The brand I chose to look at is Starbucks. At first I was interested just because it is a place I love to go to when I want a good seasonal drink or an everyday refresher, but then I thought about their social media and how I've never really looked at it. I wanted to see what their platforms were like and if they interacted with customers and comments as much as some over brands I've seen. As I looked through their social media accounts I saw many posts on different drinks and new launches that they are revealing and trying to promote. There are many positive comments from customers loving the drinks and even some questions and Starbucks responding with thanks or an answer. Along with the positive, there are some complaints that come with being a bigger company such as price, service, and even trends surrounding the brand that some people like and some don't.
Starbucks is a global coffeehouse chain that was founded in 1971 in Seattle. They started as a smaller roaster store in Seattle's Pike Place Market selling whole bean coffees and teas. They grew to be a global brand that has locations in over 80 countries and has many different type of drinks that people love. Their value proposition is built on creating a "third place" between home and work, a premium atmosphere, high-quality coffee, and personalized customer service. They offer this through custom roasting, community oriented store environments, and even interacting with customers online through social media.
Most of the comments that Starbuck's receives are positive with people excited about the drinks that are being promoted. On a recent post announcing a popular seasonal drink was coming back, a comment from roxieetc said, "YES!! Thank you for listening" and Starbucks responded pretty quickly saying, "we've got this one with your name on it". On another post announcing the winter holiday drinks there were many comments asking about drinks from the previous year, one customer mrsjuliasass said, "Miss my egg nog latte", and Starbucks responded with, "we got you, eggnog is coming back later in the season". Along with the positive comments there are always going to be the negative ones. There is currently a trend going around where people have been taking pumpkins and asking baristas to make their drinks inside the pumpkin. This has caused controversy online with some people saying the baristas should just do it and it shouldn't be an issue and others saying it is unsanitary and unnecessary. In a video of someone taking a pumpkin in jaejennybenny commented, "It's cute and everything until everyone brings it in and you get yelled at bc technically it is a health hazard (we can't even touch the lids or the cup most of the times)". Trends like this can bring both good and bad attention because more people go in purchasing drinks but if employees aren't able to then they complain that they aren't getting the service they want.
Starbucks uses its social media to promote their new drink launches and seasonal limited time drinks. They also promote community, transparency, and corporate values through directly communicating with their customers, interactive campaigns (#RedCupContest), and even storytelling like behind the scenes videos.
Starbucks uses several social media platforms to market including: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter. Looking at their Instagram, Starbucks markets through different high-quality visuals, Reels and stories to promote new products, updates on limited time options, and collaborations. The account has 17.6 million followers with post having thousands of likes. There are posts very often sometimes it being 5 to 6 times a week. Many of the posts center around the drinks popular at that time and the upcoming products being promoted. On what seems like each post there are several comments of Starbucks responding to enthusiastic customers and even an occasional answer to a question. Starbucks engages with their customers not just in their comments but also through polls and contests.
Starbucks marketing focuses on more than just selling coffee. They are creating a full experience. They use campaigns like #WhatsYourName to show how they connect with people on a more personal level and build emotional brand loyalty. They also have an app which they use to offer rewards and make it easier for people to order ahead which keeps their customers coming back. Even with all the positives, Starbucks faces some challenges. They're trying to become more sustainable and have switched to new compostable cups which some customers say aren't as "Instagram-Worthy". They also have to deal with the negative attention that comes from employee complaints and viral trends that are happening. For Starbucks to stay as successful as they currently are, they need to keep listening to customers, stay authentic and transparent, and find more ways to connect with consumers and their younger audience.
If I was the brand manager, I would have used the social media platforms such as Instagram or TikTok to respond more to the negative comments or backlash instead of just focusing on the good ones. With trends like the pumpkin one going around, instead of just letting customers and employees argue in comment sections, a video or small statement could have been released that acknowledges the creativity and fun of the pumpkin drink but explains the health and safety guidelines that are in place. This shows that they are listening and interacting and it manages those types of disagreements and keeps the experience great for both the customers and employees. In addition to their social media, Starbucks could place their updates of new changes (like the cup changes) or promotions around their stores or through email updates as another way to interact and stay connected with consumers.
While doing this assignment I learned how much of a tool social media is and how important it is for brands to stay connected. The fast responses, listening to what customers are saying, and actually interacting is what builds the trust and relationships that are necessary. Social media shouldn't just be for promoting products, but as a way to communicate and keep the relationships strong between the customers and the brand.
Starbucks: https://www.starbucks.com/
Instagram: starbucks
TikTok: StarbucksTikTok · Starbucks2.6M+ followers
https://www.tastingtable.com/1999824/tiktok-pumpkin-starbucks-trend-brewing-controversy/
Comments
Post a Comment