Campus guerrilla marketing proved to be the winning approach when Google Pay partnered with Evolve Activation to boost brand awareness and drive student adoption on UK college campuses. The campaign delivered a high-energy, multi-channel experience that blended live activation, peer-to-peer education, and digital rewards to make mobile payments feel both essential and exciting to a younger audience.
Challenge:
Google Pay wanted to increase usage among college students in the UK by encouraging app downloads and daily usage. The challenge was to create an on-campus presence that cut through student distractions and made Google Pay feel relevant, useful, and rewarding, without relying solely on digital ads or paid influencers.
Solution:
Evolve Activation launched a custom campus guerrilla marketing tour across three major UK universities: King’s College London, the University of Nottingham, and the University of the West of England in Bristol. Our team handled event concepting, footprint design and production, staffing, training, university negotiations, and post-event reporting.
Each campus pop-up featured:
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A welcoming, high-traffic footprint staffed by trained Brand Ambassadors
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A live digital spin-to-win game where students who downloaded Google Pay won prizes instantly
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Direct education on Google Pay’s convenience, security, and student-use benefits
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Supporting tactics including social media content, flyering, and direct mail to amplify presence before and during each activation
The experience was designed to be fun, fast, and frictionless—mirroring the product itself. It built instant excitement and rewarded students for trying something new.
Results:
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42% conversion rate among engaged students, far surpassing campaign goals
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Over 1,000 Google Pay downloads across just three campuses
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59,000+ students reached through a combination of in-person and promotional tactics
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High product recall and positive brand association among the Gen Z college audience
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Scalable format with potential for future campus rollouts
Why It Worked:
This campaign worked because it took campus guerrilla marketing principles—mobility, visibility, and high-impact interaction—and applied them to a brand students could adopt immediately. The activation delivered real value in exchange for engagement, making Google Pay feel both useful and rewarding. Evolve’s approach combined strategic planning with authentic peer-to-peer communication, turning college campuses into live brand ecosystems that drove measurable behavior change.
Consider hiring a specialized, top-rated event marketing service agency to help you with your specific marketing needs. In short, if you need help with any experiential programs, contact Evolve Activation.
