Authors:

Stefanie Dove, RDN, CDN, School Nutrition Marketing Specialist, Loudoun County Virginia Schools

Dr. Becky Domokos-Bays, RD, SNS, Supervisor, School Nutrition Services, Loudoun County Virginia Schools

Using Social Media and Marketing to Improve Brand Awareness in School Nutrition

Goal: Effective marketing practices will enhance image, build and sustain participation in school nutrition programs.

Strategies & Tactics• Hire a Marketing Coordinator• Create a new school nutrition

website and mobile app • Develop a gluten free menu• Develop various social media

outlets to target select groups• Launch monthly fruit and

vegetable taste tests, free to all students.

• Incorporate Farm to School activities as part of day.

Engaged high school graphics design students to develop

posters for monthly taste tests. This was a project-based

learning activity.

To receive feedback from students, we developed

student satisfaction surveys through Survey Monkey,

that were sent to all middle and high school students. At both levels, 17% of students

responded.

To engage high school students during National School Breakfast

Week, students were given an opportunity to win a Taste Party

Buffet for the entire school if they had the highest percentage

participation the week of and following NSBW. For the Taste Party

Buffet, QR codes were created so students could use their smartphones

to rate the items.

To increase awareness of the School Nutrition Program, we partnered with

14 classes to develop project-based learning activities relating to school nutrition. These included projects

such as menu planning, the business of school nutrition, school nutrition

guidelines, farm to school, and healthy meal marketing materials.

Collaborated with Loudoun County Economic Development to create series

of 12 local farmer trading cards. Farmers became celebrities through cafeteria meet-and-greet sessions where they

were able to sign the cards for students. Achieved local, state, and national media

coverage through this promotion.

Strong social media presence was developed through consistent utilization of the

following social media channels:

Twitter: Established May 2015Instagram:: Established October 2015

Blog: Established November 2015Facebook: Established January 2016

Daily menus with photos, school nutrition news, farm to school events, and school

nutrition promotions are emphasized through all social media outlets.

Impact:• Breakfast ADP increased by 36.4%• Lunch ADP increased by 6.4%• Gained 662 Twitter followers• Total website hits: 547,417• Sending teachers to training with DC

Greens to enhance Farm to School program.

• Developing new series of farmer trading cards for next year.

Developed flyers to promote new website, mobile app, and

interactive menus