The UK student market is notoriously difficult to reach. They don’t watch TV. They have little loyalty to individual print titles. And the general fragmentation of media in the UK makes it difficult to target them accurately.

And yet it presents an undeniably attractive opportunity: there are over 1.8 million students in Higher Education, representing 36% of all 18-24 year-olds in the UK, with a spend estimated of £13 billion per annum. And, although they would be loathe to admit it, it is a highly homogeneous market: 70% of them are from ABC1 households and 87% are moving away from home for the first time, making independent purchasing decisions that have lasting brand loyalty implications.

The question is: how to reach them? Peter Miles, CEO of JVTV, was focused on just this question when he struck upon the idea of tapping into this market by developing a new, interactive media channel that would occupy key “real estate” in universities. The concept seems simple: if you can’t beat ‘em (or in this case reach ‘em) – join ‘em. Instead of trying to get the students to the places you’re present, be present where they’re at. And guess what? For a lot of students, that means the bar.

Founded in 2001, JVTV has developed a proposition to install exclusive flat screens for TV and student content in student bars and pubs while also providing wireless Internet access in college pubs. JVTV has exclusive 10 year deals to provide interactive entertainment and WiFi services to 50 UK University Student Unions and represents an interactive gateway to this market. JVTV are set to sign an additional 10 universities by their September launch - representing a significant mindshare of more than 1 million individuals in this hard to reach, “mass niche”, student population.  

But JVTV saw very early on that in order for the media to be effective, it had to be interactive and reflect the interests of the target market – rather than become just another TV blaring forgotten content in the corner of the bar. JVTV thus worked closely in collaboration with the student unions. Peter explains: “The concept is to get the system embedded and then develop it in dialogue with the student community. We say: ‘Here's 20 things we can do, you tell us which 3 or 4 you want to do develop.’ Because we're only student union community we can develop specifically a system that they want.”

Besides offering regular TV content through its 24–hour network, JVTV will provide extensive programming through broadband and video–on–demand distribution channels. 'In theory the programming could be different at every site,' Peter says. 'The branding and the advertising will be the same throughout but the actual content will differ. I would say it will differ marginally over most of the unions and greatly over a few.' From the advertisers’ perspective, this means advertising that is embedded in a media that students want to watch.

As importantly, JVTV offers a range of interactive promotions, including the ability to create “call to action” scenarios to induce trial and purchase. An example might go like this: during half time of a Liverpool-Manchester United match, the screen starts flashing. The message is simple: for the next ten minutes only, XYZ beer only £1 a pint!”. Peter smiles. “I guess not surprisingly, these types of ‘call to action’ messages have proven extremely popular with the students and very effective!”

JVTV is currently in the process of identifying potential WiFi partners, another important component of the services that they will be offering to students. An investment and/or partnership with JVTV would provide prospective partners with the use of the platform to cross sell other products such as mobile subscriptions. This can be lucrative indeed: ARPU for student mobile usage is approx £30. An added bonus would be increased brand awareness by entrenching the operator as the standard for WiFi access points in the UK.

JVTV has already conducted successful trials at four universities and is preparing for a September launch in conjunction with 2003 freshers week. Literally, a company to watch.

Ariadne Capital is working with JVTV to identify strategic investment and sales partners.



For more information visit www.jvtv.net or contact Alex Rahaman at alex@ariadnecapital.com