National student television network launching at SA's top universities

Die Neelsie, Stellenbosch.

The new student media network will include campus TV screens with a national automated advertising booking and content delivery system; campus radio exposure; as well as alternative media such as student bus branding and direct media drops to student residences, like door hanger advertising.

Boo! CEO and founder, Dave McKenzie and his experienced team, have been working on the innovative concept for three years, assisting universities in identifying viable “third stream” income opportunities, like harnessing brand advertising through potential advertising opportunities on campuses.

The first universities to sign up with Boo! to roll out the campus-wide media channel are: University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University, University of the Witwatersrand, Rhodes University and the University of Johannesburg.

The Media Transformation project

Boo! has already begun installation and trials at Stellenbosch and Rhodes universities, and will officially launch the new student media network on 1 February 2019 at five of South Africa’s top universities, reaching over 150,000 students in the spaces they converge on with high dwell times, like the library, outside large lecture halls; student centres; residences, dining halls, cafeterias, cafes, foyers, food courts and main entrances.

Commenting, McKenzie said: “This project, dubbed ‘The Media Transformation’ project, has been in development for three years. Learning how the universities operate and building their trust in us and what this initiative stands for, took longer than anticipated.

We had to learn their business and the income that we will generate will be utilised by the universities for their projects, and will filter down into enormous benefits for students who cannot afford their tuition fees, as one example.”

Award-winning team

Previously, Boo! won an Amasa (Advertising Media Association of SA) award for ‘Best Integrated Campaign for Microsoft’, for a campaign to 5,000 students living within the South Point, Braamfontein, student residences complex, which included a branded Wi-Fi and SMS campaign; branded student lounges and lift doors; a pop-up store and activations.

“We pride ourselves on developing integrated media platforms within the various property precincts that we gain exclusive rights to,” said McKenzie. “Based on our limited student platform in Braamfontein, we hosted workshops to research the requirements for the student market and concluded that there was a big appetite from advertisers if we could offer a national platform.”

Content on the new national campus media channel will include news and brand advertising, campus news, as well as social impact campaigns to benefit and assist students – including opportunities for brands to get involved in social responsibility initiatives.

Vital research

Generation Z, born in 1995 or later, is known as the “iGeneration”, “culture creators”, “the hopeful generation”, “always on” and the “purpose driven” generation. According to research, they seek uniqueness from the brands they do business with and will drive a massive shift in advertising and marketing messages, according to a report in the Huffingtonpost.com. This is the demographic that Boo! will reach nationwide, creating integrated, unique advertising opportunities for brands.

Research earlier in 2018 by Student Village with Amoeba Insights, revealed that South African students mainly spend their cash on clothing, accessories, cosmetics and toiletries, solidifying “Brand Me”. The research also revealed that students felt that brands no longer define them, but they use brands to mould their ideal image.

McKenzie is a veteran expert of the out of home and ambient (alternative) media industry, pioneering several innovative media concepts. He created South Africa’s first mall media company, Pop, which was later sold to Primedia; and founded a media platform to empower previously disadvantaged individuals with businesses renting branded beach essentials on Cape Town’s premium beachfront real estate, including providing business mentorship and the tools to operate their own summer pop-up businesses.

Boo! has also created innovative media platforms for the V&A Waterfront and Melrose Arch, and is currently rolling out its premium media products in airport business class lounges across Southern Africa for SAA and the Slow lounges.

“The launch of Campus TV, where we have curated a television content channel for the youth on campus in key convergence zones, is incredibly exciting. We have a highly experienced in-house executive producer heading up our content division and the extensive rollout of the large LED screens are being implemented in key convergence zones on each campus, including libraries, student unions, dining halls, within major walkways and outside larger lecture halls,” explained McKenzie.