METRONEWS
© New Zealand Broadcasting School 2024

Where can you buy Ara-branded merchandise?

Timithi Aplin-Barrett
IMG 9545 4
Ara Institute of Canterbury - City Campus  Timithi Aplin-Barrett

Ara Institute of Canterbury students want to show pride in their campus, but have no idea where to get the "merch".

Students at universities and polytechnics often show pride in the institution of learning by wearing and using merchandise such as hoodies or polo shirts.

At Ara Institute of Canterbury, not so much.

METRONEWS asked a group of students, including Samantha Bramley and Annabel Tudhope, if they knew where to get Ara-branded merchandise from. The overwhelming majority had no idea.

If they could buy it on campus, they probably would, Bramley and Tudhope said.

The Ara student-oriented website Campus Life has a link to an online shop where you can buy Ara clothingDelivery takes up to 10 days, or buyers can pick up from the supplier. The main Ara Institute of Canterbury website does not have information on how to buy merchandise.

Other merchandise such as drink bottles and notebooks can be purchased online, or through a convoluted process involving Student Finance and Marketing department. The merchandise is not available in a shop.

Ara's head of marketing, Tim Kerr, said stocking merchandise in a shop on campus was too much of a financial risk for the institution.

Kerr acknowledged Ara appeared to have a brand awareness problem and agreed it was time for a change in how the institution was represented.

"The timing is right," he said.

He had not been aware of the difficulties for students in getting branded merchandise. A better process would be good, he said.

Video: Students want Ara-branded merchandise

Ara Institute of Canterbury Nursing students Samantha Bramley and Annabel Tudhope would buy Ara merchandise if they could on campus.