Discounts by Deck
Sep 27th, 2011 by Laura MacDonald's Blog
With the start of each new school year in September, thousands of students flock to the UBC campus. These students rove from class to class, frantically scribbling notes and trying to absorb every little midterm tip that the profs let slip. Then it comes to break time. And what is it the students want? They want food! And there are oh-so-many restaurants, cafés, and food court counters on campus that would be willing to provide them with this food. So how do the students choose? Obviously, by what they like and what affects their wallets the least. But if food businesses are smart then they will think of strategic ways to attract the students to their doors.
One example of this is the new advertising playing card deck known as Campus Cards. It’s just like any ordinary deck of cards… except for the fact that businesses on the UBC campus have paid to have their logos and brand names printed on to certain numbers in this deck. Each card actually acts as a reusable coupon for buying food or other items. Pita Pit, Booster Juice, and the yoga center known as Treloar Studio, all offer discounts on their respective products if a customer has their Campus Cards discount card with them. Students could be playing with their cards during a break, see a familiar logo, and suddenly realize what they want for lunch!
But it’s not just UBC. Campus Cards spans from Coast to Coast! It targets post-secondary students as its consumer market. University students typically have tight budgets due to their high priced education and hence prefer to save money wherever they can. By advertising with Campus Cards, businesses can ensure that students notice them and that they attract students through the discounts they offer. The Campus Cards website also states that businesses can “create a lucrative and loyal customer base” through branding these cards. It seems like this marketing tactic would be especially useful for smaller businesses on campus who need to grab the attention of more students.