Position Overview

Duration: 4 weeks (20 business days)

Students: 1-2 students

Organization: Food Trucks Association of Canada (FTAC)

This placement provides comprehensive experience in digital marketing campaign development, social media strategy, and consumer engagement within the food service industry. Students will create and launch a complete 4-week social media campaign designed to build FTAC's consumer audience, engage food truck enthusiasts, and gather valuable industry feedback through interactive contests and exclusive content.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this placement, students will be able to:

• Develop comprehensive social media marketing strategies with clear objectives
• Create engaging content calendars and multi-platform campaigns
• Design and execute promotional contests with legal compliance
• Build and engage consumer communities through targeted messaging
• Analyze campaign performance and provide data-driven recommendations
• Understand food service industry marketing dynamics and consumer behavior

Campaign Overview

Target Audience: Food truck enthusiasts, foodies, and local food explorers

Primary Goals:

• Build FTAC consumer following by 500+ new engaged followers
• Generate consumer feedback through interactive content and surveys
• Increase brand awareness for FTAC member food trucks
• Create ongoing engagement opportunities for foodie community

Week 1 Deliverables: Strategy & Planning

Days 1-3: Market Research & Strategy Development

• Outcome: Evidence-based campaign strategy with clear targeting
• Deliverable: Campaign strategy document including:
• Analysis of current FTAC social media presence and engagement
• Competitive analysis of food industry social media campaigns
• Target audience personas with demographics and preferences
• Platform-specific strategy (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter)
• Campaign timeline with key milestones and deadlines

Days 4-5: Contest Design & Legal Framework

• Outcome: Legally compliant, engaging contest structure
• Deliverable: Contest framework including:
• "Truck Stop Challenge" contest rules and entry mechanisms
• Prize structure and sourcing plan (member truck vouchers, branded merchandise)
• Legal compliance checklist and terms & conditions
• Entry collection and winner selection procedures

Week 2 Deliverables: Content Creation & Launch Preparation

Days 6-8: Content Development

• Outcome: Professional, engaging content ready for publication
• Deliverable: Complete content package including:
• 4-week content calendar with daily posts across all platforms
• 20+ original graphics, photos, and video concepts
• Contest announcement materials and promotional graphics
• Member spotlight templates and food truck feature formats

Days 9-10: Campaign Launch & Community Building

• Outcome: Successful campaign launch with initial engagement
• Deliverable: Launch week execution including:
• Contest announcement across all platforms
• Community engagement strategy implementation
• Influencer and member truck outreach for contest promotion
• Daily monitoring and response protocols established

Specific Focus Areas

Content Strategy:

• Platform-optimized content for Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter
• Visual storytelling showcasing food truck culture and community
• User-generated content strategies to build authentic engagement
• Educational content about food truck industry and member businesses

Community Engagement:

• Interactive story formats (polls, Q&As, behind-the-scenes)
• Hashtag strategy development (#TruckStopChallenge, #FTACFoodie)
• Cross-platform community building and conversation facilitation
• Member food truck collaboration and feature opportunities

Contest Management:

• Creative entry mechanisms (photo contests, recipe submissions, location check-ins)
• Fair and transparent judging criteria and winner selection
• Prize sourcing from FTAC member businesses for mutual benefit
• Legal compliance with provincial contest regulations

Skills Development Focus

• Social media analytics and performance measurement
• Content creation using design tools (Canva, Adobe Creative Suite)
• Community management and customer service via social platforms
• Campaign project management and timeline coordination
• Brand voice development and consistent messaging

Success Metrics

• Follower Growth: Achieve 500+ new followers across all platforms
• Engagement Rate: Maintain 4%+ average engagement rate throughout campaign
• Contest Participation: Generate 200+ contest entries from unique participants
• Content Performance: Achieve 10,000+ total impressions per week
• Feedback Collection: Gather 150+ consumer survey responses
• Member Engagement: Feature 15+ different FTAC member food trucks

Campaign Budget Considerations

• Contest prizes: $500-800 value (food truck vouchers, branded items)
• Content creation tools: $50-100 for design software/stock photos
• Promotional boost budget: $200-300 for targeted social media advertising
• Member collaboration costs: Minimal (cross-promotional partnerships)

Long-term Impact Goals

• Establish FTAC as the go-to resource for food truck enthusiasts
• Create sustainable community engagement model for ongoing use
• Provide valuable consumer insights to drive member business growth
• Build foundation for seasonal campaigns and ongoing promotions