Boots went into Dig In Freshers welcome boxes in September 2024, reaching students in their first days in a new town, when they choose where to buy toiletries and health basics. Students answered a survey afterwards. 82.5% said they were likely to shop at Boots (Boots Freshers 2024 survey, n up to 6,093). For a retailer, the measure that matters is the store visit, so the survey asked about the shop, not a single product.
The brief
Boots wanted to become the place first-year students go for toiletries and health basics in a new town. Students arrive with no pharmacy of their own, so the first weeks decide where they shop. Boots also wanted to introduce students to its Advantage Card.
What we did
We put Boots into the Freshers 2024 welcome box, handed to students through their halls and campuses as they arrived. A survey afterwards asked students how likely they were to shop at Boots.
The result
82.5%
likely to shop at Boots, up to 6,093 survey responses, Freshers 2024
What it means for brands like yours
A retailer can use the welcome box to win the first store visit, not only to sample a product. The survey measures what a retailer cares about: where students plan to shop. If you run a store, a loyalty scheme or an app, ask what students need in their first week and put it in the box.
Questions
Did Boots market to new university students?
Yes. Boots went into Dig In’s Freshers 2024 welcome boxes, handed to students as they arrived at university.
What did students say about Boots?
82.5% of students surveyed were likely to shop at Boots (Boots Freshers 2024 survey, n up to 6,093).
Can a retailer use the welcome box without a product sample?
Yes. A retailer can include a product, an offer or a loyalty sign-up. The survey can then measure intent to shop, as it did for Boots.