Starbucks
Global Brand
The cultural flywheel that begins with the bean
Global Director of Brand
For over four years I was fortunate to lead the Global Brand work for Starbucks. From the beginning my mission was to reclaim the coffee credentials of Starbucks while also shining a light on the many positive impacts the stores and partners (employees) make in the communities they serve. We created tv, cinema, print and digital campaigns while exploring VR, packaging and broke new ground for the company by developing original content and culturally relevant partnerships. Below are a few examples of the experience.
Year of Good
Problem: Starbucks values shine in company initiatives, but millennials are not seeing them. Insight: The way we treat partners (employees) has the most impact on how this audience perceives Starbucks. Solution: Create a moment that celebrates the positive connection that Starbucks partners and customers create across communities. I was fortunate to drive the overall strategy and development of the brand campaign, “Year of Good.” of which this spot, “Be Good to Each Other” kicked off.
The film won numerous creative awards and increased favorability within this audience (NPS) and a renewed pride in carrying the white cup. Film created in partnership with 72&Sunny
Coffee Stories
Reclaiming the coffee credentials of Starbucks through a content program (1912 PIKE) that pulled through digital channels, packaging and in-store activations. We launched the first Starbucks coffee blog (yes, really) and created 500+ pieces of content in addition to apps, a farm VR experience and more. I’m particularly pound of this work and the impact it had for the brand. Below are a few examples.
Starbucks Digital Coffee Passport
Problem: The Starbucks Coffee Passport has for years been a beloved tasting guide (physical) for Starbucks partners (employees) and long sought after by customers. Insight: Customers wanted the sense of relationship and education with the brand, but carrying a notebook around didn’t make sense. Solution: The Coffee Passport was re-created as a digital coffee guide and made available in multiple languages to all coffee lovers around the world. It is a convenient and easy-to-use web app that lets you explore, record, and expand your coffee experiences. My role was as owner of overall strategy and content creation (coffee descriptions, brewing processes etc..) for the app. It was part of the 1912 Pike content flywheel.
Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew
Launching a new product at Starbucks is a really big deal and one that drives a lot of buzz with our fans. In this piece we break down our new IStarbucks® Nitro Cold Brew which almost overnight became one of our most popular drinks. But some of the reasons for its success might surprise you. Watch as coffee education specialist Mackenzie Karr takes us behind the counter for the inside scoop on what makes smooth, creamy Nitro Cold Brew unlike anything you’ve tried before.
1912 PIKE
1912 Pike was the address of the first Starbucks store where people who loved quality coffee wanted to help other people fall in love too. Problem: We led the world in coffee agronomy, but customer research told us that with regards to coffee quality, Starbucks was “too big to care.” Insight: While Starbucks size translated to a perception of convenience, it didn't mean we were viewed as creators of quality coffee. Solution: The stores are full of fervent coffee geeks ready to be included in a modern take on the ethos of the first store by creating a content flywheel that takes coffee stories and partner (employee) passions around the world. I led the strategy, creative, UX and agency teams in the development of a global content production hub (1912 Pike) that fueled multiple websites, apps and social experiences across multiple countries and languages and created +1K pieces of content. This is an overview of year one.
Original Content
Different pieces developed that integrated the Starbucks brand into popular culture.
1st & Main
1st & Main was a 16 episode animated series we created with artists from the Simpsons. The show follows the baristas and customers of a very special Starbucks Store as they celebrate the very special and quirky things that happen our stores everyday. We solicited stories from our partners (employees) and our customers. The series became a simple and lighthearted way for us to be able to share the connections between our partners, their customers and our communities.
Starbucks Theater
Starbucks Theater is an integrated content partnership with the Late Late Show with James Corden. James heads to a local Starbucks to find an aspiring writer with a screenplay he feels is ready to produce and shoot - on location, immediately. What began as a single program ended up becoming a recurring feature of the show. My role was to drive product inclusion, amplification plan and overall project strategy.
Mission & Values
While shining a light on the positive contributions that Starbucks makes in the community, I also wanted to focus the work on the power of empathy, believing that if we can be good to each other, step up, ask a question or offer to help, we can all move forward.
Upstanders
Upstanders is a two season collection of short stories celebrating ordinary people doing extraordinary things to create positive change in their communities. My role was to drive the integrated strategy across partnerships with Amazon Prime, Audible and Spotify, as well as paid, earned and owned media amplification.
Starbucks College Achievement Plan
Student debt is almost 2x the size of credit card debt ($1.13T). Established in 2014, the Starbucks College Achievement Plan gives our baristas the opportunity to earn a college degree through Arizona State University. With thousands enrolled, we're committed to graduating 25K by 2025. This short film shares some of the stories behind the numbers. Film created in partnership with 72&Sunny
Starbucks Veterans: Ask Better Questions
Starbucks Veterans: Today, Americans know fewer veterans than any other generation. Getting to know a veteran starts by asking them better questions and at Starbucks, we've been doing just that. Since 2013, we've hired over 10,000 veterans and military spouses. And we're committed to hiring 15,000 more. See how they are changing our perspectives and our company for the better every day. Film created in partnership with Droga5.