Gen Z boasts a well-earned reputation for being a notoriously tricky demographic to get on
your side. So, how do you make students fall in love with your brand? It all starts with
tapping into their needs and motivations. The student calendar is action-packed and their
key moments are different from previous generations.

Welcome to the UNiDAYS Q3 Student Insight Report, where you’ll find out everything you
need to unlock lifetime loyalty from Gen Z. Download it now to learn:

- How to tap into students’ feelings in Q3
- What’s motivating their purchasing decisions
- Why you should strike while the iron’s hot
- How to smash your marketing goals with Gen Z

Plus a whole lot more. So, let’s get stuck in and talk a bit more about what’s on the minds of
Gen Z in Q3.

School's out for summer 

Q3 marks the peak of the summer holidays and, naturally, plenty of students will be
unwinding, socialising and jetting off for vacations, not to mention making the most of Euro
2024 with friends.

Summer breaks are fun, we’re sure most people would agree. But once the fun is over, it’s
time to start turning attention back to university. Q3 seems like a tale of two halves, but it’s
much more nuanced than it looks.

Throughout this period, Gen Z are shifting priorities, but remember they’re only human after
all. They have concerns—namely, the near future and the cost of living crisis. These factors
(among others) are easy to overlook but are all-important in shaping students’ purchasing
habits.

What does this all mean? Well, put simply, to win big with this demographic and unlock the
huge potential spending power of Gen Z, your brand needs to demonstrate that it
understands them. Their loyalty isn’t easily won, so let’s take a look at what you can do to
get students on your side in Q3 and beyond.

How are students feeling in Q3? 

When we asked Gen Z how they were feeling about Q3, the overall sentiment was more
positive than Q2. Students are less anxious, overwhelmed, nervous, apprehensive and
scared, while also feeling more happy, optimistic, excited and relieved.

But the story doesn’t end there. 40% of students say they’re feeling overwhelmed, compared
to just 8% of boomers and 14% of Gen X. They have plenty of things to juggle during the
summer that inevitably affect their purchasing decisions..

What are Gen Z most concerned about right now?

- My academic studies (66%)
- Cost of living (54%)
- Career development (44%)
- Part-time job or side hustle
- Personal health and wellbeing (43%)

Their concerns are centred around growth and development, not to mention money. In fact,
43% of Gen Z prioritise their part-time job or side hustle during the summer, highlighting
students’ resilience and the overall need to bolster their income, especially during July and
August, when lots of young people will be back at family homes.

Once August rolls around, students will be focusing on preparation for heading back to
university. It’s a busy, stressful and expensive time of the year for Gen Z, so what can your
brand do to help with their concerns and win them over?

Students have spoken, now it's time to listen 

The first step to unlocking loyalty from Gen Z is to walk a mile in their shoes. Think about
what’s restricting them and, suddenly, the path becomes much clearer.

- 65% of students feel that student discounts would help with their cost of living
concerns, while 67% think it would support them with budgeting
- 54% say study tools would be useful to address their academic concerns
- 40% of Gen Z believe mental health apps would support their personal health and
wellbeing

On top of that, Gen Z have made it very clear what they consider to be the most important
factors when it comes to their purchasing decisions:

- Price (85%)
- Quality (68%)
- Student discount (53%)

It’s no surprise that price and quality lead the way—they’re the most important factors for
every generation. However, the bronze medal awarded to student discount initiatives
underlines the importance of saving money and getting a better deal for Gen Z.

Students want your brand to cut them a break by helping them with one of their most
significant worries: money. So, let’s say you decide to oblige—how do you let them know?

Ready for another non-surprise? Students’ preference for discovering offers and discounts is
via social media. Plus, they’re also the most likely demographic to want to hear about deals
in weekly emails, apps, website banners and push notifications. They’re the digital
generation, after all.

Win big with Gen Z 

Money may be tighter than it has been for previous generations, but Gen Z still want to
spend. Plus, with all of the events lined up on the student calendar, there are plenty of
opportunities to get your brand in front of young people—just don’t wait too long, or it’ll pass
you by.

Partnering with UNiDAYS means unlocking an audience of more than 29M verified students,
plus a wealth of actionable insights to cut through the noise and set your brand apart from
the rest in the eyes of Gen Z.

For a more in-depth look at student sentiment in Q3, as well as tech, travel and wellbeing,
earning & learning tech insights, download the Student Insight Report now.

Talk to UNiDAYS