From Ramen to West Elm and Ring Lights

As students settle into another academic year (or prepare to), the classic dorm room isn’t what it used to be. Gone are the days of cold, sterile cinder-block walls and ramen-only diets. Today’s college students are flipping their dorms into cozy, aesthetically curated spaces, complete with West Elm furniture, twinkle lights, and—you guessed it—ring lights. Dorm rooms aren’t just bedrooms anymore; they’re influencer stages, vlogging sets, and branded content machines.

Remember when dorm rooms used to be minimalistic? Just the essentials: a bed, a desk, maybe a microwave if you were lucky. Now, with social media, dorm décor is a brand’s golden ticket to reach the Gen Z market, as students broadcast every aspect of their lives from their newly upgraded living spaces.

Influencers in Dorms? Yep, It’s a Thing

The rise of dorm influencers is shaping a new chapter in marketing. With Gen Z owning the largest presence on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, students are leveraging their decorated dorm rooms as the backdrop for content creation. Take Influencer Hannah Meloche, for example. She’s amassed a large following of college students and beyond by turning her Michigan dorm room into a haven of style and comfort, all while repping sponsored products.

Another case is TikToker Alix Earle, who shares everything from beauty routines to college life, featuring her stylish dorm setup to her millions of followers. Her space, like many other influencers, is an ever-rotating showcase of brand partnerships—from bedding companies to tech gear—all while she’s juggling classes. Influencer Peyton List has also tapped into this market, making her dorm life and product recommendations a centerpiece of her content, earning brand deals in the process.

Dorm Décor: The New Stage for Brand Partnerships

It’s not just the students benefitting. Brands have quickly caught on to this trend, realizing that these “college creators” can reach their peers in an authentic way. This opens the door for everything from tech to snack companies to get their products featured in an organic environment.

One campaign that stands out was run by IKEA, partnering with dorm influencers to highlight affordable, functional, and stylish dorm furniture. Their collaborations with influencers who vlogged their “dorm transformation” showcased IKEA products in real-life spaces, creating content that was highly relatable to their college-aged audience.

Another clever marketing strategy came from Target’s #CollegeStylists initiative, which enlisted student influencers to vlog their dorm makeovers using Target products. By sending influencers a curated dorm essentials kit, they transformed what used to be a back-to-school shopping trip into viral content.

The reality is, what used to be a dorm room full of second-hand furniture has now turned into a lucrative space for influencer marketing—helping brands create a direct line to Gen Z consumers through their own peers.

Vlogging: Bringing Dorm Life to the Masses

For a lot of Gen Z students, dorm vlogging is a major part of the equation. Vloggers like Margot Lee have made a name for themselves by chronicling their day-to-day life in college, including moving into their dorms, decorating, and daily routines. Her content has given her followers a peek into college life while serving as a perfect platform for brands looking to target Gen Z.

From morning routine videos to study-with-me vlogs, brands are strategically positioning themselves in influencer content that feels natural and trustworthy. Dorm vlogging taps into the authenticity that audiences crave, and brands can seamlessly integrate their products into the lives of these creators.

Can Dorm Influencers Balance School and Business?

Here’s the million-dollar question: Is influencer life helping or distracting students? Well, it’s complicated. Some students are genuinely passionate about creating content and building an income stream while in school, managing to balance it all. But there’s also the argument that the constant pull to create, post, and engage can be a distraction from their studies.

For some, it’s not just about business; it’s about making their dorm feel a bit more like home. Between balancing class schedules, homework, and creating content, having a cozy, personalized space is a form of self-care. Does this help them or distract them? Or maybe it’s just making home away from home a little more homier? What do you think?

Dorm Influencers: A New Normal

Dorm influencers represent a new opportunity for brands. These students aren’t just showcasing their personality or school life; they’re becoming a new type of content creator that’s blurring the lines between personal and sponsored content. It’s a form of influence that’s intimate, relatable, and embedded within the everyday lives of their followers.

Whether it’s through unboxing videos, dorm transformation vlogs, or product reviews, brands can partner with these student influencers to bring their products directly to the target audience in the most authentic way possible. Plus, the engagement potential is huge. Influencers like Emma Chamberlain have built empires through relatable content that integrates seamlessly into their personal lives—dorm influencers are no different.

Looking to Collaborate?

Interested in bringing dorm influencers on board? Contact cMedia Collective to make your brand part of the dorm decor magic. Collaborating with dorm influencers can help showcase your products in their cozy (and stylish) college spaces for the next year, bringing your brand directly into the lives of Gen Z consumers.