Marketing Assets Across Consumer Journey: Best Practices and How To Audit

Best Practices for Using Marketing Assets to Drive Customer Engagement and Reuse at Every Step of the Customer Journey

As the new school year approaches, it’s essential to ensure your reuse program is not only in place, but also optimized. Whether you're welcoming new students or reinforcing habits with returning ones, a well-executed marketing refresh can make all the difference.

This guide walks you through a full Friendlier Consumer Journey audit, helping you verify that your space is set up to drive awareness, participation, and container returns every step of the way.

Awareness

It is important that your consumers know about reuse in your space before they even get there.

Use social media to reintroduce Friendlier to your student body. Teasers, Instagram countdowns, or short Reels during orientation week can create curiosity and excitement. This early buzz helps build familiarity before students interact with the program in person.

Use newsletters and internal communications to introduce and reinforce the Friendlier program. A quick blurb in campus-wide emails, res life updates, or dining bulletins can go a long way, especially during the first few weeks of term. Keep the message short and action-oriented: explain what Friendlier is, how to return, and how to get deposits back. Bonus if you can link to a how-to page or short video. These touchpoints help students feel informed before they even visit the caf.

💡 Tip for returning sites: Make sure pre-awareness materials are refreshed with updated branding or messaging. Students tune out signage they’ve seen too often - fresh content boosts visibility.

Entrance

As students enter your space, the visuals should immediately communicate reuse.

Post Awareness Posters (22x28s or 8.5x11s) in high-traffic locations like entrances, near ordering stations, and along key walking paths. These posters should introduce what Friendlier is, why reuse matters, and how the system works, before a student even places an order.

Digital signage is another key touchpoint. Display screens near campus entrances, lobbies, or dining hall doors should clearly signal that Friendlier is live on campus. This primes students to notice and understand the program before they’re handed a container.

💡 If you’ve used the same materials in the same spots for multiple terms, consider updating or rotating visuals to maintain impact.

Order

At the point where food is handed off, subtle reinforcements go a long way.

Use strip signage, sneeze guard clings, and container-specific posters to reinforce that the student is choosing reuse in that moment. These touchpoints are small but powerful - they create a connection between the behaviour (using the container) and the system it belongs to.

Use FAQs or posters to address questions like, “What do I do with this reusable container or cup afterward?” 

💡 Returning sites should check for wear and tear or outdated signage. Clean, vibrant visuals are key to effective engagement, and new material goes a long way.

POS (Point of Sale)

The POS is your last opportunity to influence behaviour before students walk away.

Ensure you have POS signage that explains the container deposit, the return process, and how to get the money back. These visuals should be easy to read, with QR codes or URLs that point students to the Friendlier app or website.

Cashiers also play a critical role here. Every sale should come with a quick, helpful question:
“Do you know where to return your container when you’re done with it?”

This single line drives participation and normalizes the return process.

Enjoy

Once customers are seated, use this moment to educate and reinforce the Friendlier program:

Table talkers are essential for reinforcing what comes next: scan, return, and collect your deposit. This is also a great place to share short impact stats, sustainability wins, or simple how-to graphics.

Informational posters on walls or tables are great to help answer common questions like how to get deposits back, and address any concerns about how to return, container cleanliness, environmental impact and more.

💡 Tailor your messaging to address customer concerns and inspire confidence, making their dining experience both enjoyable and informative.

Return

Returning the container is the final, and most important step.

Bins should be easy to locate, clean, and clearly signed. Use scan-and-return posters with simple, visual instructions and QR codes. High-traffic zones like exits, garbage stations, and residence hallway intersections are ideal placement spots.

💡 Friendlier bins that are paired with fresh, clear signage consistently see higher return rates.

By simplifying returns and emphasizing their importance, you ensure the circular system functions seamlessly and customers stay engaged.

Friendly Reminder

Use a mix of social media, posters, digital signage, and physical assets to communicate the Friendlier program at every step of the customer journey. These strategies work for food service operations of any size, making reuse simple while creating an engaging, consistent customer experience.

We’ve released updated versions of our generic signage to better align with the latest Friendlier branding and messaging. Refresh your materials for maximum visibility and impact this fall.

By reinforcing Friendlier at every touchpoint, you don’t just increase container returns - you create a campus culture that makes reuse second nature.

Final Check

A quick checklist for your marketing audit:

• Are your digital displays showing updated Friendlier content?

• Are posters and signage rotated or refreshed for returning students?

• Is every container touchpoint (from order to return) paired with a visual cue?

• Are cashiers trained to prompt return behaviour?

• Are your bins properly signed and placed for convenience?

Any questions on how to setup your space? Email marketing@friendlier.com for support.