Starbucks

Challenge

Howard Schultz knew something needed to change. In the face of a weak economy, increased pressure from low-cost competitors, market saturation and brand commoditization, he decided it was time to re-evaluate the brand from the inside out. He signed up for a new tour of duty—ready to craft a fresh vision for the brand and chart a plan to turn it around. Bulldog Drummond was brought in to help kick-start the brand refresh.

Result

We helped the Starbucks leadership team look back and chart what made the brand successful and where it got off track. We helped them understand the many differences in needs and behaviors of the many global consumers they served. We facilitated debate about the pending wave of artisanal coffee. We partnered with them to dissect their new brand mission and worked with small groups to develop new perspectives on tone, language, store design, products, community and voice—each aligned with that clear new mission. Together, we produced a powerful and directional brand framework and robust content that the brand team could use to refine their future path.

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 “We needed a partner to help guide an incredibly passionate and opinionated leadership team through a difficult yet exciting time in our brand’s evolution. Bulldog Drummond was the perfect fit. They designed an experience and deep body of work that kicked-off the successful next chapter of the Starbucks brand.”

—Jean-Marie Shields, VP, Brand Strategy