Revitalizing Meal Plans with #ForeverFlexin

Imagine that you started a new job selling meal plans to university students, and the state takes away the main reason to buy a meal plan - no taxes.

What do you do?

You just start flexin’!

I had the honor of working at my alma mater, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), as a contractor with Chartwells Higher Education. As the new marketing director for UNCG Dining Services, I faced many challenges, but selling meal plans became a more onerous hurdle to cross. In January 2014, two months after I started my new role, North Carolina passed G.S. 105-164.13(27), a new tax law that imposed sales tax on food and prepared food served to students in dining halls. This legislation presented a significant challenge for UNCG Dining (operated by Chartwells Higher Education), as it reduced the value of meal plans, particularly for students who relied on the "flex" money included in voluntary meal plans (VMPs).

Flex funds, which operate as a declining balance for dining purchases, were among the most appealing aspects of meal plans. However, the new tax made it harder for students to stretch their dining dollars, leading to declining sales of non-mandatory meal plans, a key revenue source for Chartwells and the university.

To counter this challenge, the university introduced a policy change: any unused flex funds would roll over into an account accessible to students for the duration of their enrollment at UNCG. This pivotal move aimed to restore the value of meal plans and encourage students to continue purchasing them. However, a robust marketing campaign was needed to communicate this change and reignite interest in VMPs among students and parents.

Objectives

Increase Sales: Revitalize interest in voluntary meal plans and boost sales.

Raise Awareness: Educate students and parents about the new rollover policy for flex funds.

Engage Students: Create a campaign that resonates with UNCG’s millennial/Gen Z audience.

Challenges

Negative Impact of NC Tax Law on Meal Plans: The introduction of G.S. 105-164.13(27) imposed sales tax on food purchased with flex funds, reducing the purchasing power of meal plans.This made voluntary meal plans (VMPs) less attractive to students both on campus and off, leading to a decline in sales.

Potential Student Dissatisfaction with Meal Plan Value & Revenue Loss for Chartwells and UNCG: Students, particularly those using flex funds, found it difficult to make their on-campus dining dollars last. As a result, the perceived value of meal plans diminished, leading to fewer students participating in voluntary meal plans or opting for lower-priced plans. The decline in sales had potential to directly impact the financial performance of Chartwells Higher Education and UNCG Dining.

Effective Communications of the New Policy Changes to Parents and Students: The university’s solution—allowing unused flex funds to roll over—needed to be effectively communicated to students and parents. Without awareness, the policy change would not have a meaningful impact on meal plan sales. There was a possibility of miscommunication on the bill and the UNCG policy. The campaign required strong branding to create a lasting identity and association with the new policy. It had to stand out amidst other campus communications and promotions and be memorable enough for college students. (An uphill battle!)

Engaging a Millennial Student Audience to Participate: Traditional marketing approaches might not have resonated with students. The campaign had to be fresh, culturally relevant, and engaging to capture attention. There had to be communication that reached out to them as many students did not respond to campus communications like mass emails and calls. Students needed an incentive to engage with the campaign actively and spread awareness. This had to be memorable and catch to appeal to a social media-driven community.

Strategies & Actions

Inspiration: The inspiration for the campaign came to me as I drove home. It was summer break, and my team of college student employees, known as the “Food Crew,” and their taunts of me being an “old lady” were on my mind. I popped on the local hip-hop station and heard the song of the summer… “No Flex Zone” is a super catchy tune from the group Rae Sremmurd. The song and chorus stuck in my head as I got home, made dinner and sat on my couch. Then it hit me.

The students and parents are concerned about their flex.

The on-campus restaurants become a NO FLEX ZONE when the flex runs out.

They need to know that as long as they’re students at UNCG, their flex will roll over with them and that if they “over flex,” they can recharge as necessary.

#FOREVERFLEXIN was born. The earworm became a hashtag and my marketing campaign for the meal plans. (It also gave me cool points with my students.)

Results & Impact

Increased Social Media Engagement:

Facebook followers grew by 25%.

Twitter followers increased by 20%.

Instagram followers rose by 10%

Improved Awareness: The campaign effectively communicated the new flex rollover policy to students and parents, helping restore confidence in the value of meal plans.

High Participation: The branded tees and tanks became a major draw, with students eagerly participating in events to earn their coveted #ForeverFlexin apparel.

Enhanced Branding:#ForeverFlexin became synonymous with UNCG Dining’s flex rollover accounts, creating a lasting identity that students connected with.

Key Lessons Learned

Cultural Relevance Drives Engagement:
Tapping into popular culture, like Rae Sremmurd’s “No Flex Zone,” helped the campaign resonate with the target audience.

Visuals and Branding Matter:
A strong visual identity, including memorable logos and branded apparel, can amplify a campaign’s impact.

Incentives Boost Participation:
Offering tangible rewards, such as coveted t-shirts, encouraged students to actively engage with the campaign.

Social Media is Essential:
Leveraging social platforms maximized reach and created a sense of community around the campaign.

Conclusion

The #ForeverFlexin campaign successfully revitalized interest in UNCG’s voluntary meal plans by blending creativity, cultural relevance, and strategic engagement. By addressing student concerns and promoting the new flex rollover policy, the campaign increased awareness, boosted sales, and strengthened the relationship between UNCG Dining and its students.