I’ve got to admit that I am really impressed with the way that Starbucks has been able to utilize the “halo effect” of the American Presidential election and specifically the renewal of promise brought by now President Barack Obama in a way that is not gimicky or based on novelty. Starbucks has effectively been able to bring a network of its customers together through a combination of online/offline marketing efforts like the I Voted or now Pledge 5 programs. At the same time the company has built much brand equity by discretely attaching themselves to all that Americans (and the rest of the world) have come to hope for in Barack Obama.

While it is obviously the execution of any marketing program that makes it worth doing, with these two campaigns Starbucks has been able to utilize the halo effect from Obama as the reason to call its consumers to action and in doing so has been able to use the Internet to connect the brand to its consumers and consumers to other consumers through their ideas, ideals and sacrifices.

Americans are fiercly patriotic and during the Internet Era never before have they been so encapsulated with a President or even the idea of the Presidency. It is easy to capitalize on this with novelty items, even some big companies that are terrific marketers like Ben & Jerry’s, Kripy Kreme and Jones Soda have gone that route. However it is much more difficult to craft a smart campaign that is not built on novelty but is built on the actual marketing principles of wanting to connect the brand and consumer with mutually shared ideas, ideals and experiences. Starbucks has found a way to get in the side-car next to the momentum train called the Obama Campaign and eventual Presidency with two separate yet connected campaigns that never directly reference Obama but absolutely grasp onto the emotions that his Presidency evokes in Americans. While this could have come across as a cheesy way for a big corporation to pretend they care I don’t think it has that connotation at all and kudos to the marketing teams who worked on these campaigns for that.

I think that the lesson for me is that if you find a way to connect with your customers over a subject that you are mutually passionate about (and is not controversial) it can be a tremendous way to engage them and show them that your brand’s support for their passion is genuine and not simply a marketing gimmick.

You can check out the latest Pledge 5 ad below, I would love your comments and thoughts.


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