Dream Lab Challenge: Food Hall Edition

Presented by Teal Reef in collaboration with Destination Downtown Food Hall

Open to CBHS Students Oct 9, 2025

Welcome, Future Marketers

You’re stepping into the shoes of a real marketing team today. Your challenge: create a campaign that helps attract more guests to Destination Downtown Food Hall, a vibrant hub in the heart of Cocoa Beach featuring seven local kitchens, one bar, and a laid back atmosphere.

Your Mission

Develop a creative campaign theme that connects with your generation and brings people through the doors of Destination Downtown Food Hall. Use creativity, teamwork, and strategy — just like we do at Teal Reef. You can work individually or in a team.

Step 1: Research: Understanding the Brand Voice

Before creating any campaign, great marketers start by learning the brand’s voice — how it talks, feels, and connects with its audience.

Your task: learn how Destination Downtown Food Hall communicates.

• Visit the Food Hall’s Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, YouTube and website.

• Look at the words, tone, and visuals used. Are they casual or polished? Playful or professional?

• Notice the colors, photos, and style — what kind of mood do they create?

• Pay attention to how the brand makes people feel: excited, relaxed, community-minded, beachy, local, etc.

Then, summarize what you discover in a few sentences:

“Destination Downtown Food Hall’s brand voice is __________. It sounds __________ and focuses on __________.”

Use that tone when you build your campaign. Everything — from captions and hashtags to visuals and event ideas — should feel like it fits naturally with the Food Hall’s personality.

Step 2: Choose Your Campaign Theme

Every great marketing campaign starts with a clear theme — an idea that ties everything together. Your team’s job is to develop a creative campaign theme for Destination Downtown Food Hall that connects with your generation and brings people through the doors. You’ll use a mix of social media, event ideas, and partnerships to make your theme come alive. 

Option 1: Social Media Buzz

Create a campaign that lives online and drives attention to the Food Hall through fun, shareable content.

Examples: (but looking for your unique ideas)

• Challenge on TikTok or Reels

• A hashtag challenge

• Trend-based content

Option 2: Event Activation

Design an in-person event that would bring your age group to the Food Hall.

Examples: (but looking for your unique ideas)

• A reoccurring event series

• A weeknight hangout

• A community art or music showcase

• Seasonal themes

Option 3: Influencer Collaboration

Find a local influencer, student creator, or personality who could help promote your theme.

Examples: (but looking for your unique ideas)

• Partner with a local foodie or influencer

• Collaborate with a micro-influencer

• Pair with local athletes, artists, or musicians

Option 4: Branding & Storytelling Campaign

Create a true ‘Campaign’ with a strong message or visual identity that makes the Food Hall stand out.

Examples: (but looking for your unique ideas)

• Come up with a tagline

• Design a limited-time logo variation or campaign graphic or seasonal idea

• Focus on a value and build around that

• Tell a story

Step 3: Define Your Campaign

Campaign Name: __________________________________________

Main Idea / Hook: __________________________________________

Target Audience: __________________________________________

Platform or Promotion Method: _______________________________

Visual Concept (describe or sketch): ____________________________

Step 4: Create Your Strategy

• What makes your idea stand out?

• Does it match the brand voice?

• How would this campaign get attention online or in person?

• What goal would it achieve for the Food Hall?

Step 5: Present Your Pitch

Each individual or team will have 3 minutes to pitch their idea.

We’ll select 2-3 winners to present to the client at their office in Cape Canaveral

Step 6: Real-World Opportunity

This isn’t just a classroom project — your ideas could become part of a real marketing campaign.

Our Teal Reef team will select two or more standout campaigns and take you with us to present your pitch directly to the Destination Downtown Food Hall client.

If your concept is chosen, you’ll collaborate with the Teal Reef team to bring it to life — from graphic design and social media rollout to event promotion and influencer outreach.

You’ll experience firsthand how a creative idea turns into a real marketing campaign seen by thousands of people right here in Cocoa Beach.

Questions?

Email: christy@tealreef.com or hello@tealreef.com