(Graham Brown mobileYouth) Starbucks Case Study in Brand democracy

Brand Democracy
Starbucks Case Study

Trend #6
YouthTrendsReport.com

YOUTHTRENDSREPORT.COM BRAND DEMOCRACY

We've moved into an era of Brand Democracy -
where it's no longer appropriate to tell the brand's story.

We need to help youth tell theirs.


Are you still telling
stories about your
own brand or helping
customers tell
theirs?


“Without our
customers we’d be
nothing.”
“They are the brand.”
-Jake Nickell,
Threadless


Brands need to empower youth
to tell their story by building
platforms that facilitate this new
narrative.


MY STARBUCKS IDEA CASE STUDY

Started in 2008, My Starbucks Idea is an online ideation platform. At the
core of this online community is the philosophy that consumers who
beneﬁt from the Starbucks experience need to be involved in creating
and advancing the it. Members can submit ideas on what new products,
new locations or changes to existing products and locations they want to
see.



Starbucks has democratized its own brand by empowering customers to
create, vote and discuss ideas for improving the brand experience. The
conversation is monitored and guided by Starbucks employees. Ideas
that become popular are ﬁnally take up for action.



“We could give away
free stuff for days but
in the end we're not
earning your loyalty,
we're picking up your
frequency which
don’t get me wrong is
a good thing, but it's
not lasting. It's how
Starbucks makes you
feel when you walk
in, take a sip, or sit
down for a moment
that should earn your
respect.”

-Starbucks
Representative

flickr: shewatchedthesky


YOUTH RESEARCH PARTNER OPINION PANEL

With the current all-time high hype about the online
world and how brands think they "should" get onto
the internet (be it Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, and
microsites) is just merely creating a lot of noise for
the customers.

What customers DO NOT need are irrelevant
information and marketing messages. What
customers DO need is a platform that is not selling
but instead providing them the real opportunity to
Youth Research Partner
participate and continue to be part of the brand
Bernard Hor
experience.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Through My Starbucks Idea, its customers
(especially the fans) begin to feel the sense of
belonging with the brand and the sense of pride that
they are "connected" with a brand like Starbucks.



What differentiates Starbucks among others is
their consistency in building this democratic
process with their customers.

Like real politics, it creates trust and people
become a Starbucks identifier in some way.

On the other hand, I believe this Starbucks
campaign is not just some PR gimmick for their
branding but they really really listen to their Youth Research Partner
customers and make their ideas reality. This Muhammad Faisal
means they've broken the internal barriers within Jakarta, Indonesia
the organization that prevents the customer from
reaching them. Kudos to Starbucks.



My Starbucks Idea has helped Starbucks stay
relevant in the face of a bearish retail sector and
competition from lower margin operators like
McDonald's. In the medium term it's about
survival. When consumer confidence returns and
retail begins to grow again, ongoing dialogue
with their customers will be core to Starbucks' Youth Research Partner
expansion. Graham Brown
London, England



With My Starbucks Idea, Starbucks has made a
commitment. It's not just a microsite that sits
there where customers can play a game and
then leave.

It’s very interactive with the brand, at any given
time there are 30-50 "idea partners" on the site
who are engaging around ideas. (Look at the
homepage for featured idea partners). Idea
partners are Starbucks employees monitoring Youth Research Partner
and responding to the online discussion. So the Freddie Benjamin
person responsible for espresso is looking into New Delhi, India
ideas tagged under espresso and engaging with
customers who submit ideas and comments.



Starbucks is collecting some serious social
currency here. It feels very much alive. I only
miss the audience. Can't people add a picture to
their profile, holding a Starbucks coffee? That
would reinforce the feeling that you are at a
Starbuck store online, with friends that care Youth Research Partner
about the brand just as much as you do. Ab Kuijer
Amsterdam, Holland



Customer and brand relationships are moving
from being transactional to becoming
partnerships. This relates to the concept of
‘brand democracy’; the theory that you don’t own
your brand – the people do. It’s about creating
an opportunity to make a product their own and
‘democratize’ the brand. It is beneficial
to consider the new consumer as creative
partners.
Youth Research Partner
However, it is important to note, this does Andrew Mackinnon
not necessarily class them as decision makers, Melbourne, Australia
but as influentials in the process based upon
established parameters. Consumers still expect
the brand to satisfy unmet and unrealized needs.



I love this approach where the customers are
given the power in marketing, product
development or even strategy. A lot of times,
though, it's difficult to give away your power over
the brand to the consumers. But the key thing is
that you don't need an overnight revolution from
brand autocracy to brand democracy. What you Youth Research Partner
need is an evolution and start with smaller things Mikko Ampuja
and build the democracy brick by brick. Helsinki, Finland


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(Graham Brown mobileYouth) Starbucks Case Study in Brand democracy

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