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While you may not like how much of your paycheque goes towards that pricey latte habit, you gotta hand it to Starbucks. They continue to push the mega-brand visionary gambit by embracing the very communication channels that their customers use in their daily lives. Of course, you’re pretty much bound to succeed when one such gambit involves the world’s greatest self-promoter and most followed person on Twitter, the one and only Lady Gaga.
In one of those “I guess it makes sense but… really?” type partnerships, Starbucks has teamed up with Lady Gaga to create SRCH by Starbucks, a digital scavenger hunt. Consumers could participate by scanning a QR code posted at participating Starbucks locations throughout the US. Once in the game, participants searched for clues across digital properties and could solve puzzles for a chance to win Starbucks and Lady Gaga themed prizes. An experiential grand prize was offered to the first person to complete the final round of the scavenger hunt. In addition, all Starbucks locations offered consumers a special edition of Lady Gaga’s new CD “Born this Way” and enabled streaming of the entire album from the in-store Starbucks Digital Network.
Starbucks has already made several popular forays into the digital space, allowing consumers to become collaborators in shaping Starbucks’s strategy and innovation. In a way, this initiative is another step in creating closer connections between the retail environment and Starbucks’ online content network.
What do you think? Does this feel like a logical evolution of the Starbucks brand?
Daniel Gerichter
June 8, 2011 @ 9:29 am
This is the best blog illustration I have ever seen.
Ean Bowman
June 8, 2011 @ 11:57 am
I have to agree with Daniel.
Also, I know many people who appreciate both Gaga and Starbucks. So while it may seem a strange connection I’m sure they saw a lot of ROI from it.
In the end, Starbucks is in your mind in a positive way if you’re a Gaga fan which I think is the goal here.
Full disclosure: I feel a bit out of touch for not knowing much about or caring about Gaga myself.
Jacoub Bondre
June 9, 2011 @ 11:44 am
Starbucks has continued to dominate their industry with virtually no use of “traditional” marketing. It’s like their entire marketing department are innovators.
Jacoub Bondre
June 9, 2011 @ 1:21 pm
Also I think it is a good move on Lady Gaga’s part as well. Many pop sensations fall into obscurity after an album or two. Gaga is obviously trying to be in the game for the long haul. A key way of doing that is opening up her music to the widest audience possible.
Starbucks also has a rep for being trend setting, or at least trend accommodating. Gaga is legitimizing herself with an audience that might have dismissed her previously.
Myself included.
Starbucks: Marketing al estilo Gaga - Cristian Monroy Marketing | Publicidad
June 12, 2011 @ 8:42 pm
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