How a Fortune Cookie Won a College Decision

Author

Carlo Palomino
April 17, 2026

Welcome back to The Friday Fortune!  If your week has felt like a series of “I’ll figure it out later” decisions, congrats, you’re in excellent company. Because today’s story proves that sometimes the biggest life choices don’t come from a five-tab comparison spreadsheet… they come from an emotional takeout meal and a well-timed parental nudge.

Each week, we sit down with the marketers and decision-makers shaping how brands actually connect, not just in dashboards and decks, but in real life. And this week’s story…

It starts with a fortune cookie.

Abby McClain and Jeff Mavros have shown just how unpredictable and powerful modern marketing can be.

Abby’s college decision didn’t come down to a spreadsheet or a perfectly crafted recruitment email. It came during a moment most marketers would never be able to track: lunch. In what should’ve been a completely forgettable moment, Abby opened a fortune cookie that read:

“You’ll find satisfaction near you.”

What followed wasn’t just a passing thought, it sparked a real conversation. Sitting with her family, the message turned into meaning, and meaning quickly turned into clarity. As Abby put it, “It just kind of clicked.” And within days, she committed to Idaho State.

It’s easy to dismiss this as a coincidence. But for Jeff, it’s proof of something much bigger.

As the Executive Director of Admissions at Illinois State University, Jeff operates in one of the most competitive marketing environments out there. Prospective students are flooded with emails, ads, brochures, you name it. Most of it blends together. Most of it gets ignored.

That’s exactly why his team decided to think differently.

Instead of doubling down on more digital noise, they leaned into something tactile, social, and unexpected: fortune cookies. The idea wasn’t just about novelty, it was about context. Reaching students not when they’re skimming inboxes, but when they’re relaxed, present, and surrounded by the people who actually influence their decisions.

Because the reality is that decisions like where to go to college aren’t made in isolation. They happen in conversations, with parents, over meals, in moments where logic takes a backseat to feeling.

And that’s where most marketing falls short.

Students like Abby don’t just look for more information, but for something that resonates. As she bluntly put it, “I definitely deleted quite a few [emails].” After sifting through countless school emails, the ones that stood out weren’t the longest or most detailed. They were the simplest. Clear, visual, and easy to imagine. Something that helped her picture the experience, not just read about it.

At the same time, Jeff’s team understands that students aren’t the only audience that matters. Parents play a massive role in shaping the final decision. The challenge (and opportunity) is balancing both: inspiring the student while reassuring the parent.

It’s a delicate mix of emotion and practicality. And when it works, it works.

Illinois State has seen record-breaking enrollment in recent years, and while there’s no single silver bullet, one thing is clear: playing it safe doesn’t cut through anymore.

As most brands today stick to what’s familiar, the real advantage comes from being willing to take a swing, especially when it feels a little unconventional.

Because as this episode proves, influence doesn’t always come from the biggest campaign. Sometimes, it comes from the smallest moment.

Big Takeaway

Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs come from the ideas that feel a little uncomfortable. Playing it safe might protect your budget, but it rarely earns attention.

The brands that stand out are the ones willing to meet people where they actually are, even if that means stepping outside the usual playbook.

To hear more about how a simple fortune cookie sparked a life-changing decision, and what it teaches us about university marketing that actually moves people, listen to the full episode of CMO Weekly.

Crack open a handful of the week’s best marketing links—because good fortune favors the curious.

That’s a wrap for this week’s Friday fortune.

If you enjoyed the read, pass it along to your favorite marketer who could use a little extra inspo in their inbox.

Until next time, may your marketing be memorable and your cookies always be fortunate!

— The OpenFortune team