Starbucks have a chilled ready-to-drink (RTD) product called Discoveries. It is sold through supermarkets, convenience stores and petrol forecourts in EMEA (not in their stores).

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Working directly with the Starbucks global brand team in Seattle and Arla team in Denmark (the manufacturers) I led the OLIVER agency work to reposition the product and revitalize sales growth.

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Going out to work with the RTD and Global brand team out in the Seattle HQ really helped to build our relationships and got us under the skin of the Starbucks brand and the chilled cabinet range. (Thanks guys, what a great place!).

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Our small crack agency team conducted consumer focus groups and market research in the core markets of Europe to look at how we could drive growth in the product range. Along with taste testing sessions, we researched advertising concepts, pricing, packaging redesigns, and shopper store experiences.

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The core consumer insight came from how the product was viewed and consumed. Before trying the product customers were unclear on the contents and authenticity of the product. They trusted the Starbucks brand but didn't know the same great coffee and milk went into this product.  In the chilled cabinet, the connection to the parent brand/cafe wasn't strong enough on the packaging design.

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Once people tried the product it was really well received. They saw it fitting in their lifestyle to offset another 'break moment' in their lives (so not an alternative to traditional coffee). Think mid-afternoon break when a chocolate bar in the office or an ice cream in the summer might give you a boost (it's not a weekly-shop item for people new to it). 

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Our strategy and creative comms plan all formed from these insights and were carried through to the final campaign...

1. Show the contents of the product visually in our communications. Get the coffee and milk front and center. Ask the customer to reappraise their view of 'chilled coffee' (not cold coffee).

2. Refresh the packaging to align with the Starbucks parent brand.

3. Drive and incentivize trial in the peak summer sales season. Once people had experienced Discoveries they were 'in'.

4. Target our media close to consumption, so advertise close to urban convenience stores/retailers near where people worked or in media they consume while commuting.

5. Introduce trade promotions and introduce new flavors to excite customers and the retailers in store.

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Examples of the core creative concept and advertising - 'Reimagine' are in the gallery.  We produced a full tool kit of assets allowing local product focus and appropriate media mixes (OOH, press, online, social etc.). Working with Starbucks, and distribution and manufacturing partner Arla, a video for the repositioning was produced too... I've uploaded here too.

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Thanks go to photographer Marcel Christ, a world expert in food and beverage imagery. He created the hero visuals in his Amsterdam studio as you'll see in the gallery here. 

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The campaign came together with a wonderfully warm summer for a perfect uplift in Starbuck sales.