Brands can influence future university students before they arrive on campus, while they are actively researching, forming brand preferences and shaping their packing lists.
UCAS helps brands reach students early through trusted, multi‑channel campaigns that influence purchase decisions, build early trust and drive long‑term brand preference, shown by campaigns with global brands including Lenovo and NVIDIA.
Future university students begin planning, researching and making purchase decisions months before they arrive on campus.
By partnering with UCAS at key decision moments, brands can reach students early, influence what they buy before term starts and build trust that supports long‑term brand preference.
Explore real examples of how brands:
Challenge
Lenovo wanted to increase brand awareness and product recognition among young people in a competitive market, becoming their go-to choice for tech before university.
Strategy
A multi-channel campaign with UCAS, combining direct mail, social, paid media, email and in-person events, promoting Lenovo’s Legion and Yoga product lines to future students.
Results
- 12.1M+ impressions delivered
- 98.7k clicks
- 39.7k video views to 75% and 31.6k to 100%
What brands can learn
- Engage students early to become the default brand before purchase decisions are made
- Use multi-channel campaigns to maximise reach and impact
- Tailor messaging to different audience segments and decision stages
Challenge
Students need to choose a laptop before university, but requirements vary widely, making it difficult to know which device best fits their needs.
Strategy
A content-led, multi-channel campaign, combining a sponsored content article, email, paid social and influencer content to guide students decision-making.
Results
- 32k+ total clicks across the campaign
- 1.6M Meta impressions and 2.9M TikTok impressions
- 45k page views and 7k content clicks
What brands can learn
- Provide helpful, decision-stage content that meets real student needs
- Use trusted platforms to increase engagement and credibility
- Combine content, paid media and influencer activity to maximise reach
Challenge
Students are not thinking about study resources before university, leaving a visibility gap where many arrive unsure which brands to trust.
Strategy
A multi-channel campaign across UCAS media, including targeted email, social, and a strong presence at UCAS Discovery events to engage students early in their journey.
Results
- 388k TikTok impressions
- 615k Meta impressions
- Access to 11,000+ student attendees
What brands can learn
- Engage students before they know what they need
- Combine digital and in-person touchpoints
- Use trusted environments to build awareness
Go beyond assumptions and see how students really think, plan and make decisions before university.
The UCAS Student Panel gives your brand direct access to verified student insight, helping you build smarter campaigns, reach the right audiences and influence decisions earlier.
Whether you want to:
Talk to our team about reaching future students with the right targeting, channels, and timing.