Starbucks: Mermaid Day

Emma Cruise / ARTS 224-002

Starbucks: Case Study

~ Jonesboro, Georgia

Part

Company Overview

U.S & the World

“With every cup, with every conversation, with every community – we nurture the limitless possibilities of human connection.”1 Starbucks has held onto this motto as they have spanned the world, and the decades, since its start in Seattle in 1971.1 With inspiration from the Italian coffeemakers,1 the Starbucks today is well known for its variety of drinks and seasonal offers. However, while this American coffee empire is one of the biggest in the US,2 it has done some shady business, had lawsuits filed against it,3 and with their stance on abortions added on top,4 has thus pushed many of its customers away. While it appears that Starbucks will be around for many more years to come only time will tell if this coffeehouse superpower’s foundation is crumbling.

A Southern Town

Launched by Starbucks on July 12, 2019, Jonesboro, Georgia’s Community Store has brought a whole new light to this small southern town.5 By bringing the worldwide popularity of Starbucks and mixing it with their own unique culture this coffeehouse has created 28 new jobs with benefits (including the greatly needed healthcare),5 displayed local artist Marryam Moma pieces,5 and impacted the community by following its mission “to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, one neighborhood at a time”.6 This little coffeehouse will have its struggles especially with regards to its size, surroundings, social economy, and with the near poverty of the community, but it also has the chance to give out a dazzling light of “human connection, empowerment, and beauty” to Georgia, to the United States, and to the world.7

Demographics

Jonesboro, Georgia

With its population of around 4,300 to 4,500, Jonesboro, Georgia is extremely community focused.8, 9 With its largest ethnic group, at 61%, the Black and African Americans definitely bring their own culture to this southern town.8 However, this does not mean that they don’t have it rough. In fact, their poverty rate is at a striking 38.3% and the median household income ranges from 31,033 to 33,621 dollars (compare to the nations median household income of 74,755 dollars).8, 9, 10 They are in great need of healthcare benefits as 16.5% do not have healthcare coverage (almost double the national average of 8%),9, 10 and access to higher education could be a game changer as only 6.4% report having a bachelor’s degree or higher while the U.S reports 35.7% on a national whole.9, 10 Overall, they are working hard to take their rough times, polish it, and turn it into something unique and beautiful.

Strengths & weaknesses

Corporate Empire

The Starbucks company as a whole has a variety of strengths and weaknesses that are sprinkled throughout its marketing, polices, and more. One of the biggest problems with corporate Starbucks is that it is huge. The Starbucks empire is so gigantic that it has lost many aspects of its community basis such as its warm coffeehouse feel and the calming atmosphere. Nowadays a run to Starbucks is filled with hectic crowd of workers scrambling to make it to work and parents grabbing a coffee before dropping the kids at school. On the other hand, a big strength the corporate empire has is that it has become a household icon. Its branding is extremely noticeable and has become a staple item on social media thus resulting in even more sales as it grows into more than a coffeehouse but a well-defined trend.

Local Shop

The Community Store in Jonesboro, Georgia has gotten off to a solid start but does have some weakness that could lead to an eventual downfall. For instance, it is in a poverty level community and, while it has a heart for helping the needy, it also runs the risk of it being unaffordable. Even with lowered prices it still can be a big and unnecessary purchase for someone who cannot keep their power on. However, a strength of it being a smaller “Starbucks” is that it has the ability to bring in the feel of a small, local coffeehouse yet have the backing of a big brand company.

Local Competitors

Competion vs. Starbucks

While the new Starbucks Community Store in Jonesboro, Georgia might still be fresh and interesting in the neighborhood, in time it will struggle with its competitors for its customers approval. Another big chain coffeehouse located nearby, Dunkin’ Donuts, can challenge Starbucks as it hosts a variety of delicious donuts and its own brand of creamy, flavorful coffee. In fact, some people might even prefer Dunkin’s coffee to Starbucks making it a definite rivalry to come. Also the local small shops will pose a risk as, in a town that puts community first, it will be hard to convince customers to leave the mom and pop’s and drive over to a corporate company’s coffeehouse. Places like the local Fig Tree Café, a Christian based coffe shop, and Buds, a gardening/coffehouse combo, could threaten the new Community Store and even put it out of business.

Unique Selling Points

One of a Kind

Something that really sets Jonesboro’s Community Store apart from the rest of Starbucks and other coffee shops in the community is that it is specifically tailored to Jonesboro. It was made for the community, is run by the community, displays art from the community, and thus has a personal pull for the neighborhood. Many shops and stores are set up to achieve the greatest possible revenue, however this coffeehouse is not. It has an emphasis on creating something more than money – it wants to create jobs, experiences, and bring hope to poverty-stricken families. From the warm, unique interior design to the smiling faces of the baristas this local community store has a strong advantage when it comes to selling its mission and coffee.

Part 2

~ Visual Audits

starbucks Promotions

Starbucks Winter Merch

Starbucks had an inspiration to help cut down waste (and improve sales) by offering reusable cups that you can have filled again and again with your favorite expresso, cappuccino, or other delicious coffee. The design concept is showing a wintery vibe thrown across a variety of tumblers ranging from a classical coffee type cup to a lid and straw bottle. It encourages users by showing that they can have their morning wake-up coffee, show off their Starbucks branding on social media, and save the earth one mug at a time.

However, the design of the tumblers is not very inspirational or recognizable. Starbucks attempted to replace their traditional colors with new bright ones but ended up creating reusable cups that appear as though they were grabbed from the bottom shelf at Walmart. The branding is barely noticeable and, while the main call to action appears in the article, the actual image has nothing that makes me believe that I have to have it in any way.

Cont.

Drink Customizations

In this promotional image from Starbucks Instagram page, we see a simple but convincing guide to coffee. In this guide we are drawn to one of the icons depicting dreamy, cozy, or chilly and then encouraged to buy the accompanying beverage. As a viewer looks at the post it tells them that they do not just want a coffee, but desperately need this specific one that Starbucks just “happens” to sell.

This post includes one of the most important parts of an advertisement: a call to action. It emphasizes that these drink customizations are for you. You are feeling this way thus you need this coffee. It also relates to its viewer through the popular emoji design for each of the three icons, thus instantly catching the eye of a generation who is constantly glued to their phones. The colors, while not all are specifically related to Starbucks, still include the dark green that is as much of Starbucks trademark as the main logo.

Cont.

Iced Coffee & Hot Soup

This promotional Instagram post does not include a bold image or graphic but instead relies on the connection it brings with its audience through the wording. It pulls Starbucks and its customers together by just a simple, but applicable, phrase “this time of year we’re equal parts iced coffee and hot soup”. This builds community and thus encourages customers to buy from Starbucks since it “obviously” understands the predicament they are in. As shown by the comments on the post it definitely hit its intended audience as people chimed in agreeing with the phrase.

However, while the phrase was relevant to many the background and the colors also subconsciously encourage a viewer to go to Starbucks. With the Starbuck’s logo positioned clearly and the mint green background it screams (softly) that it has been made by Starbucks. The use of white space and the simplicity of the design encourages people to focus on the call to action instead of a crazy background.

Local competitors

Fig Tree Cafe

The Fig Tree Café is a local faith-based coffeehouse located in Jonesboro, Georgia. Their post on Instagram emphasizes the community focus that is held to dear to the inhabitants of Jonesboro, Georgia. This image shows a personal side to the coffee business while encouraging a customer to try, iced or hot, one of the loose-leaf teas displayed so beautifully in the jars. From the handwritten labels to the apparent freshness of the leaves, this setup pulls in customers with its coffeehouse and family vibe.

While this is merely a picture of a setup in their store, the Fig Tree Café shows out right off the bat. The colors in the photo match the warm, fuzzy feeling of a coffeehouse and the individual jars show organization yet are not overly rigid. The message is clear but not overwhelming: it’s more of an invitation. Critique wise it is not the highest quality photo however it definitely makes up for it with its noticeably, balenced elements, and welcoming atmosphere.

Cont.

Buds: Coffee & Gardening

Buds, located just a few miles outside of the city of Jonesborough, seamlessly combines gardening and coffee. This post from their Facebook page effortless shows that combination as the package of coffee beans is surrounded by a variety of plants in a clean and sophisticated manner. While there is not a specific call to action the clean-cut marketing and branding of the “Ethiopia” package subtly calls to the customer as they take a break from the busyness of their daily lives.

The aesthetic of this image rivals that of Starbucks as it shows a sweeping photo that feels as though it should be present on a big magazine cover and not a hidden corner of the web. The color combination in this advertisement is both strong and weak. The green and white work well together to create boldness without too much busyness however, the light pink of the packaging gets lost with all the vibrancy around it. The balance of the post works amazingly as our eyes are immediately drawn to the cluster of plants and the package that is placed just off center.

