If Gen Z feels that commercials don’t understand them, this shows that isn’t always correct. The campaign by Jane Doe Creation for student accommodation brand, Scape, grabs the attention of lonely Gen Z-ers (38% in a generation more digitally connected than ever), by presenting student moments of connection – hello in a corridor, a shared kitchen moment, a late night that turns into morning. The campaign makes Scape the place where in-between moments make university more than classes.     

Rather than creating traditional ads, Jane Doe Creation and Scape collected student inspired stories and turned them into the campaign, making students the voice of the brand. Stories include Togs Tuesday where one student wearing swim shorts to the laundry became a weekly ritual, and Underarm Butter, where a roommate’s cultural habit turned from confusion into something shared.

The films, directed by Mick Wong of Beautiful State, use a mixed-media approach as a nod to how memories are often experienced: fragmented, subjective, and evolving. Moments are re-enacted, but not replicated, with the aim to capture how stories are felt, not documented.

The campaign, You Had To Be There, builds on Scape’s positioning as A place for humans, rolling out across YouTube, Twitch, Meta, TikTok, Reddit, and out-of-home, alongside IRL events in Melbourne and Sydney partnering with culture-first agency noisy.

Rosalind Lill, general manager – brand & marketing at Scape Australia, stated, “We tested this campaign before we backed it fully. And we listened to our residents and our incredible residential experience teams, about the moments that stayed with them. The night they knew they’d made a friend, the first time a corridor felt like home – where they’d felt seen. That’s where You Had To Be There came from.

“When the numbers backed it – demand up 38%, social engagement up 36% – we knew we had to tell these stories louder. Helping Gen Z students feel like they belong is our number one job. Turns out being honest about that, warts and all, is also good business.”

Penny Buck, executive creative director at Jane Doe Creation, added, “It’s that moment when strangers become friends. That’s the idea behind this campaign and Scape’s spaces are designed for the unplanned moments that turn into stories you retell. We all have them. This is just the beginning.”

The campaign extends across its locations with simple initiatives such as student welcome door knocks, shared dinners and monthly birthday gatherings designed to spark everyday connection.