Starbucks boosts social media activity during Thanksgiving

by Jacquie Bowser, Brand Republic 19-Nov-09, 13:40

LONDON - Starbucks is focusing on social media during the festive season in the US, launching initiatives on Flickr, Facebook, and US-based music streaming service Pandora.

The coffee shop chain has created a branded playlist on the Pandora site that is designed to lure consumers into its outlets to collect a free 'All You Need Is Love' CD.

Featuring tracks from U2, John Legend and the Dave Matthews Band, the CD will be given to US consumers when they spend $15 (£9) or more. For every CD given away, Starbucks will give $1 to fight Aids in Africa as part of its partnership with charity brand (Red).

Starbucks is paying Pandora for ad placements and will also be advertising across various other websites, including NYTimes.com.

The chain is also hosting a Flickr page where consumers can upload pictures of themselves with their Starbucks holiday paraphernalia. Users can also do this on Facebook.

Additionally, Starbucks has created the "love drawing", at StarbucksLoveProject for visitors to create a digital drawing using different paints and colours. For each of the first million drawings, Starbucks is donating five cents to (Red).

Chris Bruzzo, vice president for brand, content and online at Starbucks, told AdAge.com: "It's like we've taken the version 1.0 of last year and now we're really doing it at scale and going to a lot more places where our customers already are.

"People are saying this is going to be a big year for social media and we're a microcosm of that. Whereas last year it was a curiosity, this year it's a core part of the program."

In the UK Starbucks started activity supporting (RED) in early November, pledging 5p every time a customer pays with a special (Red) loyalty card and £3 for every (Red) tumbler it sells.