The 18-30 age demographic is the most influential and strongest consumer market in Mount Pleasant and Isabella County.
Today's Central Michigan University students are forming brand and product allegiances while spending their college years - on average 5 years - here in the Mount Pleasant community. On average, the 21,200 students at CMU will spend $442 million in our market annually - and $80.5 million of that will be on discretionary purchases.
In addition, a recent study of the impact of CMU on Isabella County and the state of Michigan found the university sparked more than $800 million a year in economic activity, and stimulating directly or indirectly approximately 12,000 jobs in our area. The study also estimated that students don't just spend on pizza and books. Rent, general merchandise, utilities, gasoline, auto repairs and physicians and dentists categories also benefit from the CMU market.
In addition, CMU employees spend about $96 million a year in the county. All of this makes for a strong local economy with a below average unemployment rate. CMU and the stimulus of student, faculty and staff spending make for a robust, local economy.
Why is this market important to your business?
97% of CMU students make all of their purchases off campus
90% of CMU students have checking accounts
90% of CMU students own a computer
80% of CMU students carry a cell phone
75% of CMU students work during the school year
74% of CMU students own a vehicle
73% of CMU students purchase meals off campus
70% of CMU students have 1-3 credit cards
57% of CMU students are over 22 years old
43% of CMU students are 18-21
What will CMU students spend their monies on this year?
$21.2 million on groceries. Averaging 4.7 trips to a store in a month.
$13.4 million on gas and auto repair and maintenance during the year.
$12.7 million in restaurants. Averaging 5.2 trips monthly to their favorite places.
$5.8 million on alcoholic purchases annually.
$5.3 million on clothes and shoes each year.
$4.2 million on personal care products during the year.
$3.2 million on movies, DVDs, Music and Video games this school year.
We Deliver Results!
College newspapers continue to be the strongest medium for reaching this affluent campus market. Central Michigan Life is the clear choice in the Central Michigan market. CM Life's unique and relevant content, along with CM Life's multi-media offerings keep students appraised of news, sports and advertising deals on a minute by minute basis.
90% of all students have read a CM LIFE in the past 30 days.
80% of CMU faculty and staff read CM LIFE weekly.
80% of readers have read at least one of the past five issues of CM LIFE.
3.3 is the average pass along rate of each copy of CM LIFE.
90% rank campus news as the number one section they look for in their newspaper, followed by entertainment (69%) and sports (50%)
70% of students say they've been motivated to take some sort of action after seeing an ad in CM LIFE.
78% of students have used a coupon or special offer.
Ranked Nationally.
Central Michigan Life is consistently rated one of the top college newspapers in the country by the Associated Collegiate Press during the pat 30 years.
Reliable Coverage.
CM LIFE is considered the #1 source of information about local events and business advertisements for CMU students, staff and local Mount Pleasant residents.
Extensive Reach.
Central Michigan Life reaches more than 36,300 potential customers with each issue.
Free to all.
CM LIFE publishes 11,000 copies every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the academic year, and is available FREE at more than 180 locations on campus and in the Mount Pleasant community.
Sources: re-Fuel College Explorer Survey October 2011; MSSMedia.com 2011 Overview of the College Market; The Morning Sun, Michigan Report on CMU economic impact study, February 22, 2009; MORI Research/Alloy Media & Marketing College Newspaper Audience Study, 2009; Scarborough Research, NNN Study 2010.
