Branding Within the Coffee World: What's Your Cup of Joe?
Start from Day One:
The first time I drank coffee and enjoyed it I was two. I wish that was a joke. I think I just knew from a very young age that my fate was public relations, so I’d better get used to the taste of bean water. With that and two and a half years of barista experience under my belt, I have a good amount of credibility in the “Starbucks vs. Dunkin'' debate. What’s the answer? Good question. I didn’t write this blog to get political and lose all of my friends. The GrandPR staff has already fought me on my opinion on this debate.
So, let’s not talk about coffee, let's talk about other topics.
Let’s talk about branding, identity, and some food science. Aside from my espresso expertise, I’m about 95.99% of the way through my degree in Advertising and Public Relations. So, you can trust me here.
The Branding is a Slam Dunk:
I don’t need to be the one to tell you that Dunkin appeals to the bright and full of life. Dunkin’s brand colors are literally hot pink and bright orange. Dunkin allocated a lot of resources to stand out in comparison to its competitors. Starbucks and Einstein Bagels hopped on the modern and minimalist trend before it was a trend. Dunkin dumped $100 million into its rebrand between the years 2018 and 2019. This included dropping 50% of their name, rounding their font type, and remodeling their stores across the country. The outcome? Lots and lots of attention from lots of media outlets. (Jones Lane)
Dunkin has also been able to partner with popular Gen-Z influencers like TikTok star, 16-year-old, Charli D’Amelio. Her drink, “The Charli” was released in September of 2020 and did hundreds of thousands of sales for the company. Drayton Martin, VP of brand stewardship for Dunkin’ told TMZ in a September interview that besides the massive increase in sales, the company saw a 57% increase in app downloads. (TMZ) This works because why? A substantial part of Dunkin’s target audience is made up of teens between the ages of 15-18.
This isn’t a blog that slanders teen girls, because I’ve had enough of adults finding things to hate on teenage girls for. In fact, I was once a teenage girl and the Dunkin a block away from my high school was a part of my daily routine. But I’ve grown up, and so have my taste buds. Why do kids like sugar? Because according to Bon Appetit, they need more sugar to function, and that’s just evolution. As you get older, your taste buds do too. They kind of shrivel up and die, but that’s a conversation for my next blog maybe?
The Star of the Show:
So, what about Starbucks? Home of drinks like the infamous Cotton Candy Frappuccino. How’s it different, and how is it not at all? Starbucks has a different kind of target audience than what you’re probably expecting. Also, the range of this demographic is bizarre, 22-60 is the ages of the demographic that Starbucks is eying. They’re also looking at on-the-go professionals who are tech-savvy...they really love their app. (Chron) Starbucks’ branding strategy is also just a bit different. With a neutral, lounge-like atmosphere with an industrial color palette...I mean, it’s obvious. If you had to give either Starbucks or Dunkin a hug, which one would you choose?
Your Point?
My point here is that Starbucks pulls an older audience, and older people typically have a more established taste palette than younger people. When you start tasting aromas in coffee, you’ll get it. But, my other point is there’s no winner here. The audience is simply just completely different. They’re both winners in their own categories, demographics, and brands. From someone who’s a barista, a coffee lover, and an advertising and public relations (almost) pro...comparing the two is a logical fallacy. So, if you’re the food scientist or the marketing expert that figured out young people love sugar and young people love Dunkin... well played.
Branding can make or break a company, using adequate branding is key within the world of advertising and public relations. The Dunkin vs. Starbucks branding tactics are strategies I urge you to pay attention to as a PR pro. To be honest, both Dunkin and Starbucks are killing it.
Starbucks, I’ll see you tomorrow.
About Allison:
Allison (@allsncntr) is a senior in the Advertising and Public Relations program with an emphasis in Public Relations with a minor in Political Science. Allison is Chapter President of GVPRSSA. She also serves on the Executive Board, and as an Account Associate for GrandPR. In her free time, Allison likes to argue that LaCroix does have flavor and talk about her beagle, Sally. You can find her driving around listening to Taylor Swift’s discography or reading tarot cards.