Great Job Starbucks – This Siren Really Sings

Each year marketing executives evaluate their brand’s position and consider rebranding for a multitude of reasons. One of the best in my opinion is because the brand is not as relevant to a company’s core business as it used to be and a refresh is needed to accommodate new business interests. One of my favorite examples is Starbucks. I have to admit that I have been a Starbucks fan for over 20 years and have watched their success as a company for about as long.

In 2011 Starbucks did a brand refresh by losing the double circle around the iconic siren and eliminating the corporate name and coffee type at the bottom so the design stands on it’s own much like the Nike swoosh and McDonalds golden arches. At first I was wondering why they decided to rebrand since their existing brand was so well entrenched in the market. Why fix something that isn’t broken? Why invest in a change that looks like a mere “tweak” to the logo when it will cost millions in store signage alone?

Then I realized the strategy was sound as the rebrand could accommodate the company’s new direction. We all know by now that Starbucks really was interested in repositioning itself for future growth with new product offerings. The coffee category is getting saturated and in recent years the company has purchased the bakery chain, La Boulange and is considering more product extension with wine and cheese. The international market also had certain aspects to consider so the new refresh was just the visual representation for a much deeper and well planned strategic rebrand. I personally like it.

The launch was also nicely done. First, employees had an event to understand how the refresh married with new corporate goals and strategies and then the public was introduced to it with a social media and media relations plan to explain it. Because the icon didn’t change significantly customer’s still feel the close connection and the refreshed icon enables the Starbucks to place the logo on a lot more than coffee products. I think the design is more modern and frees the siren so she can really stand on her own and sing!

A corporate rebrand can be expensive. It’s one of the most important decisions a marketing executive can make. Before starting the journey it makes sense to make sure the organization’s strategic direction can be enhanced with a brand refresh. It takes time and patience and an objectivity that demands experienced strategic partners to make it work. When done well a rebrand is a great investment in a company’s future and the benefit of having more customer relevance will result in more sales, profits and brand equity. That’s music to any marketing executive’s ears.