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Food Choice, Markets and Policy (Poster Session)

(P08-002-24) More Than a Hill of Beans: Marketing Beans to College Students

Sunday, June 30, 2024
12:45 PM – 1:45 PM CT
Location: Poster Board 224

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Mohammad Rahanur Alam, MSc

    PhD Student
    University of Tennessee, Knoxville
    Knoxville, Tennessee, United States

  • Mohammad Rahanur Alam, MSc

    PhD Student
    University of Tennessee, Knoxville
    Knoxville, Tennessee, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • SC

    Sarah Colby, PhD, RD

    Associate Professor
    University of Tennessee, Department of Nutrition
    Knoxville, Tennessee, United States

  • SC

    Sarah Colby, PhD, RD

    Associate Professor
    University of Tennessee, Department of Nutrition
    Knoxville, Tennessee, United States

Disclosure(s):
Mohammad Rahanur Alam, MSc: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.


Objectives: Despite being nutritious, affordable, and versatile, bean intake is low among college students. This study sought to identify effective marketing strategies to promote bean consumption.

Methods: Cognitive interviews with photo elicitation were conducted with 21 college students to identify preferred bean marketing strategies. Based on the interviews, surveys were administered to a convenience sample of 982 college students to assess demographics, diet quality, and bean-related marketing strategies preferences.

Results: Interviews were thematically analyzed for college students' perspectives on beans and marketing strategies and messaging. Suggested strategies for promoting beans included engaging activities, free samples, cultural exploration, education about nutritional benefits, and increasing availability and accessibility. Students emphasized the importance of using visual appeal to grab attention but stressed balancing visuals with informative text content. Critiques of sample messages included lack of clarity, specificity, and accuracy as well as aggressive framing; whereas clear, direct, positive messaging was preferred. Analysis of survey data revealed 38.3% of respondents preferred convenience-themed messages that promoted beans as a quick meal preparation option. Chi-square analysis revealed that females preferred convenience messages while males favored messages of beans promote health and beans save money (χ2=21.511, p< .001). Freshmen preferred health and savings messages, while seniors preferred convenience and sustainability (χ2=20.121, p=.017). ANOVA analysis of message type and diet quality showed no significant association.

Conclusions: An effective bean promotion campaign designed for college populations may benefit from a focus on convenience, but message content could be varied depending on priority population.

Funding Sources: This work was supported by Summer Graduate Research Assistantship Fund, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.