Amazon Ads has launched First Day Ready, a multi-brand campaign designed to connect brands with Gen Z consumers during the back-to-college season through a mix of shoppable content, creator partnerships, physical experiences and live entertainment.
Developed by Amazon Ads’ Brand Innovation Lab, the campaign brings together Gatorade, Michael Kors and SharkNinja, with each brand using a different experience to engage students. The initiative began on July 1 with custom video spots, dedicated Amazon Store pages, Fire TV experiences, Prime Video placements and creator-led content through the Amazon Influencers programme.
The campaign will move offline on September 5 with a block party at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Gatorade will create a college tailgate experience featuring games linked to its powder products, while Michael Kors will operate a student lounge with a photo booth and charm personalisation bar. SharkNinja will host a frozen lounge showcasing its InstaChill technology and Crispi air fryer.
“Brands used to buy a TV spot, now they can buy a moment — one that spans streaming, creator content, physical experiences, and a livestreamed concert — all connected back to purchase and measured in one place,” said Kate McCagg, Global Head of Amazon Ads Brand Innovation Lab.
The strategy comes as brands across the Middle East are also looking beyond conventional advertising to engage younger consumers through culture, entertainment, creators and experiences. In Saudi Arabia, for example, Amazon Ads worked with Yves Saint Laurent on an interactive Twitch campaign for its MYSLF fragrance aimed specifically at male Gen Z audiences. The activation attracted more than 11,000 unique Saudi viewers and generated a 122% increase in daily average sales for the MYSLF range on yslbeauty.sa.
Elsewhere, JD Sports has used its Own The Night platform to connect with Gen Z and millennials in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, positioning the brand within youth culture rather than simply around product promotion.
The shift is supported by the region’s demographics and digital behaviour. Gen Z accounts for around 16% of the MENA population, or about 60 million people, according to Google and Kantar research. The research also found that 77% of Gen Z consumers in the region subscribe to or regularly watch YouTube creators, while 63% use YouTube to gather information about recent purchases.
For GCC marketers, Amazon’s First Day Ready therefore offers a relevant model even though its immediate occasion is the US back-to-college season. The campaign demonstrates how brands can build around a significant consumer moment and connect entertainment, creator content, physical experiences and commerce rather than treating each channel separately.
Amazon Ads has already applied elements of this connected approach in the region. During Prime Day 2024, NIVEA’s campaign across the UAE and Saudi Arabia combined Amazon properties with Amazon DSP, outdoor media, radio and direct-to-consumer channels. The campaign generated a 663% lift in Brand Store sales and more than 38,600 new-to-brand customers across the two markets.
Back in the US, First Day Ready will culminate in Off To College with Kane Brown, a livestreamed concert presented by Amazon Music. The concert will be broadcast across Prime Video, Amazon Music, Twitch, Fire TV and Samsung TV, while students attending the campus event will also see an exclusive set from DJ D-Nice.
“Great media isn’t about reaching audiences, it’s about understanding where they are in life’s most meaningful moments and delivering value when it matters most,” says Dave Kersey, VP, Global Head of Media, SharkNinja. “The transition to college is a defining milestone for Gen Z, and through* First Day Ready*, we’re able to engage students in a way that reflects how they truly discover and shop today. As a company built around solving everyday problems, SharkNinja is uniquely positioned to support consumers through every life stage, from first dorms and apartments to growing families and beyond.”
The campaign also connects advertising with Amazon’s Prime Young Adult offering, giving eligible higher-education students and young adults aged 18–24 access to Prime membership at half the usual cost.
“The first day of college is all about new challenges, new people, and a lot coming at you all at once,” says Mark Englert, Senior Director, Gatorade Powders. “Gatorade has always been about helping people prepare for what’s ahead, whether that’s on the field or taking on a full day of campus life. First Day Ready lets us bring that mindset to students at a moment when they’re gearing up to go all in.”
The First Day Ready digital experience is currently live on Amazon.com, with the campus activation and concert scheduled for September 5.
For Middle East marketers, the campaign points to a broader evolution already visible in the region: Gen Z is increasingly being approached not simply as an audience to reach, but as a consumer group to engage through entertainment, culture, creators and interactive brand experiences.
