With Freshers’ Week right around the corner, ready to drink (RTD) brand VK is launching a £1m multi-media campaign targeting new students in Sheffield, Glasgow and Leeds, as well as further afield in Cardiff and Nottingham, designed to put the brand front of mind as students embark on their university journey.
The campaign forms part of VK’s wider Freshers campaign, supporting one of the most important trading periods in the student calendar.
A record 262,820 prospective students have been accepted into universities for the 2026 academic year according to UCAS’ data, a 3% increase from last year and an indication that there’s no better time to engage VK consumers old and new.
Already synonymous with student night life and the No.1 student RTD, the campaign builds on the brand’s existing connection with student consumers. Striking creative visuals will take over more than 400 key student touch points, reaching an estimated 35 million consumers throughout the freshers’ period.
At the heart of the campaign is a simple yet familiar question that tends to echo around university halls: “Out?” – one that sparks conversation and often follows the same response, irrespective of campus or city. The creative will appear across on-campus locations and accommodation as well as along popular public transport routes and student venues.
VK will also bring the campaign to life through on-the-ground partnerships with student societies in different cities, acting as brand ambassadors for their respective universities. Working closely with the brand, the societies strengthen VK’s long standing presence on campus through activations and product sampling during the freshers’ period and beyond.
In addition to the out-of-home activity, VK’s enhanced RTD range, Vodbox, will be making an appearance at selected university events. Inspired by the university cultural phenomenon which sees students mixing their own drinks, VK Vodbox brings the familiar student ritual into a convenient resealable Tetra Pak format, combining a higher 7% ABV of vodka and fruit juice.
Lauren Edwards, brand manager at VK, said: “It’s that time of year when students across the UK prepare to begin their university journey and embrace the chaos of student life, starting with the freshers’ period – an exciting milestone for students and an equally important period for VK.
“We know that VK has become synonymous with student life, so there’s no better time to grab the attention of our student audience and be with them right from the start of university life. ‘Out?’ may be a simple question but it’s one that can kick-start some of the most memorable nights. Our aim is to ensure that the brand inspires people to continue making memories and keep VK front of mind wherever the night may take them.”
