That’s because they’re about interacting with a passionate new audience and building loyal brand fans.
It’s time to up your merch game and have a new *academic* year refresh.
Gen Z are super eager to partner with brands they value and who support positive change, so what better way to show them exactly what your brand is about than through product media?
To help you get the most out of your branded merchandise at this year’s Freshers’ Fair events, we’ve put together a list of some of our most popular eco-friendly, sustainable & reusable merchandise ideas - perfect for making that ultimate brand impact at your next Freshers’ Fair event.
Freshers’ Fairs are the perfect opportunity to promote your brand and get some exposure to a huge and potentially untapped audience. They’re easily one of the biggest events in the academic calendar and this is how can you make sure you’re making the biggest impact possible for your brand.
Get your messaging bang on
Cut through the noise by making your messaging clear and your goals simple.
Stand out from the crowd
Making a visual impression is super important when you’re competing for the attention of bleary-eyed freshers. Your stall should reflect your brand, plus your USP (unique selling point). Think about how you could instantly wow your audience.
Useful, useful, useful!
Making sure you’re tapping into the full potential of a Freshers’ Fair event is key to having the best impact possible. 89% of people will keep a promotional product if they have a use for it, so make sure you optimise your touch points with excellent branded merchandise.
Read more: How to get the best impact at your Freshers Fair event
Freshers’ week favourites: giveaways
Statistically, 67% of students visit their university freshers’ fair for the giveaways alone. Just think about your insane your increased brand awareness would be if each of them was given just one small giveaway!
Our bestselling giveaways are:
Don’t be latte: our favourite coffee cups
This year’s freshers are the infamous Gen Z, who are unafraid of holding businesses to account for their actions - and we love it!
Also, they’ve been noted to enjoy a cup of coffee, or two.
With 30% of students making their own coffee instead of buying from coffee shops, a reusable coffee cup is a way to go with this eco-conscious generation.
Our favourite reusable coffee cup is our Circular & Co. coffee cup. It’s the world's first reusable cup made from other cups and it’s 100% leakproof. It’s the ultimate accessory for any early-morning lecture.
Read more: Here’s why we love Circular & Co.
It’s time to hit the books
Freshers aren’t all about the fair, as it’s also the first week where students meet their classmates and new teachers.
This means that getting organised will be their top priority. There’s nothing like a brand-new notebook and pen to start the new academic year.
Our favourites are this A5 antibacterial notebook and this eco-friendly Biosense ballpen.
Recharge with our favourite chargers
Gen Z are spending more on tech than ever before, with the tech bill for the average student totalling nearly £2,000 last year!
With the newest smartphones and tablets, students will ultimately need a way to charge them all, without the need for multiple cables.
The Mr. Bio multi-cable would be a great addition to this year’s Freshers’ Fairs - it’s practical AND eco-friendly with a wheat composite body.
We also love this bamboo powerbank. With enough power to fully charge your mobile phone twice, students' phones will stay powered throughout even the longest of lectures (for note-taking, of course).
Refuel
Students’ phones aren’t the only thing that might need an energy pick-me-up during Freshers’ week.
Sweets, such as these eco-friendly Skittles pots and retro sweet bags are always popular. Easy to brand and colourful, these eye-catching edible giveaways always go down well and are a real treat.
For refuelling on the go? We love this stainless steel lunchbox with bamboo lid. It’s an easy and eco-friendly way of transporting lunches to campus.
Also, we all know how important hydration is, especially when studying (and partying). This reusable Ocean Bottle can be chucked into a rucksack at a moment's notice, making sure students are staying hydrated and healthy 24/7. And, did you know that every time you purchase just one ocean bottle, it funds the collection of plastic equivalent to x 1,000 bottles? This isn’t just any bottle, it’s “hydration with a heart”.
Read more: Here’s why we love Ocean Bottle
Spread the word: bags
A reusable and sustainable bag for carrying your favourite reusable coffee cups and bamboo cutlery is super handy to have for freshers and beyond.
A student must-have cotton shopper bag offers a great branding area, plus it comes in an array of colours to truly capture the feel of your brand.
Or, this RPET backpack is made from 80% recycled materials and is sure to get the wow factor around campus.
Read more: 2023’s top trending sustainable products
At Freshers, we wear…
Sustainable brands are 100% at the forefront of Gen Z freshers’ minds.
They want you to be open and honest about where you source your textiles, and that’s where we come in.
Our recycled cotton hoodies are super cosy and perfect for throwing on for that last-minute class rush.
And our favourite t-shirts are these recycled cotton ones, great for chilling in after a long day.
Read more: Isn’t it time clothing was honest? Introducing Iqoniq
For more great promotional merchandise ideas perfect for your next Freshers’ Fair event, download your FREE Back to Class brochure now. Or, why not have a chat with one of our expert Merchandise Consultants?