Does Starbucks Hate Christmas?

Being a Tim Hortons girl myself, I couldn’t believe the outrage over the 2015 years Starbucks red cups. I saw #RedCups trending on twitter the other day. I didn’t give it another thought until I came across a Facebook post asking for opinions on the controversy.

The stripped down plain red cups differ than the vibrant decorated ones of previous years.

Some people have stated that Starbucks just wants to be politically correct and others state religiously fuelled comments that Starbucks is taking the Christ out of Christmas. Many people are choosing to boycott the brand. Others are saying merry christmas when baristas ask for their name.

Check out this viral video by Joshua Feuerstein that has had over 16 million views on Facebook since November 5, 2015.

Even celebrities are weighing in:

 

 

Donald Trump even went so far as to say he will end the Starbucks lease in his buildings and boycott the brand.

The Official Explanation

Starbucks claims that this years holiday cups were intentionally left as a blank canvas for customers to draw what they want on them .

Creating a culture of belonging, inclusion and diversity is the core values of Starbucks

What I Think

In my opinion its just a cup! Get over yourself if you think that Starbucks is ruining your christmas because they have failed to put a picture of a reindeer on a cup.A cup that you will throw away twenty minutes later. It was just a change in branding design. Starbucks doesn’t hate christmas, in fact they encourage their customers to use a little creativity.

I will leave you with this:

Even though people are threatening to boycott the popular brand, this controversy has gained Starbucks an insane amount of brand awareness. So was this cup actually a publicity stunt or just a design concept that got a life of its own on social media? Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!

Beer for Karaoke Superstars

Ad Report Card – Miller Lite

The Spot:

In this ad an average looking guy is in a convenience store and sets a 6-pack of Miller Lite beer on the counter. The guy then starts a conversation with the store clerk about how he is doing karaoke later. The store clerk then asks to hear him sing. At first the guy says no, then he grabs a beer and belts out the first two lines to Carry On Wayward Son.

The guy’s performance is very dramatic, and then a pretty girl walks in the store behind him. The guy abruptly stops his performance quickly leaving the store. The guy states that he goes on at 9 as he walks out the door, then pops his head back in the store to say maybe 9:30. The ad ends on an image of a Miller beer sign stating that as long as you are you its Miller time. 

Check out the ad below:

The Challenge

 

Beer commercials often show what the desired lifestyle may be while consuming the product. Miller Lite wanted to find a way to differentiate their product from the competition.

 The Idea

 

The commercial states that as long as you are you #ItsMillerTime. Miller Lite wanted to show someone embracing who they were while using the product, instead of showing you that your life will be better by using the product. It is the opposite approach some of Miller’s competitors take.

The Execution of the Idea

 

This commercial uses an iconic 40 year old song that is very well known consistently being used in movies and television brings a sense of nostalgia to the audience.

The guy and the store clerk converse as if they are old friends. Having a good conversation, the store clerk persuades the guy to sing in the middle of the store.

Miller not only looks to provide humour in the middle of the ad when the girl walks in, but also near the end when the guy pops his head back in the store.

What Works? Why?

This commercial uses a humorous appeal technique. Because it is funny, you laugh at the guy who has made a fool of himself singing into a bottle of Miller Lite in front of a pretty girl. You also laugh at the guys reappearance in the store. This commercial is entertaining.

Miller Lite’s slogan is Its Miller Time and they look to promote the consumer owning who they are while using the product. Miller looks to empower its customers to be bold and be themselves.

What Doesn’t Work? Why?

 

There is no interaction as a direct response from the female in this advertisement. The ad concept is to embrace who you are and choose Miller Lite, but you never see if the girl embraces this concept replying to the guy.

When the guy has the beer in a microphone position you do not see the Miller Lite logo. In my presentations class I have been taught the importance of keeping your product visible throughout your campaign. In this ad the bottle was rotated showing what could have been any bottle.

Grade:

 

This ad does what it sets out to do. It creates a humorous situation, promoting individuality while using the Miller Lite product. However you are left with questions like why the two characters didn’t interact at the end of the commercial. You are still left asking how the product is connected to the female character.

Answering these would have been as simple as saying “I’ll be there, save me a Miller Lite.” This interaction would have been flirty and fun embracing the concept of being yourself and having a good time while enjoying Miller Lite.  

SLC Open House

               

So today I volunteered for the open house at St. Lawrence College. It was an amazing opportunity to get to know people and show some school pride.

 

It was the spring open house last year that really made me make the decision to attend SLC. Since I hit that accept button I have never regretted this decision. The passionate knowledgable staff with real world experience and the small class sizes were exactly what I was looking for in a college.

Today there were many booths set up promoting the school services and program specific tables to give potential students more information about the programs they are applying to.

The campus was vibrant, with red carpets, star shaped balloons, and theatre drapes. There was a photo booth and many other interactive activities for potential students.  The viking mascot greeted attendees and many volunteers were on hand to answer questions and give campus tours.

 

You may ask how this relates to marketing?

It is important to know that just because this event was held by an institution it was still a thriving event. This event was full of energy, with engaging information sessions and a whole lot of character. Marketing is essential in planning a successful  event that promotes attendees to confirm their choice to attend SLC.

In this industry I must be proficient in my presentation skills. By giving tours today I was able to work on my networking and public speaking skills contributing to my future in marketing.

#ProudToBeSLC       @whatsinsideslc

Why Tweet?

Joining Twitter

I finally decided to create a Twitter account. Being a fairly private person that leads a rather boring life, I figured that nobody would care what I have to say.

How Twitter Plays With Emotions

Within minutes, the first post I made was liked. I’m not going lie, it kind of makes you feel special. I mean isn’t that what we do as marketers – try to make an emotional connection to our audience. This made me rethink my initial thoughts about Twitter.

#Hashtag?

Twitter has popularized the hashtag. It seems like they are taking over. Whether it be during a TV show, about a cause, or as part of a media campaign, it seems that hashtags are everywhere. A hashtag allows someone to focus in on what others are saying on a subject.

What is Trending?

On Twitter you can see what is tending. All this really means what is popular. If you think of trending from a marketing perspective you get to see if your product, event or brand is being talked about.

Twisted Tea and Social Media

This week I did a persuasive presentation for class on Twisted Tea. While this is an American company just moving into the Canadian marketplace, the company is very active on their social media accounts.

 

People are responding to the brand with almost 8,000 Instagram followers, over 3,500 Twitter followers and an astounding 98,000 Facebook likes. The Twisted Tea brand is all about the people and having a good time. This is shown throughout social media, with posts, photos and tweets being about having fun while using the product.

https://twitter.com/TwistedTea/status/660158962348617728

Check out the Twisted Tea commercial below:

What Does All of This Mean?

The Twitter platform connects consumers to brands. As I have learned in class, today’s market is consumer driven with emphasis on lifestyles and transparency.

What better way is there to communicate with your customers and potential customers than on a platform that gives your company the ultimate brand loyalty by posting core brand values.