Last year, the marketing agency 'Campus Solutions' teamed up with the popular magazine 'ESSENCE' to put together the '2015 ESSENCE College Tour.' Catering primarily to the magazine's female, African-American readership, the campus tour aimed to help the brand connect with college-age students.
The 2015 ESSENCE College Tour involved a series of interactive events at different college campuses across the country. Each stop involved a variety of activities, including hair-styling stations, beauty demonstrations, ESSENCE BeautyBox sign-ups, product giveaways and talks from ESSENCE writers and editors. The promotion was designed to help build brand awareness for the magazine and foster loyalty among college-age students.
The ESSENCE campus tour demonstrates how brands can target students and young consumers by interacting with them directly where they live, work and study.
Magazine-Branded Campus Tours
The 2015 Essence College Tour Aimed to Inspired College Students
Trend Themes
1. Interactive Campus Tours - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Brands can create interactive campus tours to engage with students and build brand loyalty.
2. Targeted Marketing to College Students - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Brands can develop marketing campaigns specifically designed to target college-age students and build brand awareness.
3. Direct Engagement with Young Consumers - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Brands can interact with young consumers directly in their living, working, and studying environments to create brand connections.
Industry Implications
1. Marketing and Advertising - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop new strategies that combine traditional marketing methods with interactive campus tours to engage with target audiences.
2. Publishing and Media - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create magazine-specific campus tours to connect with college students and increase brand loyalty.
3. Beauty and Cosmetics - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Establish partnerships with college campuses to offer beauty demonstrations, product giveaways, and brand experiences to young consumers.