ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 3: Margaritaville, the global lifestyle brand synonymous with fun and escapism, today welcomed a new class of students for the Spring 2018 semester of its wildly successful college ambassador program, Margaritaville University.
The program launched in 2016 and has quickly grown to over 200 students on more than 120 campuses across North America.
"We are thrilled with the success of our college ambassador program and the youthful energy it brings to our brand, " said Tamara Baldanza-Dekker, chief marketing officer of Margaritaville. "The traditions of Margaritaville have been organically handed down from generation to generation since the song's debut just over 40 years ago, and we are excited to see this continue and grow as a new class of students are welcomed into Margaritaville University."
Ambassadors share one simple mission - to bring the Margaritaville state of mind to their fellow students in fun, unique ways. Donning flip flops and tropical attire, MargU ambassadors host special events on campus, introduce exclusive retail discounts, compete in social media challenges and spread the word about what's new in Margaritaville.
In June 2017, the brand selected eight top ambassadors to attend Margaritaville's inaugural college ambassador roundtable at Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort in Hollywood, Florida. During three days of festivities, ambassadors participated in free-flowing discussions aimed at helping the brand evolve its program and define a new philosophy, all while being immersed in the Margaritaville lifestyle at the AAA Four Diamond-rated, casual-luxe resort.
Additionally, in 2017, Margaritaville University hosted a pregame block party with the Cleveland Indians, flew Margaritaville's Fins Up! Flag - the unofficial symbol of MargU - in more than 10 countries and on ESPN's College GameDay on three separate occasions, and Ole Miss adopted the LandShark as their official mascot.
As the program continues its evolution, Margaritaville has also rolled out a new line of Margaritaville University-branded merchandise and products specifically geared to the college demographic. With plans to make the items available for purchase online in the future, merchandise currently includes t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, water bottles and notebooks.
"Thanks to my parents and their love for Jimmy Buffett, I have experienced the Margaritaville lifestyle first-hand for as long as I can remember. Margaritaville has always been the state of mind I escape to for inspiration and to de-stress, especially as I juggle all the pressures of college," said Lindsay Ruddy, a Margaritaville University ambassador at the University of Cincinnati. "And now, through Margaritaville University, I am fortunate to spread the island time vibes I grew up with to my classmates and college community."
