A Barnes and Noble study of marketing results where college students are concerned revealed that sometimes, the latest technology isn’t necessarily well received. Compiling the results from over 7,500 college students who took part in the 2012 survey on how students interact with marketing information, the study had some surprising results.
Some of the most interesting results of the survey showed that students are very singular-purpose in some of their technology and social media tools. More than two-thirds of the students never scanned QR codes with their smartphones and 61% stated that they did not want to receive advertisements in the form of text messages, showing that students like to keep their phones free for their primary purpose. Additionally, while 65% said they interact with some of their favorite national brands through social media, 55% said they did not think advertisers should use Facebook as an advertising platform. This mentality is in keeping with what the publishing industry has learned about teens and digital reading, namely that many prefer to keep their devices separate from their education, leading to what was once a slow adoption of ebooks for teen readers.
Interestingly, today’s tech savvy college students responded that they still prefer television advertising as a mainstay of brand information although they do glean a good portion of information from emails read on their laptops. More than half of the students said they still rely on word of mouth from their friends to learn about new products or positive reviews of brands, and more than 70% of the students said they were more likely to buy a product from a company that supports charity, demonstrating the civic-mindedness and greater purpose of these potential leaders.
“Understanding student attitudes and preferences is paramount to reaching them in the right way and delivering a shopping experience that enhances their overall college experience,” said Lisa Malat, Barnes & Noble College’s VP, Marketing & Operations, in a press release. “That deep commitment to student insight drives our success with both our campus partners around the country and the brands we work with at BNCM.”
Barnes and Noble operates more than 650 bookstores on college campuses and relies on its network of more of students in the Barnes & Noble College Next Gen Research Panel for information in this study.
Mercy Pilkington is a Senior Editor for Good e-Reader. She is also the CEO and founder of a hybrid publishing and consulting company.