Spring break has become an iconic experience for people all over the country. 1.5 million people traveled during March to celebrate the holiday in 2022. College-aged students and families alike spend months preparing for their spring break trips. As a marketer, this is an opportunity you want to take advantage of!
Gen Z
When we think about who to appeal to over the spring break season, our minds immediately jump to college-aged students who are a part of generation Z. These college-goers view spring break as a once-in-a-lifetime experience where they can have zero cares, live it up, and party like rockstars. To them, it’s about making memories with friends they’ll never forget.
How can your brand target the college crowd for spring break? Meet them where they’re at. Set up a pop-up shop at Miami Beach. Host interactive contests throughout the day at a pool party. Give out free samples guerilla-style at popular hotels. The opportunities are endless, but it’s important to remember that your brand will have to go to your audience.
Generation Z has grown up with technology at their fingertips. This has given them a sense of urgency to have things RIGHT when needed. Marketers can capitalize on the desire for instant gratification for spring breakers. Think about it. If your brand takes to the beach to give out free, cold, branded water bottles, you’re offering an instant solution to students who have probably been baking in the sun all day.
To connect with generation Z, your brand must also provide a strong sense of authenticity. Gen Z is phenomenal at identifying ridged marketing efforts and is less likely to become consumers of brands who lack the genuine aspect in their marketing strategies. How can you incorporate authenticity into your spring break marketing strategy? Tell your story. Pull at the emotional heartstrings of your target audience. Make them feel like they know and understand your brand personally. Humanize your brand. When marketing to gen z, that’s the most surefire way to success.
Families
Brands that aren’t interested in the party vibe still have ample opportunity to capitalize on spring break travelers. Primary schools across the country let kids out for spring break, and families take full advantage of the opportunity to travel and soak up some good family time.
Marketing towards families looks slightly different than it does when focusing on the college crowd. Families go on spring break vacations to escape their hectic and jam-packed schedules. They want to slow down, relax, and focus solely on being in the moment with their families. As marketers targeting families on spring break, you need to be thinking about how you can make their lives easier. Whether that’s some branded sunscreen or free ice cream samples, your brand needs to get into the mind of your target audience and think about what would make them remember you. Playing into the relaxed atmosphere will open your brand to connections with consumers… especially moms! Root your brand into the positive memories families make over spring break.
It’s important to remember that spring break campaigns aren’t necessarily to make consumers purchase your products on the spot, but to plant seeds of brand awareness in their minds, so they remember you the next time they need what you offer.
KPI’s
How do you measure the success of your spring break marketing efforts? Several key performance indicators you can track during the months following your spring break campaign will help you measure your success.
Brand awareness is critical to consumers. This awareness is the degree to which consumers can recognize and pick out your brand in a sea of different product options. This is the foundation for consumers. Brand awareness leads to trust, and the more recognition your brand has, the more successful you’ll be overall.
Your brand’s engagement helps connect emotions and bridge the gap between consumers and the brand. To see the best results in your brand engagement, your brand needs to have a warm and interactive campaign that gives consumers insight into your brand.
Acquisition, or obtaining new customers, grows your customer database and drives product usage. When targeting your spring breakers, you’ll get a sense of leads or people who want to try your brand, and you’ll be able to track and target your new consumers.
You can also track the conversion of your leads and customers. Through conversion, you’ll get
a sense of new versus repeat and loyal consumers.
Word of mouth is the easiest way to measure the success of your campaign. Spring breakers will return to school and spread the word about your brand and their experience to their friends. You’ll reap the rewards if you provide a fun and positive experience!
KPIs are tracked through new sales, increased social media engagement, and feedback surveys.
Utilizing spring break traveling gives your brand a national reach while allowing you to activate in a single area. Become part of the fun, and don’t miss out on exposing travelers to your brand this spring break season!