CRACKING
THE STUDENT
AUDIENCE
FIRST TIME.
First time targeting Irish students. First time showing up during Freshers. First campaign that actually connected. First of many.
THE CHALLENGE
Currys was looking for a way to connect their brand and offering with the Irish student audience for the first time. No existing relationship. No brand presence on campuses. No credibility with a demographic that desperately needs tech but has limited budgets and high skepticism.
Students don't respond to traditional retail messaging. They see through corporate speak. They ignore brands that don't understand their reality. And during Freshers week, they're bombarded with brands trying to win their attention.
The challenge was breaking through the noise, establishing genuine relevance, and creating a foundation for an ongoing relationship with the student audience. Not just a one-time campaign. A platform for sustained engagement.
THE APPROACH
Working together with Starcom, we activated an integrated campaign around Freshers week both online and offline. The timing was strategic. Freshers is when students are most open to discovering brands that can support their university journey.
We created bespoke theme and messaging, positioning Currys as the brand that understands and supports students on the student journey. Not just a tech retailer. A partner that gets what students need and when they need it.
The activation came to life through a nationwide college campus roadshow that brought fun, education, tech support, and challenges. Students could get help with their devices, learn about tech essentials, and engage with interactive challenges that made the brand feel approachable and useful.
The campaign was supported by bespoke content for social media and radio, working with MediaCentral to deliver further reach and localized audience engagement. Every touchpoint reinforced the same message: Currys gets students.
THE WORK
Nationwide Campus Roadshow
The roadshow brought Currys directly to students during the most important week of their academic year. Fun activations mixed with genuinely useful services. Tech support for students struggling with devices. Educational content about must-have tech for university life. Interactive challenges that created engagement and social content.
Each campus activation was designed to build positive associations with the brand. Currys wasn't selling. They were helping, entertaining, and connecting. The approach worked because it respected students' intelligence and provided real value.
Integrated Content & Media
The campus activations were amplified through social media content and radio partnerships with MediaCentral. Localized messaging ensured each college felt like Currys was showing up specifically for them, not just running a generic national campaign.
Social content captured the energy of the roadshow, showcased student engagement, and reinforced key messages about Currys' student-focused positioning. Radio extended reach beyond those physically present at the activations.
THE RESULTS
The campaign delivered on engagement and KPIs both online and offline. More importantly, it delivered positive sentiment. Students responded well to how Currys showed up. The brand earned credibility with an audience that's notoriously hard to win over.
The success went beyond the immediate campaign metrics. The approach is poised to become a regular and new focus for the brand, allowing them to show up with a new message, in a new way that works and connects with the student audience.
Currys cracked the student audience on their first attempt. They established a platform for ongoing engagement. And they proved that retail brands can build authentic relationships with students when they lead with understanding, not just offers.
“It was so great working with you all and bringing this to life! We're so delighted with how it went.”
— Client, Currys