# Freshman-Focused Campaigns The Target 'Back to College' Campaign Offers Students the Essentials By Michael Hemsworth | Published 2013-08-22 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/target-back-to-college References: [crnchy](http://crnchy.com/sponsored/targets-got-you-covered-for-this-years-back-to-college/) & [college.target](http://college.target.com) Targeting a demographic that's eager to hit the stores, the [Target](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/target-3) 'Back to College' campaign is looking to offer freshmen students everything they need to make it through their first or the next year in their undergrad career. The Target 'Back to College' campaign encourages students to go online to the big box store's website to create their own virtual checklists to print and carry with them to the store. As the school year is fast approaching, the Target 'Back to College' campaign is a fantastic exercise in expertise by the brand because it specifically speaks to those with expendable resources. By targeting [late teens/early twenty-somethings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cnc-college), the Target 'Back to College' campaign is able to get parents into the stores as well to pay for all the necessary goodies. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.9/10 - Popularity: 24% | Activity: 54% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 30% men, 70% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Branding](https://www.trendhunter.com/branding) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Freshman-focused Campaigns:** Target's 'Back to College' campaign targets freshmen students with everything they need for their undergrad career. - **Virtual Checklists:** Target's campaign encourages students to create their own virtual checklists online to print and bring to the store. - **Expendable Resource Marketing:** Target's 'Back to College' campaign speaks to late teens/early twenty-somethings, who have expendable resources, and gets parents into stores through product availability and necessity. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Retail Industry:** Retailers can take advantage of the back-to-college shopping season by targeting students and their families with products and services that fill their needs and wants. - **Online Retail Industry:** Online retailers can capitalize on the virtual checklist trend by offering similar features for students to create their own lists and make purchases online. - **Education Industry:** Colleges and universities can partner with retailers to offer Back-to-College essentials for their students and promote their brand in the process. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Gamified Back-to-Campus Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/uo-haul.md) - [Simplicity-Focused Back-To-School Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/backtoschool-shopping.md) - [Affordable Back-to-School Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/affordable-backtoschool.md) - [Back-To-School Fashion Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/backtoit-campaign.md) - [Supportive Back-to-School Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/2024-backtoschool-campaign.md) - [Curated Back-To-School Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/start-fresh1.md) - [Gen Z-Centric Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shift-happens.md) - [Teacher-Supporting Back-to-School Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/backtoschool-campaign.md) - [Back-to-School Retailer Discounts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/asda-mega-event-price-drop.md)