Brands Miss Out By Not Marketing to International Students

Source: Marketing via Academica | Sept. 26, 2014

An article in Marketing magazine questions why Canadian marketers don’t devote more attention to international students. The article cites Canada’s ambition to double the number of international students and researchers in Canada, as well as a 94% increase in the number of international students entering Canada in the past decade. These students spent more than $8 B and helped create 81,000 jobs in that period; moreover, as a market, international students are likely to enjoy a certain amount of disposable income. The author of the article notes that the number of countries from which international students originate can make a unified strategy impossible, but points to overarching trends that should inform international student marketing strategies. She suggests that brands draw insight from their multicultural marketing efforts and focus on digital marketing strategies, as well as on geo-specific campaigns centred around PSE campuses.