Over a six-month period, we were tasked with implementing a cohesive strategy that ran a consistent red thread across talent, digital, retail, and social touchpoints. Our goal was to integrate USC into Gen Z culture, establishing the brand as a staple in their fashion landscape.

We needed to focus on growing brand awareness both on the high street and online, increasing footfall in-store while driving traffic to USC’s digital platforms. A key objective was to double the size of the female email database by December, as well as building a student-facing loyalty programme that genuinely rewarded brand engagement and encouraged a long-term connection to the brand.

Through direct conversations with students via our Insight Network, we uncovered that university was a key life stage where young people experimented with fashion to discover their identity. We found that their style evolved based on the occasion, ranging from casual comfort for lectures to bolder, more expressive looks for nights out.

Despite this, 90% of students said they rarely shopped in-store. Online shopping was preferred for its speed, variety, and convenience, but our network admitted they missed the spontaneity and immediacy of in-person experiences, especially if paired with value-based incentives such as discounts.

The brands that resonated most were those that truly reflected Gen Z values, including: gender fluidity, individuality, cultural relevance, and rewards. Yet few fashion brands were actively showing up during the biggest moment in a student’s calendar: Back to Uni.

We reframed USC’s retail experience through the lens of self-expression, positioning the brand as a facilitator of identity at a time when young people were actively shaping who they wanted to be. Our creative platform - In The Making - invited students to explore their own sense of style through the products and brands stocked by USC.

This multi-channel campaign linked up regional OOH, on-campus ambassadors, social storytelling, alongside a new loyalty programme, each designed to reach students at the most relevant moments whilst helping incentivise purchase.

Ambassadors:
We recruited a team of six Campus Curators - these were fashion-forward student ambassadors representing different subcultures and universities - with the aim of leading the style conversation on campus and bringing USC to life in their cities. From live content creation to guerrilla-style activations, their presence became a cultural signal to their peers.

Creative Campaign:
Our hero campaign featured the Campus Curators styled in their chosen USC essentials, shot in locations familiar to their lifestyles, from record shops to the gym. The creative captured the excitement of stepping onto campus and the confidence that comes with owning your look.

Social:
We told the stories behind each curator—who they were, their fashion journey, and the pieces they couldn’t go back to uni without. Video content was formatted across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, with videography that brought energy and style to the campaign.

OOH
Large-format regional OOH placements spotlighted our Curators in their local cities. These placements were more than just billboards, they reflected the local culture, helping USC feel embedded in the student landscape within each city.

Loyalty Programme
The USC Drop Yard launched as a WhatsApp-based loyalty hub offering students 25% off their first purchase, monthly exclusive offers, and VIP event access. From winning Reading Festival tickets to exclusive product drops and in-store events, the loyalty scheme created a reason to return.

Events & Activations
We showed up where it mattered: Reading Festival, Freshers fairs, in-store student nights, and guerrilla campus activations. Our Campus Curators helped co-create these moments, from DJ sets to customised merch drops, making each touchpoint feel authentic and community-led.

Watch our Reading Festival wrap-up video below:

USC’s In The Making captured both the attention and imagination of a new student generation. Regional OOH featuring student ambassadors sparked significant user-generated content and brand love, while footfall increased across the targeted USC stores during the campaign period. Most notably, the brand’s email database grew significantly, surpassing its original goal for female sign-ups, and loyalty scheme registrations exceeded expectations, with students continuing to engage on a monthly basis. By placing student identity at the heart of the campaign we helped USC own one of the biggest cultural moments in the student calendar.

Watch the Campaign Hero video below: