Starbucks is doing all it can to appeal to the masses. In the last weeks we've seen the Date Frappucino debut in the Middle East in celebration of Ramadan, and now we're seeing the coffee company market to youth.
Walk into any Starbucks and you're bound to see youngsters sipping beverages in branded white cups, but you can pretty much guarantee they're not slurping back hot chocolate. Even elementary school-aged children can spotted ordering Mocha Frappuccinos, and often, it's mom or dad picking up the tab.
These are the same kids who fuel up on Red Bull and Rock Star energy drinks. At their young age they're already so used to caffeine, they don't even realize the effects anymore. But here's the kicker -- unlike alcohol and cigarettes, there are no rules about selling to minors.
Starbucks is recognizing the younger crowd it has attracted and wants to try new marketing approaches to appeal to this demographic, but hasn't come up with the right campaign yet. Obviously, kids love sweets; that's a good start.
"Seattle-based Starbucks is considering whether to add new drinks or drink sizes that better meet the needs of kids or teens," MSNBC reported. "Right now, it only lists limited kids' items, such as milk and hot chocolate, in a smaller size, while teenagers have the choice of adult-sized, and often heavily caffeinated, beverages. A 16-ounce Caramel Frappucino coffee drink, for example, has nearly three times the caffeine as a 12-ounce can of regular Coke or Pepsi."
But the real marketing has already been done. They'll never have to worry about getting a celebrity to promote the product -- in fact, having young celebs like the Olsen twins, Mischa Barton and drinking Starbucks is likely what sparked the trend in the first place.
Starbucks Targets Youth
Frapputeenos?
Trend Themes
1. Youth-targeted Beverages - Starbucks is considering adding new drinks or drink sizes that better meet the needs of kids or teens, recognizing the trend of younger individuals consuming their beverages.
2. Caffeinated Beverages for Minors - Starbucks marketing to youth highlights the lack of rules about selling caffeine to minors, presenting an opportunity for disruptive innovation in creating and marketing beverages specifically designed for young consumers.
3. Influencer Marketing - The popularity of young celebrities like the Olsen twins and Mischa Barton drinking Starbucks has sparked a trend, suggesting an opportunity for disruptive innovation in leveraging influencer marketing to target the youth demographic.
Industry Implications
1. Beverage Industry - Starbucks' focus on developing youth-targeted beverages presents opportunities for disruptive innovation in the beverage industry to create new products and capture this demographic.
2. Marketing Industry - Starbucks' exploration of new marketing approaches to appeal to the youth demographic opens up opportunities for disruptive innovation in the marketing industry to develop strategies and campaigns targeted specifically at young consumers.
3. Celebrities and Influencers - The trend of young celebrities drinking Starbucks creates opportunities for disruptive innovation in the celebrities and influencers industry, as brands can collaborate with youth influencers to promote their products to the targeted demographic.