How to connect with Gen Z's most influential audience: students

Did you know - 77% of students are open to discovering new brands - yet 66% feel misunderstood by brands.

University is more than exams, deadlines, and student socials. It’s a period of transformation, where students actively define who they are, build essential skills, and form early brand loyalties. Brands that understand and support this process can earn trust and loyalty that lasts far beyond graduation.

This is what we call The Becoming Journey - a lens for understanding the multiple layers shaping student life today. Here’s how marketers can navigate it.

Why one-size-fits-all marketing falls short

Today’s students aren’t a monolith. Treating all 2.9 million UK students the same is a missed opportunity. Each student navigates university differently – some are socially adventurous, some career-focused, others ethically driven. Their priorities shift over time, and they expect brands to understand this complexity.

To help marketers make sense of it, our 2025/26 Student Life Report viewed students through four key lenses:

• Ethical students: Prioritise quality and sustainability, make pragmatic trade-offs elsewhere.
• Sociable students: Focus on community and experiences while managing practical pressures.
• Career-focused students: Highly ambitious and strategic about skills and networking.
• Health-conscious students: Balance personal wellbeing with academic and social pressures.

Understanding these lenses ensures brands can meet students where they are, rather than guessing what they want.

The becoming journey: Three ways students grow

University isn’t a holding pattern – it’s a transformation zone. Our research highlights three intertwined areas of growth:

1. Developing Identity

University is where students test, iterate, and redefine themselves.

• Stats to know: 72% are actively exploring who they are; 76% value personal growth highly.
• Why it matters: Identity exploration is fluid and ongoing – students aren’t waiting until after graduation to “figure themselves out.” This creates an opportunity for brands to support and guide this self-discovery, rather than treating students as a static audience.
• Brand in action: Vinted’s “Re-invented” quiz let students explore 32 personas, blending sustainability with playful self-expression. The campaign enabled identity exploration rather than dictating it, demonstrating how brands can support personal growth authentically.

2. Developing Skills

Students are preparing for adulthood in a high-stakes environment, balancing ambition with financial pragmatism.

• Stats to know: 69% are professionally ambitious; 88% prioritise financial stability.
• Why it matters: While ambition is high, certainty matters more than status. Brands that equip students with tools, knowledge, or experiences to build real-world skills can create meaningful engagement and long-term loyalty.
• Brand in action: Monzo positions itself as more than a bank. By helping students manage money and build financial literacy, it supports the independence and confidence students are developing, creating loyalty that extends beyond university.

3. Developing Brand Relationships

Students are sharper and more selective than ever. Half can spot inauthentic marketing from miles away, but trust is highly valuable once earned.

• Stats to know: 85% value brands that genuinely understand students; 49% can spot ‘forced’ campaigns.
• Why it matters: Authenticity isn’t optional – it’s a prerequisite. Brands that earn trust through genuine engagement can convert short-term interactions into lasting loyalty.
• Brand in action: native’s Big Student Lock-In created low-pressure spaces for students to discover brands organically. The result? Experiential engagement that turned trial into lasting loyalty.

Timing is everything

Even within the same university cohort, priorities change over time. First-years are actively exploring identity, while third-years focus more on career readiness. Across the journey:

• Identity exploration: 84% in first year → 67% in third year
• Career focus: 71% in first year → 67% in third year
• Brand openness: remains high (78% → 76%)

Campaigns that ignore these shifts risk sending irrelevant messages. Effective student marketing aligns timing with emotional readiness and evolving priorities.

Key takeaways for marketers

1. Recognise diversity: Students are not a single group. Tailor campaigns to different journeys and lenses.
2. Support identity exploration: Offer experiences, products, and spaces that empower students to define who they’re becoming.
3. Build skills and confidence: Help students prepare for life beyond university, not just in-class achievements.
4. Earn trust through authenticity: Avoid forced messaging and focus on genuine engagement.
5. Time it right: Align campaigns with students’ emotional journey and year-of-study priorities.

By embedding these principles into your student marketing strategy, brands can engage students more meaningfully, creating loyalty that extends far beyond campus life.

Students are not a finished article – they’re on a journey. Understanding this journey, and showing up at the right moments, is the key to connecting effectively in 2026 and beyond.