Cont.

Dunkin’ & Affleck

Here Dunkin’ takes up a different form of advertising. Instead of emphasizing their delicious coffee and donuts in a formal, elegant way they move to comedy and celebrities. They connect with their customers by addressing an event in regard to Ben Affleck, include an amusing photo of him, and an encouraging note signed “Dunkin’”. According to the comments this Instagram post was a hit.

Many times, advertising is kept in box: do this or do that. However, time has told us that even if a promotional post is not entirely aesthetically pleasing, if it includes or amuses its audience then customers will come. In today’s world sometimes bad advertising causes more sensation than good and still initiates the intended outcome: to be seen and responded to favorably.

3 ~ Project Brief/Proposal

Project Brief

Company Overview

The Jonesboro, GA Starbucks is part of the Community Store initiative to support the local community and economic development.

Goals of the Project

With our employees being from Jonesboro, they know and have relationships with the community. We want to continue to build upon that by ensuring that our community, both customers and employees feel loved and supported all year long but especially during the holidays. We also want to encourage healthy family relationships and perserverance in the face of poverty. For this reason, we want to develop a holiday promotional poster for our local Starbucks in Jonesboro, Georgia.

Competitor Information

Some of our local competitors include: Dunkin, McDonalds, Dollar Café, Waffle House, Fig Tree Café, and Buds. We need to make a big "splash" for this holiday to ensure that we stay ontop.

Timeline / Schedule

The deadline is 1.5 months before the holiday (March 29) thus we need this done as quickly as possible in order to finialize, print, and distribute the posters.

Project Budget

We have a $500 for the cost of printing and putting the posters up.

Target Audience

The Jonesboro, GA Starbucks is part of the Community Store initiative to support the local community and economic development. Through this holiday (Mermaid Day) we want to empasize the family values of the community by promoting a mother/daughter date. Building a strong family is the first step in order to build a strong community.

Project Proposal

Poster Purpose

I would like to encourage the mothers and daughters in the community to stop by and grab a coffee together. Having a mother/daughter date is an extremely special and memorable time that often just needs a slight incentive to turn it from a dream to reality. The main goal is to build up the community by starting at its foundation: the family unit.

Holiday/Theme

The holiday I have chosen for this poster is “Mermaid Day” (which falls on March 29) and the event that will be advertised is a mother/ daughter date based on this holiday. It will incorporate the traditional wild and free mermaid feel with the coziness and warmth of Starbucks’ coffee.

Concepts

I reviewed many different holidays and promotional tactics for this poster:

June 20th or “The Longest Day of the Year” in which the poster would be emphasizing the exhaustion of the customers and the refreshment of an iced coffee. It would be paired with a catchy slogan such as, “It’s going to be a long day… grab some coffee to get you through it!”. During this holiday the Community Store would be offering discounted coffee in order to bring in the workers of the community who would generally be too busy to stop by. While this is a strong idea, I eventually felt like it would not be “unusual” enough to bring in customers and overall not a creative enough endeavor to make a poster for.

Black History Month, which runs from February 1 to March 1, would make a strong promotional poster due to the Black and African American majority8 in this community. Due to this being a month-long holiday I would have an incentive of 10% of each coffee donated to a local charity for the length of the month. However, I also recognized that many of the Community Store’s competitors will be having their own advertising out for this holiday. Rather than trying to have this

poster stand out in the flood of others I opted for a lesser known, but still inspirational, holiday.

Easter (March 31) is a huge holiday, but it is technically still a religious one. While I could promote some Easter themed coffee on the weekend of the 31st, I felt that pushing a certain religion for a promotional tactic might want to be avoided due to Starbucks being a large corporation and not a privately owned operation.

The holiday that I eventually chose for my promotional poster is March 29th or “Mermaid Day” which celebrates these magical sea creatures, and due to Starbucks own logo featuring one, I decided that this would be a holiday that would connect customers to Starbucks branding even more. After deciding on “Mermaid Day” as my holiday for this poster I wanted to determine an event and an incentive to bring to the table. The following are some I considered:

• Mother/daughter date with “buy one get one free”

• ½ price to anyone in a mermaid costume or jewelry (shells, pearls, etc.)

