Starbucks move into social media with its Holiday 2.0 campaign

After its nationwide debut in mainstream advertising, Starbuck's move into social media seems like a more promising route to further manifest the brand mantra in the mind of the consumer.


The company offers branded holiday playlists on Pandora that lead into a "All You Need Is Love" CD that is available in its stores for free when making a purchase of $15. Moreover, on a microsite called the “Starbucks Love Project”,
consumers can draw their own Christmas cards, send them to a friend and have it posted in the online gallery. With each card each contributed, Starbucks donates 5ct to a good cause. The whole initiative is supported by interactive online ads.


Not only is the Starbucks initiative a great example of how to create an entire integrated campaign around the web, but has the potential to boost the emotions affiliated with the brand. Starbucks clearly seeks to associate itself and the values of the “third place” with the emotional spirit of the holidays: Love (cards to friends and family), caring (donation to underprivileged) as well as coziness (seasonal music). All this is done subtly but brilliantly, rather than jumping on the bandwagon of using the holiday craze for overt commercial interests. This promotional latency suits the character of the most high-end coffee retailer in America and can itself turn out to be a strong point of difference during the holiday period, when every company in the nation will fight for out money .


Every element of the campaign encompasses and immediate call-to-action, while word-of-mouth will probably be the most valuable measurement index for the brand. And wasn’t Starbucks built on word-of-mouth? Online initiatives like this make it possible to revitalize the brand in a way that is authentic to its true essence. If the initiative drives traffic, the campaign seems likely to create high levels of engagement by energizing its consumers and loading the brand emotionally.

Francesco Wesel
Integrated Marketing Communication
www.francescowesel.com

Obama Branding Strategy - one year after the triumph

Obama's campaign is often compared to the biggest success ever in the history of marketing. First, he was a relatively unknown African American man, younger than all his competitors, with a strange-sounding name. He was campaigning against two major opponents: Hillary Clinton, one of the most well-known woman in America, and John McCain, a well-known war hero and long time, experienced U.S. senator. In the end it didn't matter.

Barack Obama seemed to have the better marketing strategy than either of them. First of all he demostrated clear focus and consistency by ancheroing the concept of 'change' in the minds. And secondly, he managed to energize the base. Not only did the president use major social media in his campaign, like Facebook, Linkedin, Flickr, Myspace and Youtube, but also set up his own interactive community with Change.com. In addition, his campaign team engaged with other social media based communities such as Asianave, Blackplanet.com, Faithbase.com and many more. The campaign team took the time to interact with the social web, encouraging ratings, reviews, and opt-ins for follow up direct marketing information.

With this online engagement, Obama could convey the values of transparency and closeness that are fundamental for a politician. Polls showed that the youth base had been energized by his campaign. Without this word of mouth, grassroots movement, the elections would probably never have been won. The campaign team encouraged peoples’ natural desire to depend on others and engage in conversations for an outcome meaningful to them. In an article of the Washington Post, DNC spokesman Hari Sevugan said "We think that change happens with neighbors talking to neighbors, and these rallies reflect that".

Undoubtedly, president Obama fulfilled the criteria of successfully energizing the base, as it if often referred to in political terms. The campaign was believable, self-reinforcing, and self-spreading. Moreover the basic techniques for connecting with the brand enthusiasts have been met: tapping into the enthusiasm with ratings and reviews, create a community to energize the customers (change.com), and participate and energize online communities of the brand enthusiasts (asianave, black planet etc).

Francesco Wesel
Integrated Marketing Communication
www.francescowesel.com