YCN: Hostelworld – Campaign Targeting Students: Secondary Research

Research provided by Hostelworld into study abroad students:

41Percent of Employers Consider Offering a Higher Salary to Study Abroad Candidates
Recent Survey Results from Hostelworld Shows that Hiring Managers Prefer Candidates who have Studied Abroad
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS:

• Nearly a third (29%) of employers consider whether a student has studied abroad when
  hiring graduates
  
• A quarter (25%) of employers think graduates add more value by being able to adapt
  more easily
  
• Almost a quarter (23.3%) of employers say a candidate who lived or traveled abroad
  would swing it for them when choosing between two candidates
  The survey set out to uncover the correlation between candidates who have studied abroad and their employability. As the employment market in the United States becomes increasingly competitive, Hostelworld aims to educate college students how studying and traveling abroad makes them stand out within the applicant pool.
• In fact, the Employability and Study Abroad survey found that nearly a third (29.6 %) of Americans who are responsible for hiring, actively look for candidates who have participated in Study Abroad programs. Additionally, nearly a quarter (23.3%) of participants said they are more likely to hire a recent graduate that has lived or traveled abroad over another candidate with equal academic qualifications. 
• LONDON – September 4, 2018 — Today, Hostelworld, the largest online hostel-booking platform, has announced the results from its “Employability and Studying Abroad” survey to reveal over a third (41%) of employers would consider offering a higher salary to a job candidate who had studied abroad, with 16% confirming they would definitely pay more for a Study Abroad candidate.

Studying abroad offers a unique opportunity for students to continue their classroom educations, while learning from other cultures and communities. This new, global perspective helps students develop both personally and professionally, and is proven to make them more employable down the road. So why shouldn’t students get out and meet the world?”

Hostelworld offers some advantages for those who are looking for a "backpack" trip, that is, students who do not look for luxuries but rather simple beds with a youthful spirit, which is found in the youth hostel

Online hostel reservation company Hostelworld has revealed a rebrand that it says will target ‘spontaneous adventurers’

The existing brand:
The new ‘H’ logo incorporates two arrows facing each other; these are claimed to symbolise a meeting point, with the idea being that hostels are now being seen as ‘social hubs’.

Orange, the designers say, was selected as the new colour for the brand because it provides a “psychological trigger for enthusiasm, optimism and affordability.”

Talking about contemporary hostels, Ottokar Rosenberger, current CMO at Hostelworld, says they’ve become “more stylish, more comfortable and better equipped than alternatives while still being affordable, centrally located and, crucially, communal. This is what sets hostels apart and is the basis for our new ‘Meet the World’ proposition.”

Hostelworld engaged London-based creative agency Lucky Generals to help carry out the brand refresh, which also includes a newly-designed website, social media channels, a smartphone/tablet app and an Apple Watch app.

Essentially what needs to be communicated:

• If you want to go away for a break, to experience new cultures, cuisine, to socialise - and you need to make sure you end up in a good hostel (as this is the foundation of meeting people, getting recommended places to visit, where to eat etc) 
• If you want to meet likeminded people
• If you want to try something new with still a sense of security
• If you can’t find anyone who shares the same goals? Doesn’t matter - Branch out! 60% of our customers are solo travellers, meaning the odds are I your favour to meet other like minded people.

The only way to ensure all of this is by booking Hostelworld.

The company history proves:

1. They have a lot of experience in the sector
2. They are motivated to grow with the times (evolution of app etc)
3. They are pretty transparent with their goals - confirms ideas of community 
4. They are a global company 
5. They are committed to be being up-to-date

App:

The design investigated the existing app design, the features it already has, and the visual communication of its colour, type, imagery and layout. 

Findings -

- Grey, orange and white

- Easy to navigate

- Has a high tech language translation feature

- Use of characters / personified objects 

- Is already pretty well developed

Characters: 

Investigating student spending for insights into ways to appeal to their budget:

Travel costs as incentives:

Looking into the average cost of flights to possibly use to convince students to travel. Ideas of comparing these prices to what one would spend in a week on unnecessary / insignificant things / or simply things students wouldn't think twice about, like coffee or a night at the pub. 

London – Berlin – 23£

Barcelona – 36£

Milan – 18£

Warsaw – 15£

Dubrovnik – 30£

Stockholm - £15

Copenhagen - £10

Dublin - £13

Paris - £30

Amsterdam - £22

Budapest - £20

Prague - £18

Lisbon - £25

Madrid - £20

Moscow £83

Marrakesh - £26

Ho Chi Mihn - £233

Jakarta - £260

Bangcock - £235

Mexico City - £209

Rio - £200

New Dehli - £223

Students on average spend:

A week of food - £27
A week on coffee - £10
On a night at the pub - £25