After (how many years?) of avoiding
television advertisting, Starbucks has launched itself into sketchy territory with their first national television commercial. There's a great analysis of their branding misstep on
Brand Autopsy which delves into their strange decision. Click to watch the
commercials, then let me know what you think.
Screen stills of Starbucks commercial
Caribou storefront and coffee packagingJohn Moore, of Brand Autopsy, points out that the flavor of these commercials is very
Caribou coffee, not
Starbucks. The cozy ski lodge concept and aqua blue color scheme are very much in tune with the competition, but doesn't really scream Starbucks.
Caribou has the leaping deer/reindeer, and Starbucks has the siren. Caribou has aqua, Starbucks has forest green. In essence, we could easily swap out Starbucks logo for Caribou's in their commercials, and the product would translate perfectly for their competition. So, am I missing something here?
Starbucks storefront and coffee packagingLeveraging your brand is all about capitalizing on the image you've created, the message you've communicated to your audience, and reinforcing people's ideas about who you are to them. So, IMO, Starbucks really bombed on this one, with a great little advertisement all about their competition.
Caribou storefront and coffee packaging
Caribou has the leaping deer/reindeer, and Starbucks has the siren. Caribou has aqua, Starbucks has forest green. In essence, we could easily swap out Starbucks logo for Caribou's in their commercials, and the product would translate perfectly for their competition. So, am I missing something here?
Starbucks storefront and coffee packaging