7 Video Ad Ideas for your Graduation Marketing Campaign
Graduation season is an exciting time for grads and their families; the graduation party invitations come flooding in, grads are overcome with nervous excitement, and their families are filled with pride. In 2023, it’s projected that over 4 million students in the US alone are expected to graduate with a Bachelor’s, Associate’s, or Master’s degree and another 3.93 million students are projected to graduate from high school. Not only are students looking to kick off their collegiate years with a decked-out dorm and brand new laptop, family members are on the hunt for perfect gift to congratulate their grads.
No matter your industry, graduation season is a marketing opportunity that you won’t want to miss. Keep reading for graduation marketing ideas to help you reach recent grads and the people looking to congratulate them with a gift.
Making the case for graduation marketing
For many marketers, graduation advertising isn’t on the radar. Graduation ceremonies usually take place from late May to early June. While the graduation ceremony season is pinned between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, graduation parties occur all throughout the summer into mid-August.
According to the National Retail Federation, the amount consumers are willing to spend on graduation gifts continues to rise. In 2022, consumers spent an average of $115 on a single gift, and 2023’s total spending is expected at $5.8 billion. Cash continues to be the most commonly gifted item, but gift cards, apparel, and electronics are rising to the occasion.
While other holidays are limited to a single day, graduation season is, well, a season. Though it’s best to start your marketing campaign before commencement day, you can easily reuse content and place it in between other summer holidays when your calendar is empty. You can tell a stronger story and show all the ways that your product will come in handy for recent grads with video. Continue reading for seven graduation video ideas and easy-to-use templates to help you get started.
Graduation Marketing Ideas
1) Share the details of graduation promos
Have a promo just for grads? Share it with the Promo Offer for Graduation template. This template is a great fit for promotions any time throughout the graduation season. Simply add your product photos and customize the text to make it your own.
2) Say congrats to the class of ‘23
Build up the anticipation for graduation day with footage of tassles turning and caps flying! The Class of 2023 template is easy to customize for an upcoming promotion. Make a strong appeal with the powerful music and graduation footage in the video then end it with a congratulation, promo code, or hashtag from your graduation marketing campaign.
3) Grow your audience with a grads-only giveaway
Giveaways are a great way to reach a new audience and increase your engagement in a short amount of time. According to a study by Tailwind, “Instagram contests get 3.5 times as many likes and 64 times more comments on average than regular posts.” Create a giveaway for recent grads and share the news with the Giveaway Offer template.
4) Stop shoppers mid-scroll with a trendy promo video
As graduates start to collect all their graduation checks, grab their attention with the Short Trendy Promo template. With bright colors, upbeat music, and plenty of opportunities to share product shots, this video will stop anyone mid-scroll. This video works well in Instagram and Facebook stories, TikTok, and Instagram Reels.
5) Promote gift-worthy gifts for grads
Have a product that would make a great gift for a grad? Get more eyes on your product with the Bite-sized Product Intro template. Customize it with your product photos and videos and include a strong call-to-action so customers can get their gifts in time for the grad party.
6) Tell your audience about gift card options
In 2021, gift cards were the third most popular gift for recent grads. Use the Simple Gift Card Ad template to let your audience know about gift card options and show all the products grads can purchase with them.
7) Make your own
Have another idea in mind for the class of ‘23? Start from scratch to make a video that is 100% unique to you and your brand. You can incorporate any of the themes from above while choosing the animations, colors, fonts, music, and transitions that best tell your story. Click the “Start from scratch” button on the templates page or watch the video below to start creating from square one.
Get started now
While other brands may overlook graduation season, there are plenty of reasons why it should take up space on your marketing calendar. With Animoto, you can build a graduation marketing strategy that’s sure to grab the attention of recent grads and all their grad party invitees.
Check out what other businesses are doing this graduation season and share your videos in our Facebook group, the Animoto Social Video Marketing Community.