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GUEST ARTICLE
Jim Cunliffe of Brighton print specialists FMG and Flyerboy summarises the main types of students you’ll find on UK campuses nowadays.

1 Rockus Maximus

Who are they?
This genus is extremely fond of Pete Doherty, The Killers and regularly reads the NME.

What are they like?
A bit scruffy, they went to university because they’re not quite sure what they want to do in life (apart from headlining Glastonbury, obviously). Also identified as a ‘procrastinator’ (Mintel, 2004).

Where can they be found?
When they’re not downloading the latest Green Day track onto their iPod, they can be found lurking in dingy pubs, scouting Indie record shops to pick up rare promos or watching a DVD. Often nocturnal creatures, fond of smoking - how shall we say? - natural remedies, they are among the half of all students who go to rock concerts.

Most likely to: Wear a Nirvana T-shirt (’It’s history man, my dad loves them!’)

Least likely to: Listen to The Cheeky Girls.

Marketing opportunities
Rockus Maximus want to know about gigs, CD deals, beer promos, music festivals and where to find cheap Rizlas.

2 Urbanista Fashionista

Who are they?
Most likely to be female, this small bird-like creature is set to be a high-achiever. Taking care of mind and body, they are among the 26% of students who take part in some form of sport or exercise at least once a week (Mintel 2004).

What are they like?
Nicely-groomed, with clear, shiny skin, finished with a touch of lip-gloss in the day, but togged-up in their favorite number from the designer sales when they hit the town once a week. They like quality but are thrifty because they fear student debt. They try and budget, shopping around for interest-free credit cards to help manage their finances. Could be one of Mintel’s ‘planners’ (2004), believing a degree will enhance their career prospects.

Where can they be found?
The gym, cocktail bars, the bookshop, the library, designer stores (just to get ideas) and high street fashion stores.

Most likely to: Wish they could afford Stella McCartney for Adidas’ designer exercise gear.

Least likely to: Drink alcopops

Marketing opportunities
Keep Urbanicus Fashionista fully-informed about bargain flights to Thailand, innovative bank accounts, Pilates classes, organic cafes and deals on facials.

3 Culture Vulturecalus

Who are they?
They are the approximate 30% of students (compared to 17% of non-students) who regularly visit art galleries and exhibitions. (Mintel, 2004)

What are they like?
They are lively and engaging, probably quite noisy, and love discussion and debate about the latest cultural happening. The female of the species may well be among the 15% who attend contemporary dance performances.

Where can they be found?
The cinema, the art gallery, the museum, the theatre or swanning around the cooler summer festivals. Nighttime sees them at a select club night hosted by a small up-and-coming breaks or hip hop label.

Most likely to: Try to blag their way into the local art gallery’s latest private viewing or urban music event.

Least likely to: Do the ‘building boxes’ dance on the podium at Ritzy’s nightclub.

Marketing opportunities
Attract this group with two-for-one theatre tickets, art gallery memberships, museum cafe discounts and student cinema offers.

4 Academius Geriatricus

Who are they?
This breed is the 10% of students that are 21+ and are more likely to be male. They may be a ‘Workplace Refugee’ (Mintel, 2004), who has decided to come to university after working, wanting a degree in order to progress.

What are they like?
On average, they have about £350 more cash over the academic year than younger students. There is a strong chance they have lived in London (DfES, 2002/03).

Where can they be found?
Generally studying at one of the newer universities or working part-time in paid employment. They make the most of their course by researching in the lab, archive centre or library.

Most likely to: Have their old work suit from Next hanging in the wardrobe and regularly brush their hair and clean their teeth.

Least likely to: Hang out with the school-leavers in the students’ union.

Marketing opportunities
Those who market postgraduate courses, bookshop discount days and properties to rent could be targeting this group with their services.

5 I-am-mad-I-am-icus

Who are they?
They want to get a degree with minimum fuss, while thoroughly enjoying themselves and making the most of the university social scene.

What are they like?
Jolly. Nobody’s as nuts or up-for-it as they are, you should have seen them at the clubs in Ibiza or Ayia Napa this summer.

Where can they be found?
Attending every Freshers’ Week event, at the hilarious ’school disco’ in the students’ union or making the most of cheap shot deals at the local pub chains in town.

Most likely to: Apply to Big Brother (male) or FHM Magazine’s High Street Honeys (female).

Least likely to: Be a wallflower.

Marketing opportunities
Freshers’ week events, cheap club entry, novelty condoms and drinks promotions will all attract their attention.

6 Geekus Spectaculus

Who are they?
Commonly translated from the Latin as ‘geek’ this academia lover probably excels at maths or science. They were always expected to go to university as the next logical step and so fit into Mintel’s category ‘Production Liners’ (2004).

What are they like?
Very shy around potential mating partners, not too hot on the old fashion sense, but always happy to explain the latest techno-wizardry to a fellow student.

Where can they be found?
More likely to be a student at the ‘older universities’, go to the cinema, sci-fi conventions or the student dating agency.

Most likely to: Remember how to do long division.

Least likely to: Enjoy extreme sports.

Marketing opportunities
Geekus spectaculus loves a gadget, computer fair, book sale or extra-curricular lecture event.

If you are interested in offline marketing to students, read Jim’s advice on designing a flyer and making sure your flyer doesn’t go straight in the bin.

Online student survey specialists Opinionpanel have found that Tory-voting students currently outnumber Labour-voting students by two to one (45% v 24%).

The most recent wave of the Opinionpanel Student Voting Study shows student support for Labour has dropped dramatically.

By contrast, the Tory vote among students has been growing since David Cameron’s October 2005 speech to Conservative Party Conference.

Polls were based on the full time undergraduate student population, who represent around a million potential voters.

Students are an influential group, so shifts in their political allegiance are likely to impact on the views of both the next generation of voters and the future political scene. Today’s students are seen as tomorrow’s higher-earners and opinion leaders.

The most striking finding from these surveys is perhaps that the Liberal Democrats are much more popular among students than they are among voters in general.

The voting preferences of students over the last four years have been analysed by University of Essex professor Paul Whiteley.

Read his report.

The student marketing calendar traditionally witnesses a frenzy of activity around this year, as brands prepare to climb over themselves to reach students during the ‘essential’ freshers period.

Yet nearly 50% of current UK students have never bothered to attend their university’s iconic giveaway and information event.

This damning news comes with a bundle of other hard-to-swallow figures from a London Student/Opinionpanel survery that will further pressure a students’ union movement struggling to stay relevant to today’s student.

It seems only 25 out of over 1000 students surveyed had any idea who the current NUS president is.

And while students’ unions provide a massive range of services, from welfare advice and representation to social events, food and entertainments, a surprising 15% of those questioned had failed to have contact with any service whatsoever.

London Student reports: “Only a small minority of students joined a society or sports club at their union, while an even smaller fraction had used academic advice services or attended a union campaign. One in sixteen have attended their union’s general meeting - and half of those never went back. Less than one in five said they’d joined a sports club, and 27 per cent joined a society.”

London Student is the student newspaper for the University of London. It is editorially independent of its publishers, ULU (University of London Union). Read the article.