Young people find advertising annoying. Too long, too pushy, too frequent. Yet Avans University of Applied Sciences needed to reach precisely this audience to secure sufficient enrolment. They were looking for a partner who understands Gen Z's world and knows how to win their attention without irritating them. Together, we developed a creative, data-driven approach that generated over 19 million impressions in two years and attracted more than 20,000 prospective students to open days and taster sessions.
Two years of social campaigns focused on Gen Z marketing
See-Think-Do strategy: from awareness to enrolment
Regional targeting via social channels where young people are active
Platform-native video content that connects with students' experiences
Continuous data optimisation for maximum conversion
The challenge
How do you reach students who swipe away every ad? Traditional marketing formulas do not work with a generation that structurally ignores advertising and even finds influencers irritating.
The solution
A targeted, creative, and data-driven Gen Z marketing approach combining branding and activation. Branding strengthens Avans' brand positioning; activation drives sign-ups for open days, taster sessions, and courses.
Avans x iO: building the future of student recruitment marketing
Avans University of Applied Sciences is one of the largest universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands, with over 30,000 students across campuses in Breda, Den Bosch, and Tilburg. Like other institutions, Avans competes annually for the attention of secondary school students and their parents.
Through a tender process, we became the creative agency behind their student recruitment campaigns. Our partnership goes beyond individual projects: we collaborate on strategy, test new content formats, and continuously optimise based on data. This case highlights our approach to Gen Z marketing, but there is much more we are working on together.
Why traditional Gen Z marketing does not work
Every year, universities of applied sciences compete for students' attention. The orientation phase is crucial: those who fail to stand out lose enrolment. The problem? Young people find advertising annoying. According to research by Mediahuis and Wayne Parker Kent (2024), even influencers irritate more than half of Gen Z. Too long, too pushy, too frequent: the traditional approach simply no longer works.
Relatable content that sticks
To reach students, you need to connect. You need to make them feel understood. Only then do they stop scrolling. That is why we give Avans students the lead roles in campaigns that tap into Gen Z's daily life. Recognisable scenes, a twist, and always platform-native.
A mother asks her son question after question. His answer, every time: "I dunno." Until she gives him a devilish look and he quickly googles: "What should I study?" Or the boy who acts out eight types of students: the stress-head, the know-it-all, the teacher's pet, the latecomer. Recognisable, funny, and with a message: there is a place for every student at Avans.
See-Think-Do: from awareness to enrolment
All content is part of a considered See-Think-Do strategy:
See: create awareness by bringing students into contact with Avans and its positioning
Think: increase relevance and intent by highlighting USPs and driving sign-ups for student recruitment activities
Do: activate enrolment for an Avans course
Platform-native video for maximum impact
A smart and effective aspect of the campaign is that we use formats popular on different channels. We film on mobile, use trending formats, and connect with students' experiences. The result? With platform-native content, students watch longer until the brand message. With regular ads, they swipe much faster.
Continuous data-driven optimisation
Together with Avans, we experiment with both creative and traditional content. Data shows that relatable content generates more click-throughs to courses, but we continuously evaluate and measure all expressions.
We test variants beforehand, for example in the canteen with students, and monitor long-term effects on brand awareness, brand associations, and brand preference through brand research. This allows us to fine-tune precisely based on the latest insights.
Content that appeals to young people can have a significant impact on your brand. In this crucial life phase, they discover who they are and develop brand preferences. By tapping into their interests and values, you not only increase engagement but also the positive perception of your brand.
The numbers
1.6%
Average conversion ratio
1.24%
Average view-through rate
1
Average number of impressions
1.18
Average CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions)
A data-driven foundation for continued growth
The campaigns prove that Gen Z can be reached, provided you speak their language and respect their media behaviour. For Avans, this means a reliable stream of prospective students to open days and taster sessions, with measurable impact on brand awareness and preference. The continuous optimisation loop ensures that each campaign wave performs better than the last, giving Avans a structural advantage in the competitive higher education market.