• Father/daughter dress-up date with 10% off for each coffee bought

In conclusion I choose to create my promotional poster event to revolve around a mother/daughter day celebrating the gift of womanhood in the home and the special bond between a mother and her child. Any mother and daughter who buy their coffees together will receive a “buy one, get one free” discount. Whether a woman in the deep sea or in the deep south, both need a Starbucks coffee with their special daughter(s) to celebrate this inspirational holiday.

Cont.

Tone, Message, & Style

The message of this poster is to connect: with your moms, with your daughters, with your community, and with Starbucks. It speaks through its design by inspiring women of all ages to stand up, be wild, be free, and most importantly, embrace the mermaid in us all. The tone and style of this poster focus on creating elegance by taking a minimalistic approach and creating contrast through light pinks and coffeecolored browns. Through this the viewer will embrace the warmth of a coffeehouse pared with the magical feeling this holiday inspires.

Promotional Tactics

Holiday Poster: 1

This poster has many aspects that I want to incorporate into my own poster, even though it is not the same holiday. For instance, I love how this poster takes different elements, such as the coffee cup and the snow globe, and "mixes" them together to form something familiar yet unique. I also want to incorporate the boldness that this poster has, yet perhaps do it with a more subtle background. Another part of this poster that is a tactic that I will incorporate into mine is the eyecatching slogan. This poster combines fun and forwardness while not allowing an overwhelming amount of "stuff" to be prevalent. This poster demonstrates the balance between maximalism and minimalism which I definitely need to watch when I design my poster.

Cont.

Holiday Poster: 2

This poster is similar to mine in that it pulls a holiday that is not a "big" one yet represents it in a memorable and exciting way. I can take many tips from this poster such as the way they set it up and created a format that includes both the holiday name and incentive. Also, making sure that the Starbucks colors, such as the greens shown here, are a prominent part of the poster will help it tie back into the Starbucks branding and thus build a relationship with the customer.

cont.

Holiday Poster: 3

This Waffle House poster follows the main aesthetic that I am going for: simple, clean, and memorable. Too many times posters can get overwhelmed with information, graphics, colors, and fonts. By creating a simple format and strategy I can accomplish what this poster has: to bring people in. I also really love the color combinations of this poster, as the similar (yet different) yellows/browns bring it together and unify the entire artwork. Also, the use of the fonts puts the main message front and center by emphasizing the word "waffles" with a larger and bolder font.

Mood Board

All pictures taken from Pinterest: https://pin.it/6c1SSCw4R

Solution

thumbnails

20 Tiny Ideas

Through my thumbnails I tested a variety of different designs, fonts, and hierarchy by creating quick sketches using small rectangular columns. However, first I created an idea page in order to figure out what feeling I wanted my poster to convey. I tried many different ideas that would both combine the light, fun mermaid vibe with the strong, warm coffee energy.

Roughs

Unrefined Concepts

By creating these roughs, I was able to explore 2 concepts through a total of six different variations. In each one I worked on the hierarchy, sizing, and spacing between elements in order to prepare them for the computer. I also had to take into account how these designs would work once I brought them to the computer such as "can it be done in Illustrator or Photoshop?" and "do I have the fonts available?".

Comps

From Design to InDesign

After choosing the three roughs that were most visually pleasing and communicated the message properly, I brought them to the computer. While they were simply mockups of the ideas, they helped to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the colors, fonts, and overall design layouts. All photos taken from Unsplash and Pexels.

Final Drafts

Various Variations

Although the main design elements had been chosen, I used the critique my professor and colleagues gave along with examining various details, in order to create a more powerful and inspiring poster.

mermaid

mermaid

Final Design

Finally Finished!

After reviewing the critique and redesigning the poster multiple times I finally decided on this design as my final submission. It connects to Starbucks using its color, font, and logo while also emphasizing the elements specifically for the holiday.

