Aramark Loyalty Program Offers Games and Sweepstakes

Food service provider Aramark Higher Education has expended its loyalty program to encourage college students to dine on campus by offering a range of games and prizes as incentives.

The new experiential components of the Jam Rewards program replace the straight points-based pilot program launched in 2006 that was quickly becoming irrelevant to young, tech savvy college students.

“This program fits very well into what they are looking for at this point in their lives,” Katelyn Jenkins, marketing manager for consumer programs at Aramark, said.

To participate, students receive cards with unique codes for purchases and then enter the codes online or via text message to win prizes, play games or earn sweepstakes entries. Prizes include gift certificates to popular national retail stores, video game systems, song downloads, a mountain bike and a laptop computer.

Additional sweepstakes entries can be earned for playing online games, referring a friend, taking a short survey, opting to receive emails and texts, or buying a meal plan.

To simplify the registration process, Aramark uses Facebook Connect, which allows it to capture information from a Facebook profile to populate the registration. The meal and lifestyle preferences are mined to create special offers and adapt meal plans, Jenkins says.

Jenkins declined to comment on the number of members, but said the program is growing.

To encourage enrollment, Aramark is using social networking, tell-a-friend features, street teams, a mascot and on-campus events. E-mail blasts, text messages and P-O-S materials are also being used to support the program.

The program mascot “Jamonkey” can be seen around campuses, staging dance contests with school mascots, gathering students for beanbag tosses and other special events. Program members can also earn additional sweeps entries if they spot the Jam mascot on campus.

“Based on the positive feedback from students, we are excited to expand our Jam Rewards program as an integrated component of our overall e-commerce strategy,” said Karen Parker, associate vice president of marketing, Aramark Higher Education, said.

Aramark Higher Education services more than 600 colleges and universities in North America.