That's More Like It

On Election Day, I scoffed at Starbucks' lame attempt to give away coffee for those who voted.  Claire argued that Starbucks was emphasizing its brand promise of community involvement, but I thought that free coffee for voting was a weak connection and more a jump on the bandwagon.  Their Inauguration Day effort resonates much better with community involvement and service.

When I logged into my Facebook this morning, an ad on the side invited me to Starbucks' event, "Free coffee if you pledge 5 hours of volunteer time."  Unlike on Election Day, Starbucks is taking initiative to be a leader in community involvement versus lining up with a myriad of other brands to distribute their goods.  This offer has a clear goal (inspire 1 million people to volunteer), is the only Inauguration Day offer I've heard of so far (feel free to correct me in the

 comments!), and is taking initiative to encourage people to join a cause and be part of a big movement in their community.  I don't think free Starbucks enticed any non-voters to vote on Election Day.  People who have never participated in community service probably won't change their ways for a free Tall coffee, either.  But for past volunteers who have heard Obama's encouragement to join a community service project again, this Facebook invite and pledge effort might be the additional push they need to head to Starbucks, sign up, and actually make a difference.  

Although I'm still not a huge fan of giveaways in general for Starbucks, I think creating their own cause (or at least jumping on one that's not quite as exploited as Election Day) puts them in a much better position than they were two months ago.  Win.

UPDATE

Curt, a loyal reader, sent us an updated image of what popped up on his FB page today!  Thanks Curt!

Feed it Forward

I love my friends. They know when I am poor and hungry - just waiting impatiently for that next pay day. They know just what to do. In this case, my friend decided to "Feed It Forward."

Every day until Christmas, Restaurant.com has a program titled, you guessed it, Feed it Forward that allows you to send up to 3 $10 gift cards per day to your friends FOR FREE. That's right. I received one from my friend today, and now I am going to send some out to some of my friends. I could send up to $480 in free gift certificates until Christmas.

They will donate $30 million in free restaurant gift certificates – over 30 days – and allow you to treat friends, family, and colleagues —anyone deserving—to savings on a great meal out. The current economy has the potential to deprive people of the gift of giving, a harsh reality during the season when giving matters most. In response, Restaurant.com wants to support and promote the gift of giving this holiday season.

I don't know if they will stop the program early if they hit $30 mil, or if they have a daily cap, but that is still a good deal to me. I even get to choose what restaurant (from their list) that the gift card my friend sends me gets to go to.

Nothing like free food to put a smile on my face.

How the Mighty Have Fallen*

Two years ago, if you had told Starbucks that they would be giving their product away like Taco Bell or McDonald's lattes, they would have laughed in your face. But then the economy went to hell, and this once-premium brand has hit rock bottom.



If you ask me, Starbucks' recent mistakes have been:

• Ridiculous brand extensions. I really don't want Starbucks breakfast beyond muffins and coffee cakes, and the brand can't seem to figure out what it wants to do, either. And I'm not paying $6 for a shrinkwrapped chicken sandwich. The coffee shop atmosphere just isn't conducive to a meal.
• Dunkin' and McDonald's slowly but surely crept into the premium coffee industry. Starbucks got scared when their sales took a dip and tried to compete with price promotions and the aforementioned food. But it doesn't seem as though McD's is really stealing away that many faithful Starbucks drinkers. Are real Starbucks customers really trading down to fast food? Or are there other reasons (brand dilution, a Starbucks atmosphere that has strayed from its roots, and yes, the economy) that have them skipping their morning joe?
  
• MyStarbucksIdea.com. Creating a social network for people to basically complain about the brand and offer ideas that will never ever get implemented was maybe not the smartest idea.

On the other hand, Ben & Jerry's is another premium-priced brand that is giving away product on Election Day. But for them, it works. Just look at the website. B&J never takes itself too seriously and is always pushing fun--it's ice cream! They also have an annual customer appreciation/Free Cone Day complete with long lines, brand ambassadors, and even a dancing cow. Ben & Jerry's built its entire brand on doing good and having a positive outlook, and giving away ice cream fits. Watching the Starbucks ad, though, you see how seriously they take themselves. The targets, the attitudes of the brands, and the motives for the giveaway are all completely different. For Starbucks, it just doesn't work.

This election giveaway is icing on the GOODBYE AND GOOD LUCK! cake for Starbucks. Maybe they just expanded too fast and erroneously thought they could mix luxury prices with a mass audience. Maybe consumers really are remembering that $4 a day not spent on coffee could help buy next week's groceries. In any case, I'll be at work in the morning and at the Bob Dylan show in the evening, so I'll probably miss out on this sad promotion from the former coffee giant.

*Or in the case of our very own Erin Lamberty, the mighty have fallen, torn three ligaments in their knee, bruised and swollen beyond recognition, and been placed in an immobilizer until further notice. That probably describes Starbucks even better.