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Freshers Refresher: Need to Knows Before Planning for 2026 Freshers
Published on
3rd June 2026
When it comes to planning Freshers 2026, one thing is clear: expectations are higher than ever. Students want more than just nights out and free pens… they want experiences. Here’s your refresher on what you need to know to make your brand unforgettable at Freshers.
1. Think experience, not just moments
Freshers today want experiences they can share. Go above and beyond the boring spin-the-wheel and standard stalls or sponsorships and create interactive brand experiences that make students talk! Photo ops, challenges, giveaways, and immersive activations are going to stay a lot longer in the memory
2. Plan early, activate smarter
Start planning months in advance and think about how you can make a real impact over just seeing it as ‘another marketing touchpoint’, real connections can be made at freshers. Whether it’s pop-up activations or street teams across campus, early coordination maximises impact.
3. Make inclusivity a core message
A strong Freshers programme isn’t one-size-fits-all. It never has been, but at a time when students place greatimportance on differentiating themselves, it only hammers home how crucial it is to ensure your activations are inclusive. So, keep this front of mind while planning – creating inclusive experiences for a variety of lifestyles, views and expectations is difficult, but the work is well worth the reward. High energy that leaves no one behind.
4. On the ground energy matters
No matter how good your activation looks on paper, delivery is everything. Live engagement drives participation, and participation drives outcome. Without the correct team to bring the activation to life, it’s almost pointless.
Friendly ambassadors, an interactive stall, and a high-energy team make all the difference in attracting students.
5. Measure impact
Beyond attendance numbers, focus on engagement. How many students interacted? Shared content? Claimed offers? Take an approach that, from the start, enables you to track, report and review year on year. This is how successful brand activations are built.
To summarise
A one-size-fits-all activation at freshers is never going to result in the outcomes you want or expect (certainly not a spin-the-wheel 😉). But with plenty of time and out-of-the-box thinking, you can create something that will really stick with students. Here at GottaBe! we pride ourselves on bringing your big ideas (and coming up with a few of our own) to life in a way that sees you come out the other side with results you're proud of. If you fancy a chat to discuss how GottaBe! can take your Freshers presence to the next level, get in touch.
Upcoming webinar
We also have the chance to join us for our webinar with PION about creating real experience for students.
Gen Z doesn’t just want to scroll past your brand, they want to experience it. In fact, 74% prefer connecting with brands in real life rather than digitally, reflecting a wider shift towards “resetting to real” and leading a more analogue lifestyle.
16:00 | Thursday 2nd July | Sign up here
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