Yesterday I went into a Starbucks in Fort Washington, PA to discover a rather packed store and a line to get FREE coffee and FREE raspberry scones, to which I willingly drank and ate respectively. I left the store with a yummy taste in my mouth and delicious coffee to wash it all down with. Oh did I mention that I ordered NOTHING, paid NOTHING and purchased NOTHING in the process.
Clearly Starbucks lost the plot by giving away product. Their so-called "coffee break", which the Barista told me was designed to promote a store-wide sale on merchandise, coffee products, machines etc, bombed horribly, right? After all, I came into the store about to purchase a Latte and walked out with cash in hand and scone 'n coffee in belly.
Wrong.
This is the kind of experiential new marketing program which separates and distances Starbucks from the rest of the brand pack. This is a brand that was built on experiential and communal marketing...NOT advertising.
I must admit, I was a little cautious at first, however the coffee was not bitter (no more so than normal :)) and the scone was not stale. In today's times, we - and by we, I mean consumers - have become so wary of marketers that this kind of no-frills giveaway takes us completely by surprise. In the case of Starbucks, the gesture of giving something back in no way makes up for all the premium revenue they derive from owning an aspirational premium brand, but it's the kind of act which resonates strongly as part of their experiential superiority and differentiation.
As I took my coffee and scone, I tipped my beret (as if) and told the Barista that I would be blogging about this positive experience. She smiled politely, caressing her manicured hand on the security button as she helped the next free loader.
Via Fresh Glue for reminding me what I had for lunch yesterday.
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