Our Demographic

There are 16.6 million college students attending two- or four-year institutions. They are 18 to 24 years old.

Their spending power:

$237 billion (College Explorer survey by Harris Interactive/Alloy Media + Marketing)

How they spend it:
  • Computers and electronics - $8.2 billion annually
  • Clothing and accessories - $5.7 billion
  • School supplies - $3 billion
  • Shoes - $2 billion
  • Videos and DVDs - $2.8 billion
  • Music and CDs - $2.7 billion
  • Reading material - $1 billion
  • Movie tickets - $887 million
  • Concert tickets - $791 million
  • Cell phones - $294 million
  • Soda - $3.1 billion
  • Bottled juice - $1.5 billion
  • Bottled water - $1.4 billion
  • Coffee - $1 billion
  • Chip snacks - $630 million
  • Sports drinks - $429 million
  • Candy bars - $328 million
  • Nutritional bars - $329 million
    • (Source: National Retail Federation and Quirk’s Marketing Research Review)

    What the studies say:

    "Gen Y are the most likely to say that once they have made a commitment to a brand, they wilL stick with it, no matter what." (Source: TV Land’s "Generation BUY: A Close Look at the Boomer Consumer")

    College students demonstrate strong commitment toward the brands they feel are contributing positively to world issues and the environment, and students’ preference for brands they perceive to be socially responsible is on the rise. (Source: College Explorer survey)


A 2008 study by OTX for SeeSaw Networks found:
  • 63 percent of respondents say digital advertising catches attention
  • 44 percent say they pay "some" or "a lot" of attention to digital advertising
  • 58 percent say digital signage is unique
  • 53 percent say advertising on the digital medium is interesting
  • 48 percent say it is entertaining
  • 33 percent say it is credible
  • 50 percent say it is informative