NC State Dining takes a uniquely collaborative and creative approach to naming dining operations across campus, enhancing both community connection and campus identity. From cozy cafés to full-service restaurants, each dining location’s name reflects the spirit and mission of its respective college or department, thanks to the thoughtful process of brand development involving faculty, students, and staff.
Jennifer Gilmore, director of marketing and communications for Campus Enterprises, shares how the naming process begins with collaboration.
“Whenever we brand a dining location, we prioritize collaborating directly with the college it belongs to and campus communicators to ensure thoughtful decision-making,” she said. “Each dining location has a story to tell, and it’s important for each café to feel like an extension of the academic environment around it.”
Elements Café, which opened in Jordan Library at the start of the fall 2020 semester, is the result of this unique naming approach. The name has ties to the College of Natural Resources and the Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (MEAS), which are based in Jordan Hall.
“Planning for the café started with stakeholders from the University Architects office, the University Libraries and representatives of the colleges within Jordan Hall,” said Shawn Hoch, senior director for dining and hospitality services. “The group gravitated toward Elements pretty quickly, and from there we collaborated with Jennifer and our marketing and communication team to develop the brand.”
“The brand mark took the shape of a teapot that incorporated each of the four natural elements: earth, fire, water and air,” said Gilmore. “We have some talented designers and brand experts on staff, especially in the restaurant/foodservice realm, who know how to capture the essence of each location.”
At the College of Textiles, Social Fabric Café + Market encapsulates the spirit of the college and its community. The name emerged through a college-wide competition for staff and students to get involved in the process. Cecilia Monge, a graduate student at the time, is the creative genius behind the name.
“I was working on my final collection for the independent study course I was taking during my grad program and needed a break from sewing all day,” said Monge. “I was trying to think of as many fabric and sewing puns as I could. Because I would often meet up with my friends over coffee to work on my thesis, I thought a name that also incorporated the social aspect would be perfect.”
According to Gilmore, naming competitions can be tricky. “I’m not always a fan of naming competitions because they require time and promotion and you don’t always end up with strategic names,” she said. “Cecilia’s suggestion, however, was spot on. It fits the space well. We even worked with the College of Textiles on custom graphics featuring a weave design from one of the professors, and the logo was designed by a student in the College of Design with supervision from our internal team.”
“The naming of The Exchange and Creature Comforts was a collaborative effort with the marketing and communication teams from the Colleges of Management and Veterinary Medicine,” said Gilmore. “We truly enjoyed working with them to create names that resonate with the unique purposes of these spaces. The Exchange, for instance, evokes both the stock exchange and the vibrant exchange of ideas over a cup of coffee. Creature Comforts, on the other hand, highlights the material comforts that enhance well-being. Given its location in the Terry Companion Veterinary Medicine Center, the clever play on ‘creature’ to also reference animals adds an extra layer of charm.”
The Exchange Café in Nelson Hall is a nod to the world of business and finance in the Poole College of Management. The Creature Comforts Café in the Terry Companion Animal Medical Center describes a welcoming gathering spot for students, faculty and staff. These two locations and Elements Café serve Caribou Coffee, while Social Fabric Café + Market serves Starbucks.
“The ‘Proudly Serving’ programs offered by Starbucks and Caribou allow us to serve their beverages but maintain control of the name, branding and food menu items at each location,” said Scott Harmon, director of retail operations for NC State Dining. “This enables us to personalize each location and maintain our unique identity while serving popular brands students love.”
Gilmore disclosed another collaboration with the team planning the new Woodson Hall Integrative Sciences Building Hall. More details on that announcement are yet to come.
To see more photos of each location, visit: