On Aug. 27, Roku held a pop-up for new and returning NYU students. The pop-up, located on West 4th Street, attracted students with product giveaways and free treats.
The pop-up took place in an appropriately branded deep purple Roku van. The vehicle contained a mock dorm room setup complete with an array of Roku products. The van also had an iced coffee station, where students could pick up a complimentary drink.
The pop-up ran from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., with giveaways every hour for the first 50 students to enter. Participants were excited to receive free products, including Roku Remotes and Roku Smart Light Strips. Roku-branded tote bags and Snack boxes including popular eats like Takis and Oreos were also distributed to students passing by.
At the event, Sarah Novatt, the head of Product and Consumer Communications at Roku, explained why college students are such an important audience for their brand.
“College kids really value economical purchases,” said Novatt, “and Roku’s devices start at $19, and there’s no monthly fee.”
Along with affordability, Novatt added that college students value convenience. Roku’s device gives access to thousands of hours of free, streamable content, making user experience easy.
“The media landscape is changing right now,” said Novatt, “and we want to come and meet [college students] where they are.”
NYU students Emma Sommers and Maia Prushenova only confirmed Novatt’s projections. Both students shared that they barely watch cable.
“I usually use Netflix, Prime, or other streaming platforms,” said Sommers.
Sommers and Prushenova are not the only college students who prefer streaming. In a 2019 survey conducted by Westcliff University, it was found that 71 percent of student viewing involved streaming services. Brands like Roku realize that college students have become one of their key demographics.
“Pop-ups made for college students definitely make me feel more seen by a brand,” commented Sommers.
Photos Courtesy: Annie Emans
