3 Ways To Connect With Youth Over The Festive Season

In Trends

Fees Must Fall might have you scratching your head thinking “How is my brand going to connect and engage with this audience?” Certainly the past several weeks have been interesting in terms of engaging with Afrillennials (African millennials), but the good news is that there is no need for despair. Believe it or not, while students have been protesting, they are still having to consume. From data and food, right through to the launch of the brand new iPhone 7, students haven’t lost their zest for life. With the exam and holiday periods upon us, we take a look at two great and easy ways to connect with the Afrillennials this coming festive season…

Sway Them Socially

As students begin their annual migration away from campus, back home or road-tripping with mates, social media continues to be one of the key platforms to engage and it remains at the very center of a student’s life. In earlier articles, we’ve written about the persona’s students adopt across the different social platforms and this will give you greater insight into the reasons why they use the different platforms.

Following on students’ theme of “showing off my best life”, the use of Social Media Influencers could be what your brand needs to elevates its status and conversation during the festive season. Students will be on the lookout for the latest brand products and services to amp up their year end. Making use of a handful key youth influencers is an inexpensive way of getting their attention in this frame of mind, with terrific results if done right. This peer to peer marketing tactic will not only help your brand to stay on fleek but also help you mold youth perception of your brand at the most critical time of the year when they switch off the distractions and fully immerse themselves in as many great experiences as they can afford to fit in.

Turn-Up At The Beach

Traveling to the coast, and in particular the beach, is a pilgrimage that a large percentage of South Africans makes. For Afrillennials, the beach life is all about turning up, from late morning right through to the following late morning. It’s not just about the beach, it’s the additional offering that key coastal locations can boast, like long strips of night clubs and bars, parties, other young people they want to connect and have fun with and other cool holiday set ups like pop up shops, festivals, carnivals and more. Towns like Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth boast the lifestyle elements that students can really indulge in, away from their campus lives and its future proofed that their experiences will be taken to social media.

So what does this mean for a brand? Activity around key social hotspots and clubs (day or night), as well as beach campaigns and activations should be on your radar. We also recommend that any engagement come with a strong social media component which will certainly give your campaign further ‘legs’ and potentially national engagement.

Go On The Road Trip

While this may not be applicable to all students, it’s definitely worth the mention. Every year the movement of students, away from campus and back home, is substantial. This poses a great roadtrip campaign opportunity which countless fuel companies like BP and Engen try to master each year. At the time when television is saturated with road safety campaigns, brands are on the bandwagon with refreshing offerings to make your time on the road so much better. You don’t have to take this route however because your brand’s road trip could manifest in a number of ways:

a)      Vehicle branding – Branding of student cars and having them take the brand wherever they go over the holiday and festive season is a great way of making sure your brand is seen in the student market. Coupling your branding with an experiential or sampling element hosted by your vehicle ambassador would make a great addition to other students’ holiday. Also, using a student to be an ambassador will also give them some extra spending money to amplify their experiences in association with your brand, taking the initiative so much further.

b)      Pop up shops – When the road is long and the boredom sets in, students will do anything for an entertaining place to stretch their legs and get their holiday indulgences off to a start, before they even reach their destination. We’re not suggesting you pop up shop next to the garden route but perhaps consider spaces where other brands have left a gap. Create a youth oasis and they’ll be sure to drop by.

c)       Competition – Speaking of boredom, students are looking for as many experiences as possible to fill their time and have more to talk about when they get back to campus. Storytelling is all the hype and students love to share. Insert your brand in a fun way by creating little opportunities for instant gratification. Perhaps with a competition that requires them to interact with your brand or a chance to participate in an activity to win some moola or holiday gear. Right there, their holiday has become an experience with your brand and you’ve received the endorsement.

Work Hard Play Hard

Brands shouldn’t rest over the festive season and wait for students to return to campus. Even though marketing budgets are tied up and keeping up with students requires a whole lot more brand energy at this time of year, engagement of the holiday and festive period doesn’t have to be expensive or overly elaborate. Yes brands will all be fighting for their attention and work hard to play hard with them in their spaces, but keep it simple and remain authentic in your engagement and you’ll be sure to find your own festive cheer!