What’s Hotter: Starbucks’ Coffee or Starbucks’ Emerging Media Efforts?
What’s Hotter: Starbucks’ Coffee or Starbucks’ Emerging Media Efforts?
Starbucks is one company that has mastered the art of using emerging and social media to market its products. Last year Danny Brown wrote an article about Starbucks and the company’s use of social media. Brown brings up a very good point in his article, stating that many companies are sitting around contemplating using social media techniques like Twitter, while Starbucks is already conquering it (Brown, 2008).When Brown wrote the article last December, Starbucks had 17,000 followers on Twitter and now, this December (2009), Starbucks has over 650,000 followers!
The Starbucks Love Project
Starbucks’ partnership with (RED) helps raise money to fight AIDS in Africa. On the Starbucks Web site, starbucksloveproject.com, users can create a drawing that resembles what he or she thinks love looks like. The drawing canvas has red, dark red and white paint colors with a three different paint stroke sizes. For every drawing that is created on the Web site, Starbucks and (RED) will donate five cents to the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa. Users can also view drawings that others have done on the Web site (Starbucks Love, 2009).
Here is a picture of the drawing that I did on the Starbucks Love Project Web site:
My Starbucks Idea:
One of my favorite ideas that Starbucks has enforced is the “My Starbucks Idea” Web site. Users can share their ideas on the Starbucks Idea discussion boards. Also, users can vote on other ideas and make comments. You do have to register with the Web site though if you want to be able to post your ideas, respond to other ideas or even view the ideas that are already posted. There is a blog section where users can see ideas being put into action as well (Starbucks Ideas). I think this is a great opportunity for any company to implement. This type of discussion board really shows the company what consumers want and the company can respond to the consumers by reviewing these comments or implementing the desired action. As a consumer, I really admire companies that have an idea section.
Starbucks knows the importance of reaching viewers via emerging and social media. Browns article said that Starbucks was reducing the amount of advertising that it used on television to use on the Internet instead. I think this is a great move for the company. Television is still a popular advertising media for companies, but there are so many unique advertising opportunities that are becoming available online. Starbucks has jumped on the interactive media bandwagon and created a whole series of new media Web sites.
Here are some links to Starbucks’ social media Web sites and emerging media efforts:
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/starbucks
- Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/groups/starbucks/
- Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/Starbucks
- YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/starbucks
- My Starbucks Idea: http://mystarbucksidea.force.com/ideaHome
- Starbucks Love Project: http://starbucksloveproject.com/
References:
Brown, D. (7, Dec., 2008). Starbucks: A Lesson in Social Media Branding. Retrieved December 27, 2009, from http://dannybrown.me/2008/12/07/starbucks-a-lesson-in-social-media-branding/
Starbucks Ideas. (2009). Retrieved December 27, 2009, from http://mystarbucksidea.force.com/ideaHome
Starbucks Love Project. (2009). Retrieved December 27, 2009, from http://starbucksloveproject.com/#/love/
