All By Students Notebooks: Difference between revisions
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The program has also received attention on-campus: |
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* University of Pennsylvania: [http://media.www.dailypennsylvanian.com/media/storage/paper882/news/2008/09/03/News/12000.Free.Reasons.To.Go.To.Class.This.Year-3412376.shtml 12,000 free reasons to go to class this year] |
* University of Pennsylvania: [http://media.www.dailypennsylvanian.com/media/storage/paper882/news/2008/09/03/News/12000.Free.Reasons.To.Go.To.Class.This.Year-3412376.shtml 12,000 free reasons to go to class this year] |
Revision as of 19:59, 23 September 2008
Company type | Private company |
---|---|
Industry | Media |
Founded | 2006 |
Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois, USA |
Products | ABS Notebooks allbystudents.com |
Website | www.absnotebooks.com |
All By Students All By Students (ABS) Notebooks is a college marketing company that partners with universities across the United States to spearhead a free school supplies initiative for students.
Their flagship product, a free multi-subject notebook, is given to university students at the start of every semester. Full-page advertisements act as subject dividers that offer further student freebies and discounts. As of Fall 2008, the following brands have helped make the supplies free for students by placing dividers in the notebooks: 3M, AT&T, CDW, STA Travel, Discover Card, Ford, GEICO, General Mills, ice.com, Idearc, Monster, My Rich Uncle, P & G, Palm, Real Networks, Saturn, Sears, NBA, Unilever, Vault.com, Volvo, Warner Bros, and Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company.
The notebooks are designed to reflect the brand of the school distributing them - usually by adopting their colors and logo. The first eight pages are reserved for college-specific information such as campus maps, important telephone numbers, and academic calendars.
Beginnings
ABS was founded in 2006 by two students studying at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. In response to a school project about shifting the paradigm of on-campus marketing, their goal became channeling brand marketing dollars to products that benefit students and enhance the college learning experience. [1]
Notebook Distribution
At the launch of the program in January 2007, 10,000 students received notebooks at Northwestern University. In fall 2008, ABS distributed notebooks at 70 campuses to 750,000 students. Campuses included Harvard, MIT, Penn State, University of Pennsylvania, Arizona State, California State University Long Beach, Clemson, North Carolina State University, and the University of Arkansas. In January 2009, 1.1 million students are to receive the notebooks on 110 campuses. [2][1]
Media Coverage
The free school supplies initiative has been met with much exposure. Major trend watching and marketing publications have covered the program's success, calling out to brands to support the initiative and bring more "do good" into student's lives.
- Brandweek: The Latest Marketing Vehicle: School Supplies[3]
- Springwise: More free love: notebooks for students[4]
- MediaBuyerPlanner: Marketers Woo Thrifty with Free School Supplies[5]
- Geekpreneur: How to Give your Product Away and Still Make it Pay[6]
- YouTube: Student Reactions
The program has also received attention on-campus:
- University of Pennsylvania: 12,000 free reasons to go to class this year
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology: First-year Students Enjoy MIT Orientation
- Northwestern University: Kellogg Alumni Fill Student Need With Free Notebooks
- Rochester Institute of Technology: Free Notebooks on the Quarter Mile
- Marshall University: Students to receive notebooks
- Western Illinois University: Free SGA notebooks relieve students of extra expenses
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale: SIUC Student Center
allbystudents.com
In August 2008, ABS launched a student-focused website[ http://www.allbystudents.com]. The site - an “unofficial guide to campus life” - is a Q & A forum for students to communicate with their peers by asking and answering questions. The site gives students the ability to interact with both students from their own school and students from other schools in the ABS network.
References
- ^ http://media.www.dailynorthwestern.com/media/storage/paper853/news/2007/01/11/Campus/Kellogg.Alumni.Fill.Student.Need.With.Free.Notebooks-2626044.shtml Kellogg Alumni Fill Student Need With Free Notebooks
- ^ http://www.ypulse.com/ypulse-sponsored-post-brands-help-students-take-note/
- ^ http://www.brandweek.com/bw/content_display/news-and-features/retail-restaurants/e3i1e78793628949bf017c0487b2ab8101b The Latest Marketing Vehicle: School Supplies
- ^ http://www.springwise.com/marketing_advertising/free_notebooks_for_students More free love: notebooks for students
- ^ http://www.mediabuyerplanner.com/2008/09/11/marketers-woo-thrifty-with-free-school-supplies/ Marketers Woo Thrifty with Free School Supplies
- ^ http://www.geekpreneur.com/how-to-give-your-product-away-and-still-make-it-pay How to Give your Product Away and Still Make it Pay