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
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