Back to school: top tips for best-in class marketing
The smell of new notebooks, the nerves of the first day, the buzz of new timetables - back-to-school season never loses its energy.
But while students are sharpening their pencils and (hopefully) remembering their PE kits, brands should be asking: have you got everything ready? Because we have.
At Leopard Co, we know the student marketing sector inside out - it’s been our world for the last decade. Over the years, we’ve partnered with The Student Energy Group, Warwick Preparatory School, Diverse School Travel and more, helping brands connect with students in ways that are fresh, relevant, and effective.
At Leopard Co, we know the student marketing sector inside out.
So, if you’re looking for a masterclass in marketing for the education sector, get ready to sharpen your pencils as we share our top tips for being best-in-class. We’ve even included some lessons learned from our recent work, to help illustrate our point.
1. Be relevant
Students move fast. If your campaign doesn’t feel fresh, timely, and rooted in their world, it won’t cut through. Relevance isn’t about jumping on every trend; it’s about understanding what matters to your audience right now.
Take The Student Energy Group. In the student space, we know that the tactics that cut through are the ones that feel fresh, relevant and authentic. Short-form video is dominating how students consume content, while credibility and trust still come from thought leadership and brand authority. That’s why the most effective campaigns blend both — smart PR to build reputation, and targeted digital to drive action.
With TSEG, we’ve put that into practice. On the PR side, we have helped position them as thought leaders in the property technology sector, securing high-profile media coverage and award wins that established their credibility. On the digital side, we created high-impact TikTok and Google campaigns to engage students directly, driving strong results in lead generation and sign-ups. The outcome? A brand that’s not only multi-award-winning, but also firmly plugged into student life.
2. Be engaging
It’s not just about being seen; it’s about creating content that sparks interaction and feels genuinely authentic. Today’s student audiences are digital natives who scroll fast, spot inauthenticity instantly, and expect brands to speak their language. That means prioritising video-first, social-first content that builds community rather than broadcasting messages.
At University College Birmingham, we’re putting this into practice with regular content shoots designed for social. By creating dynamic, real-world content that reflects student life, we’re helping UCB keep their channels buzzing with posts that feel authentic and relatable to prospective students. Because in higher education, the journey starts online — often long before anyone steps through the doors at an open day.
3. Be insightful
The strongest marketing isn’t guesswork — it’s grounded in behavioural science. By understanding how people think, feel and act, brands can create design and messaging that resonates on a deeper, more emotional level. When applied to education, it means building identities that students, parents and staff don’t just see but truly connect with.
That was our approach with Warwick Preparatory School. We brought behavioural science into the creative process to develop their new mascot, Spirit — a character designed to engage pupils, teachers and parents alike. Spirit combined realistic squirrel features with playful crayon textures, striking the balance between fun for younger children and sophistication for formal use.
We created 14 iterations of Spirit, alongside supporting assets, mock-ups and a comprehensive brand guidelines document to ensure consistency across every touchpoint. Drawing on the school’s values, we also designed distinct variations, like ‘Community and Social Responsibility Spirit’ wearing a prefect badge with an acorn. The outcome? A much-loved mascot and brand identity that now unites the school community and has the flexibility to grow with them.
Time to hit top marks
So, there you have it: our top 3 tips for student marketing success. Be relevant. Be engaging. Be insightful. We’ve done the homework, tested these approaches with our clients and seen the results in action. Now it’s your turn.
👉 If you’re ready to make the grade this academic year, come and chat with us at Leopard Co.