Studies show that Generation Z — who comprise the bulk of young people entering college now — have well-informed appetites. These kids were raised on public service messages intended to counter the rise in obesity and diabetes. When Gen Z students are hungry for a snack, they look for nutritious options first. That’s good reason to drive traffic into your store with an easy marketing campaign about the health food you offer, especially as finals approach.
When students prioritize studying over balanced meals, they unwittingly practice self-sabotage. Hunger and blood-sugar spikes deplete mental stamina, scatter concentration and reduce memory power. In finals, students are supposed to demonstrate their grasp of a semester’s worth of learning. That’s much harder to do if your body is underfed or undernourished. As you prepare your store for finals week, it will serve customers and your bottom-line to get the word out about your budget-friendly nutritious snacks.
Pro tip:
Create in-store ads that say, “Did you know apples, carrots and yogurt make you smarter? Brain-fuel matters during finals!”
Mental fuel matters
Your store can be transformed into a go-to food mecca during finals without much work. Use our suggestions below for your marketing campaign or ask your associates to research other foods your store offers and find out how they affect mental processes. Then create in-store displays and social media posts that help students deduce the all-important message that eating wisely supports academic achievement while eating junk — or nothing at all — brings mental fuzziness.
Pro tip:
Create social media posts about brain food before finals. Upload images of your healthy offerings to Instagram, Twitter and Facebook daily, along with tips about staying fit during finals. Example: “Apples sharpen memory. Oatmeal keeps you calm and focused. Get the brain food you need at the college store during finals!”
Here are some fun facts about healthy food many collegiate retailers stock. Draw from these or research your own to create a quick marketing campaign that puts your store on the student survival map during finals.
- Apples — Apples are associated with improving memory in Alzheimer’s patients, according to WebMd, Imagine what they can do for weary student brains trying to recall the periodic table.
- Nut butters — Nut butters like peanut, almond or cashew butters are packed with protein and wholesome fats that keep the body energized for longer stretches of time and help synapses fire smoothly.
- Almonds — Almonds are packed with Vitamin E, which boosts alertness and strengthens memory. They also help your body convert other foods (like apples) into the fuel it needs.
- Instant oats — Unlike many carbohydrates, oats lower your blood sugar and keep you steady for hours. They also reduce anxiety without putting you to sleep.
- Carrots — According to Live Science, carrots are full of luteolin, a compound that helps preserve memory and reduce brain inflammation.
- Greek yogurt — This high-protein treat not only energizes us, it’s rich in probiotics that have been shown to reverse symptoms of autism, according to the Atlantic. A healthy brain depends on a healthy gut.
