Starbucks Holiday Red Cup

Paul Williams, Brand Autopsy alum and current Idea-Sandbox guy, is sharing some behind-the-scenes stories on what it’s like to manage a Holiday retail promotion at Starbucks. (Paul should know … he managed three of them during his time at Starbucks.)

In Paul’s first entry, he points us to the online campaign Starbucks is running this year – www.theredcup.com. Enjoy.

Comments

[Howard Mann]

Thanks for the link... I love this kind of approach. Too many companies try a one time launch with their web campaigns and wonder why people don't come back again.

Giving people a reason to come back and spend some time every day (online and offline) can work wonders for so many companies as long as they have the persistence to stay with it. and try a lot of different ideas.

I do think they should figure out a nice way to remind people when new things are posted.. An accessible way to introduce RSS to the masses perhaps?

[Mark Ramsey]

John, I don't know if I like the site yet, but I sure do love to see that beautiful red cup every year.

[johnmoore (from Brand Autopsy)]

Gotta give SBUX credit for staying focused on ONLY changing the iconic logo'd cup during the Holiday season. It really is a sight to see so many red cups in the hands of Holiday shoppers.

As for the redcup.com site ... I found it a little boring and difficult to be "viral." One has to go through lots of clicks to experience the red cup stuff.

[michael cory]

The red cup is an integral part of the SBUX brand - as is the Christmas Blend bean bags. Both concepts derived from the idea that we celebrate the season at SBUX through the gift of our Holiday Blends and cups to the brand loyalists.
I think what I find most bothersome with this years cups, bags, advertising and ultimately redcup.com is the "gosh-darn-wholesomeness-hallmark-status-quo" visual vocabulary.
When did SBUX become a follower in design and creativity? I've had 10 people remark to me that they've seen this campaign before somewhere.
And the "trite" ad agency antics on redcup.com are not in keeping with the brand vision of SBUX. Unless they adopted the Burger King model of web gimmicks (fighting chickens?).
Too bad the concept behind the web program doesn't embrace the core brand promise of "providing the 3rd space". The act of the barista giving the red cup to the guest is symbolic of a hand-made gift. Marketing never supercedes that exchange. Too bad the site can't deliver that.
But, hey, ad guys can ony do ads. Brand guys build brands.

[johnmoore (from Brand Autopsy)]

Ahh Michael ... spoken like an old school SBUX guy. Thanks for adding your seasoned perspective on this year's SBUX Holiday creative. (Psst everyone ... Michael was the Starbucks creative director in the late 90s. He knows of what he speaks!)

I agree the redcup.com site is trite. But it is not like they have gone the BK gimmiky antic route as there is very little worth remarking about the red cup drivel. At least the BK antics spark discussion (good or bad). This SBUX stuff on the redcup.com sparks nothing within me. It is unremarkable in design. Ho-ho-hum to me.