Let's face it, college-aged kids can be a tough crowd to impress. They're savvy, learning to question the status quo, and not easily swayed by generic or mass-marketing tactics.¹ But when you do capture their attention, you'll find a group that's passionate, engaged, and open to brands that truly understand them.²

Older Gen Zers in particular are a group as diverse and dynamic as the playlists they curate. So, how can you strike the right chord with college students, capture their attention, and share the value of your product or service?

No matter your niche—entertainment, retail, finance, or lifestyle—marketing to college students means turning up the volume to connect with the Gen Z demographic.

Here are some tips for getting started.

The campus beat: Understanding the college demographic

When marketing to university students, advertisers need to listen closely—not just to the music that Gen Zers love, but to the broader rhythm of their lives. Getting in sync with the trends and topics they care about can help your messages land.

For maturing Gen Zers, college life is set to a soundtrack of current hip hop hits, new releases, and classic rock.³ When they're not studying or hanging out with friends, they're likely engrossed in True Crime podcasts or other forms of digital audio.³

But there's much more to Gen Z college students than their eclectic audio tastes. This generation is a vibrant tapestry, with BIPOC individuals making up nearly half of the Gen Z population in the U.S.,⁴ and one in five Gen Zers identifying as LGBT.⁵ They have wide-ranging values and interests, from climate action and sustainability to gaming and K-pop.⁶ They're also digital natives, having grown up with technology at their fingertips—and they're more likely than older generations to trust and use advanced tech such as generative artificial intelligence (AI).⁷

Not your typical marketing playbook: 8 tips for winning over the college-aged crowd

When marketing to college students, it's important to tap into their preferences and values to create campaigns that are more likely to resonate.

Below are eight tactics that can help you find success with this influential audience.

1. Social media moves: Gen Z rule the roost on social media—especially visual platforms.⁸ Join the conversation or consider experimenting with short-form video on these platforms to start making your brand a part of their digital world.
   
2. Influencer smarts: Online personalities are today's celebrities, and Gen Z forms a big part of their fan base.⁹ Partner with content creators who resonate with your target audience to tap into the power of influence marketing.
   
3. Keep it real: A lack of authenticity gets you nowhere with Gen Z.¹⁰ Ditch the marketing jargon and keep your messages genuine, transparent, and true to your brand's ethos.
   
4. Audio ads allure: Gen Z marches to the beat of their own drum—especially when it comes to what they love listening to. So when advertising to college students, tap into their rhythm with engaging and relevant digital audio ads that accompany their fave tunes and podcasts.
   
5. Diversity delivers: We live in a diverse world, and Gen Z expects the brands they love to reflect this.¹¹ From race and gender to sexuality and body type, make sure your campaigns showcase diversity.
   
6. Stand up, stand out: Social issues aren't just hashtags—they're a way of life for Gen Z.¹² Demonstrate that your brand aligns with causes that matter to show your audience your brand is more than just a logo.
   
7. Personalization power: Gen Z's marketing love language boils down to personalized experiences.¹³ Use data to craft messages that speak directly to your target audience's individual preferences and behaviors.
   
8. Make mobile magic: For Gen Z, mobile-first is a way of life—we're talking about a generation that has never known a world without smartphones.¹⁴ This means it's crucial to ensure your campaigns are optimized for mobile environments.
   

Marketing to college students on Spotify

College-aged kids can be a tough crowd to crack, but for many brands, they're also a cohort worth catering to. They're savvy, passionate, and multifaceted—and 80% of Gen Z's in the U.S. like when brands are able to connect with ALL their sides.¹⁵

Ready to be that brand and discover how to market to college students? With Spotify Ad Studio, you can craft digital audio ads to captivate the Gen Z audience.