Millennium