Want to Engage College Students? Give ‘Em Free Food—That’s What Uber Did

Throughout the fall, Uber is bringing its “The One Shop,” a bodega-inspired pop-up designed to promote the brand’s new membership program, Uber One for Students, to college campuses.

The 13-stop tour kicked off Aug. 21 at the University of Miami before the brand set up shop at The University of Texas at Austin with content creator and UT grad Connor Wood on Aug. 28. Additional campus stops on the tour include The University of Alabama, Ohio State, Boston University, and more. It will wrap up at the end of October at the University of Southern California.

“Knowing how active students are on [TikTok], we designed each corner of The One Shop with delightful surprises that students want to capture as shareable content,” Jeffreys explained.Photo: Courtesy of UberAs for the tour stops, Georgie Jeffreys, head of marketing at Uber, North America, said that the brand “prioritized making stops at a range of colleges across the country, with a particular focus on schools that have a strong on-campus culture.”

The pop-up showcases brands that Uber One for Students members have access to including Starbucks, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, Domino’s, Popeyes, Insomnia Cookies, and Panera Bread.Photo: Courtesy of Uber“In addition to paying close attention to where we activated, we also carefully considered when we activated, specifically as it related to how we capitalized on welcome weeks and other big events,” she added. 

The bodega-meets-art-installation is packed with free goodies from brands on which Uber One for Students members are able to get special pricing and discounts, including Starbucks, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, Domino’s, Popeyes, Insomnia Cookies, and Panera Bread.

“Whether they are there to grab a popsicle on the way to class or snag a goodie bag of all of their favorite products, The One Shop allows us to meet college students where they are,” Jeffreys said.

Uber One for Students is similar to an Uber One membership, but costs half the price and is exclusively for college students.

Students who sign up for an Uber One membership also have the chance to win prizes, snap selfies in various photo moments including a corner lined with oversize Taco Bell sauce packets, and take away a bag of swag.

The brand described the activation as "TikTok-able,” which, like Instagram-worthy, means offering up moments that visitors want to share on social media.

Jeffreys described the pop-up as “a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere where students couldn’t help but want to check out what’s happening.”Photo: Courtesy of Uber“Knowing how active students are on the platform, we designed each corner of The One Shop with delightful surprises that students want to capture as shareable content,” Jeffreys explained. 

“From a hot sauce sanctuary with Taco Bell to a gumball machine full of Panera Bread-inspired minis to a classic bodega-inspired selfie station, we aimed to create a memorable and shareable experience that connects with students.”

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