Starbucks, #WhatsYourName Campaign
At the beginning of 2020, Starbucks rolled out a campaign in the U.K., #WhatsYourName. This campaign focused on the LGBT+ community addressing self-identity and inclusion. Starbucks partnered with the charity, Mermaids to raise at least $100,000. This organization supports transgender, nonbinary, and gender, diverse children. The campaign included content on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and traditional advertising. Below I have shared the commercial advertisement for the campaign, “Every Name’s a Story.”
“Names Have Power”
This campaign stood out to me because of the importance of the message. Starbucks produced content that pulled at heartstrings and told a story that is relatable to many. Starbucks’ company mission is to “inspire and nurture the human spirit; one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.” Specifically, in this campaign, the focal point is the customer’s name. This campaign was inspired by stories being shared via social media of transgender people taking their names for a spin at Starbucks. Starbucks views writing our names on the cups and calling them when the order is ready as a sign of their warm welcome to the Starbucks Experience. Starbucks ultimately received the Diversity in Advertising Award in 2019 by Channel 4 in the U.K. Receiving this award provided Starbucks the ideal platform to demonstrate how moments of connection can have a real impact while also helping to address the transgender community’s lack of representation in the U.K. advertising.
In an analysis of the campaign, it is evident it performed very well. Starbucks combined T.V. advertising and social media to generate engagement around a values-driven campaign. They took something preexisting, writing your name on your cup, and made it a personal, proud experience. Starbuck used the traditional method of advertising and built buzz about it on social media. They developed a hashtag, produced content based on company values, garnered more followers, increased revenue in stores, and openly supported a cause.
Doing this campaign helped spread the conversation from the U.K. to the rest of the world. Customers chose to hop on their social media accounts and share their stories and how the support from Starbucks was felt everywhere. Of course, nothing goes without a little criticism, but the love for Starbuck ultimately won. This campaign came after Starbucks received backlash from an issue of racism at a local store. Sharing campaign messages of inclusivity and respect through #WhatsYourName helped Starbucks rebuild trust and respect with their customers and showed the world what kind of company they want to be.
How Did Starbucks Measure Their Success?
The perceived goals from this campaign were generating awareness, exemplifying consumers’ support to build trust and brand loyalty, and, lastly, increasing revenue. The key performance indicators in generating awareness are impressions, the share of voice, and profile visits. A key performance indicator (KPI) is a measurable value that demonstrates how effectively a company is achieving key business objectives. Organizations use KPIs at multiple levels to evaluate their success at reaching targets.
For example, when customers posted their mermaid cookies with Starbucks beverages and shared their personal stories, this increased engagement across the board and began conversations. Increasing engagement consists of mentions, replies, likes, shares, and clicks. Starbucks set S.M.A.R.T. goals and excelled. Another strategy Starbuck chose was partnering with a known organization in the U.K. This helped gain recognition of the organization globally and showed that Starbucks puts their money where their mouth is and will support any cause they feel is important. By using a tool like Hootsuite, social media managers can monitor the campaign’s success and analyze data from the KPIs being measured.
In conclusion, this campaign offered a strategic partnership, brought out Starbucks ‘ unique identity in a meaningful way, and the cause they chose to support aligned with Starbucks’ mission. I think Starbucks does a great job of narrowing in on their target customer, providing an emotional appeal to buy into, and cultivating a significant, loyal fan base that will support them forever.
