April 21, 2008 – Three Reasons Behind Starbucks' Success

Starbucks is an amazing company, especially from a marketing perspective. I believe that there are THREE main reason as to why their organization is so successful and why they will remain on top in the industry.

The first is TASTE. People enjoy the taste of their coffee. Not everyone, but a lot of people, obviously. They have coffee that tastes good and that keeps people coming back. They have a solid product. The second is TRENDY. Its cool and fashionable to have a Starbucks in your hand, whether at the airport, in class, or on your desk. Seriously, people feel 'cooler' when they're either in a Starbucks or they have one while walking down the street. The third is SELF-INDULGENCE. People like to treat themselves and this plays very well on who we are as a society. Seriously, it happens all the time when someone thinks 'I've worked hard, I deserve something' or 'hey, I've got a few extra bucks, why not get a Starbucks.' People have always enjoyed indulging themselves and Starbucks provides an array of choices for them to do so.

In a similar light, companies such as Gap Inc. also reflect these aspects and can attribute them to their success as a company. Think about it. People like their clothing, it fits well and is comfortable. Its 'cool' and fashionable to wear Gap. And Gap is one of those places people go to buy clothing when they feel as though they've 'earned' it or that they deserve it because they've worked hard. Think about how these aspects have influenced the success and growth of such companies and how they have marketed themselves to the public.

How would these types of qualities help market yourself? I would enjoy your thoughts. Perhaps we can talk about it over coffee.