Case Study for Agency
03-1014839-496

Starbucks Coffee

Since 1995, we have handled ongoing public relations activities and
special event coordination for the world’s best known chain of coffee
shops for the region stretching from Philadelphia through Southeastern
Virginia with a primary focus on Baltimore, Washington and Northern
Virginia.

Within that geographic region, our scope of work is all encompassing,
incorporating a solid mix of PR and events.

In a straight forward public relations capacity, BWF has distributed
traditional news releases and media materials on a number of major
topic including:

1. New product introduction for Gingerbread Latte
2. New product introduction for Vanilla Cream Frappuccino
3. New product introduction for Lunch at Starbucks
4. New product introduction for Tiazzi
5. New retail item introduction for Aroma Coffee Brewer
6. New product introduction for Starbucks After Coffee Mints
7. Christmas Bear-ista stuffed holiday item
8. Doonesbury Products on sale in the store
9. ABC Book Drive announcement
10. DC101 Live In Studio Starbucks Audio Music CD
11. Oprah Winfrey Book of the Month Selection
12. Grand Opening Releases

While we certainly make use of traditional media materials such as news
releases, fact sheets and media alerts to announce and introduce these
new product or new program innovations, we also incorporate the
creative use of teaser items and product sampling, in an effort to
expose these products in an effective and memorable way to the news
media. Over the years, these “teaser items” have included:

1. Beverage Drops (including Frappuccinos and Tiazzis)
2. Lunches to Media
3. Valentines’ Day Candy and Tumblers
4. Music CD Drops to announce product launch

As with many of our clients, however, actions often speak louder than
words, and with this in mind, several times each year, we create and
publicize a number of special events at or around Starbucks stores in
an effort to draw attention to their brand, specific locations,
specific products, innovative programs and more. While some of these
events were driven by Starbucks corporate office, others we created
ourselves and implemented on behalf of the company. Examples of such
events include:

1. Brew Crew Staffing – Where we have staffers don
“backpack-style” coffee dispensers called Mercury Men, and engage in
hot coffee product sampling in the community.
2. Chill Patrol – Same as Brew Crew only in the summertime with a
focus on chilled drinks such as Frappuccino and Tiazzis
3. Live public and media events with former NBA star Magic Johnson
for the unveiling and announcement of several new Magic Johnson
Starbucks locations
4. Embassy Events – Christmas Blend Coffee Origin Ambassador Event
5. Celebrity Readings with pro athletes, television and radio
personalities to launch and support book drive
6. Sponsored and Promoted “Name the Gorilla Contest” for the
Smithsonian National Zoological Park
7. Barista Olympics Competition
8. D.C. Scores Washington Freedom Poetry Readings
9. Sponsorship and Promotion of First Night (New Year’s)
Celebrations
10. Sponsorship and Promotion of President’s Fitness Day at Fort
McNair in Washington, D.C.
11. Sponsorship and Promotion of the Annual Easter Egg Roll at the
White House
12. Frappuccino Making Contests