MCELEBRATE WITH US ON MARCH 29

1/2 PRICE COFFEE: MOTHER/DAUGHTER DATES

Mockup

Real Life Application

By creating a mockup, I am able to understand how the real-world elements affect my poster as well as comprehend how the public will perceive it. I choose this one for the interesting layout and strong features that it adds to my poster.

endnotes:

1. Our Company. Starbucks Coffee Company, 2024, https://www.starbucks.com/ about-us/

2. Restaurant Business Staff. The largest coffee café chains in the U.S.. Restaurant Business, 13 May 2020, https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/largest-coffeecafe-chains-us

3. Gelbart, Bryn. 13 Best Coffee Chains in America, Ranked. Daily Meal, 24 April 2023, https://www.thedailymeal.com/1258308/best-coffee-chains-america/

4. Iafolla, Robert. Starbucks Illegally Threatened to Deny Abortion Benefit (1) Bloomberg Law, 18 October 2023, https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/ starbucks-managers-illegally-threatened-to-deny-abortion-benefit

5. Starbucks opens community Store in Jonesboro, Ga.. Starbucks Coffee Company, 11 July 2019, https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2019/starbucks-opens-community-storein-jonesboro-ga/

6. Ko, Michael. Living MLK’s legacy: Hope, help and new beginnings in Jonesboro, Ga Starbucks Coffee Company, 16 January 2020, https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/ how-does-a-corporation-live-its-values-as-a-good-neighbor/

7. Dubey, Jessica. Welcome to Jonesboro, Ga., Home of Newest Starbucks Community Store. Starbucks Coffee Company, 12 July 2019, https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/ welcome-to-jonesboro-ga-home-of-newest-starbucks-community-store/

8. Jonesboro, GA. Data USA. 2021, https://datausa.io/profile/geo/jonesboro-ga

9. Jonesboro city, Georgia. United States Census Bureau, 2020, https://www.census. gov/search-results.html?searchType=web&cssp=SERP&q=Jonesboro%20city,%20Georgia

10. United States. United States Census Bureau, 2020, https://www.census.gov/ search-results.html?searchType=web&cssp=SERP&q=United%20States

11. Starbucks Launches Winter Menu with New Iced Hazelnut Oatmilk Shaken Espresso and the Return of Pistachio. Starbucks Coffee Company, 3 January 2024, https://stories. starbucks.com/press/2024/starbucks-launches-winter-menu-with-new-iced-hazelnutoatmilk-shaken-espresso-and-the-return-of-pistachio/

12. starbucks. “Customizations for every winter mood…” Instagram, 1 February 2024, https://www.instagram.com/p/C2z5FaANMJN/

13. starbucks. “Balance.” Instagram, 2 February 2024, https://www.instagram.com/p/ C22d13HtUc4/?hl=en

14. figtreecafejonesboro. “Experience Tea at its Best…” Instagram, 20 September 2023,https://www.instagram.com/p/Cxbl0OzgR0n/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_ link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D

15. Buds. “this saturday is the official first day of fall…” Facebook, 20 September 2023, https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=638410305071065&set=a.409024088009689

16. dunkin. “Ben at last year’s Grammys…” Instagram, 4 February 2024, https://www. instagram.com/p/C27gg05ua7X/?hl=en

17. My own photo.

18. starbucks. "The seasonal sip you've been waiting on.." Instagram, 4 December 2023, https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0cNjXDO-UV/

19. starbucksjamaica. "Coffee makes any moment important.." Instagram, 1 October 2023, https://www.instagram.com/starbucksjamaica/p/Cx21mfyOaR-/

20. wafflehouseofficial. "Happy National Waffle Day to all..." Instagram, 24 August 2023, https://www.instagram.com/wafflehouseofficial/p/CwVRGyFgbU-/?img_index=1

21. Starbucks. Brands of the Worlds, 31 March 2013, https://www.brandsoftheworld. com/logo/starbucks-2

22. Chevanon Photography. "Close Up of a Siamese Fighting Fish." Pexels, 5 September 2016, https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-of-a-siamese-fighting-fish-325045/

23. Mingle, Mink. "a view of the water from the bottom of a swimming pool." Unsplash, 23 April 2017, https://unsplash.com/photos/a-view-of-the-water-from-the-bottom-of-aswimming-pool-AlEyuIKuSmc

24. Akyurt, Engin. "Woman Drowning Underwater." Pexels, 24 September 2012, https:// www.pexels.com/photo/woman-drowning-underwater-1435831/

25. Akyurt, Engin. "Photo of Woman Underwater." Pexels, 24 September 2012, https:// www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-woman-underwater-1435437/

34

26. Vidal, Ronaldo Arthur. "top view of white ceramic coffee mug." Unsplash, 18 Febuary 2016, https://unsplash.com/photos/top-view-of-white-ceramic-coffee-mug-Cdz_lvnl37k

27. 10 Urban Poster/Billboard MockUps. Graphic Burger, 22 May 2015, https:// graphicburger.com/10-urban-posterbillboard-mockups/