Starbucks Rewards Identity Redesign
Your cheat code for coffee
The Starbuck Rewards loyalty program and payment app had grown exponentially since launching in 2009. Nearly a decade later it was time to overhaul the program to keep it engaging and profitable. Our Creative Studio team was tasked with redesigning the Starbucks Rewards identity.
Role: Creative Director
Responsibilities: visual and voice creative direction, brand strategy, loyalty strategy, senior stakeholder management, agency selection/direction and implementation planning
With a few years at Starbucks under my belt I instinctively knew where some of the opportunities for improvement were. However, I wasn’t 100% on what our members wanted. Did we understand why (re: Simon Sinek) Starbucks Rewards existed in the first place? The tendency was to assume discount as the only thing that mattered to members. But if the business wanted to be more profitable and members wanted discounts, were we doomed to a zero sum game?
We partnered with RGA to answer these fundamental questions. Through customer research we learned that our members valued accomplishment, control, and appreciation through their engagement in the program. These insights inspired a new Starbucks Rewards promise and creative principles that aligned with Starbucks' core brand. Together the research and strategy gave us the north star for decision-making, used by our broader organization across customer touch points, from acquisition to engagement.
Creative Principles
Always
Representative and inclusive
Warm and welcoming
Clear, simple and informative
Sometimes
Motivating and energizing
Smart and playful
Spontaneous and delightful
We now had our springboard to deliver an exciting design and creative exploration. We arrived at a sophisticated new identity that somehow felt effortless at the same time. The fresh vibe complimented the Starbucks brand, or perhaps even elevated it.
With the program identity set, we applied the elements across the customer journey, playing with the variation in tone while staying true to our creative principles. We especially had fun writing the copy.
Early collaboration with marketing, product, and IT, helped build a new program and its identity to be fun, functional and easy-to-understand. But the real success was in listening to the customers who provided all the answers we needed. The Starbucks Rewards identity shows up everywhere customers are, from the app to their cup.
And they sipped happily ever after.
🙌
This work was executed by the immensely talented Starbucks Creative Studio, the Starbucks Digital Product Team, and in partnership with R/GA .