September rolls around and suddenly every city has students everywhere, settling in, exploring, and hunting for the best spots to shop and hang out.
Student Nights at shopping centres are a win-win for everyone, footfall up for the centres, retailers exceeding targets, and students getting the deals they need.
It’s a straightforward concept – create Student Nights that give students exclusive discounts and in-store experiences whilst driving real commercial results for shopping centres and their retailers.
At Trafford Centre, the results were extraordinary. Footfall on the day jumped 35% and Selfridges entrances alone saw an enormous 92% increase, correlating with the increase in arrivals by public transport rather than car.
Event registrations increased by 150% on last year and promotional staff drove the WiFi loyalty programme with a £50 gift card incentive, bringing in a whopping 1,979 new members.
Retailers reported strong results, Urban Outfitters called it “crazy” with 4,800 people through their doors in four hours! And Louvisa celebrated a new sales global record!
It’s a straightforward concept – create Student Nights that give students exclusive discounts and in-store experiences whilst driving real commercial results for shopping centres and their retailers.
At Trafford Centre, the results were extraordinary. Footfall on the day jumped 35% and Selfridges entrances alone saw an enormous 92% increase, correlating with the increase in arrivals by public transport rather than car.
Event registrations increased by 150% on last year and promotional staff drove the WiFi loyalty programme with a £50 gift card incentive, bringing in a whopping 1,979 new members.
Retailers reported strong results, Urban Outfitters called it “crazy” with 4,800 people through their doors in four hours! And Louvisa celebrated a new sales global record!
At Eldon Square, we supported Student Night through advertorials and a consumer release that secured multiple pieces of coverage.
But it was the influencer strategy that really amplified reach, by bringing in different student influencers, we generated 29 pieces of content with a total audience reach of 538K. Backed by organic social throughout September showcasing offers, entertainment, and what to expect on the night.
Victoria Centre is right where the students are – positioned between University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent – in the heart of their daily lives. That proximity matters and it’s our job to ensure Victoria Centre is the go-to destination all year around, not just for the September splurge when the loans land, but through deadlines, exams, and everything in between.
The student night surge sets the stage for something bigger – turning quick visits into built-in rituals.
Standing out from all the other student nights happening around the cities meant a multi-channel approach. Combining press releases to local media, emails to subscribers, dedicated landing pages driving website traffic, social media posts, stories and paid ads – students couldn’t miss the noise.
The biggest takeaway? Keep doing it. Students love it, retailers win, shopping centres win. Everyone wins.
