Does 'student' targetted marketing annoy you?

PS - tl;dr'ers will be negged.

One stock image is hardly what I am complaining about.

For example, the channel E4 commonly does this, obviously due to the age range of their typical audience. What I'm referring to is the use of phrases like

'Oi you lazy students! Check out this cool new xxxxx'.

Or the KFC ad with generic scene student munching on chicken with the voice over going on about how this 'species' is usually found 'asleep until the afternoon' or some **** like that.

Or say, a bank advertising a student deal of some sort, trying to be all off-the-wall by getting some rapping bank manager or some ridiculous crap.

Am I the only one who finds this kind of weak marketing just poorly thought out and terribly contrived? Yeah, I'm a student, but hey I work ******* hard. I'm not lazy. In addition, I'm not going to be opening my wallet just because you whacked the word 'student' in there somewhere. It just makes me cringe to think of these mid 30's-40's men in some ****** pre-fab building 'blue sky thinking' to try and appeal to the 'student' market.

Even worse is when the word 'student' is used as an adjective which, in reality, means 'we're going to shaft you'. This is particularly apparent in 'student rentals' where you cough up £120pw for ONE ROOM in a shared house that is falling apart and with milk crates for furniture. **** that. Go to a proper real estate agent and don't even mention the fact that you're a student and suddenly your £120pw gets you a refurbished and furnished one/two-bed flat.

Ultimately yes, I understand that we are a prime market audience, but don't patronise me by advertising your product with a big dancing cow or Mr T. Some deals to reflect the typical interests of the audience are fantastic, but don't insult me by calling me lazy or by pushing the 'student' stereotype down my throat.

Am I the only one?

PS - tl;dr'ers will be negged.

Even more annoying is ironic marketing where they acknowledge the other silly advertising, but then still don't manage to come across as genuine.

Also, how did you come to be aware of "student targeted marketing"? Oh, you must have watched those programmes and those advertisements etc.

If you don't like it - turn it off. That's why the "turn off" button was created for.

It's a little more sophisticated than that. I am in email contact with UCAS, UEA, TSR and Student Finance, and as a result I get to see student-targeted adverts pop up everywhere from Googlemail to Youtube.

Just ignore it, ffs.

If you don't like it - turn it off. That's why the "turn off" button was created for.

Even worse is when the word 'student' is used as an adjective

You are talking about the company: advertising worked. Well done, you fell for it.

Erm, not really.

Advertising doesn't really work along the lines of 'any publicity is good publicity' now, does it?

Many adverts have been made so bad/distasteful that people talk about them all the time, and so the product is in ones head.

Some does.

Erm, an advert might attempt to be bad/distasteful in a way that is humourous and subsequently leaves a positive impact. Any advert which insults or offends its audience will only leave consumers with a bitter taste and a resentment for that product.

Do you honestly think an advert where the spokesman just went '**** YOU. **** YOU, CONSUMERS' would actually make people go and buy that product? Are you stupid?



For someone who apparently likes Oscar Wilde, you're not very eloquent. Some does? Really?