FOR the holidays, there are many exciting things going on at Starbucks. They recently revamped the Starbucks Rewards program so you can become a member by completing the sign-up process on the Starbucks website or the app. After this, you’ll receive a unique 16-digit digital card that you can load with funds anytime. If you come across a seasonal Starbucks Card design, you can purchase it in stores and link it to your account.
Starbucks Rewards members can now scan their app and make in-store payments using cash, credit/debit cards, or e-wallets, earning one Star for every P50 spent. They also get to keep their current benefits, such as earning one Star per P25 spent when using their Starbucks Card or one Star per P40 spent on GrabFood or Lazada for linked accounts.
So what does this have to do with the holidays? Starbucks Philippines recently launched its 2024 Starbucks Traditions Collection, an annual tradition that has been running for over two decades. Starting November 2, you can earn a sticker for every purchase of a Tall, Grande, or Venti handcrafted beverage. You can track you stickers through the Starbucks App with an e-Promo Card, and redeem any one of five rewards once you’ve collected 19 stickers.
“We’ve made collecting stickers and keeping track of them very accessible with just a few taps and clicks,” said Estee Go, Starbucks Philippines manager for digital customer experience and loyalty.
Aside from two planners in Rose Gold and Abalone Grey, the other collectibles are the Warm Gray Mug and Polka Tote Set, Pearl Cold Cup, and Ebony Stainless Tumbler and include a pen (this is always my favorite in Starbucks planners), card holders, a sticker pad, and a few postcards.
For the holidays, Starbucks Philippines is collaborating with local artists to curate a coffeehouse playlist on Spotify. These tracks, which were picked by DJ Nix and DJ Rammy Bitong, reaffirm the impact of music and coffee in building human connections. Follow Starbucks Philippines on Spotify to listen to the playlist.
The Starbucks holiday drinks for 2023 are Gingerbread Latte, Toffee Nut Crunch Latte, Toffee Nut Crunch Cold Brew, and the crowd favorite Peppermint Mocha. The drinks are available in-store as well as via GrabFood, foodpanda, and Pick.A.Roo (prices will vary).
Jamie Silva, senior manager for marketing, digital customer experience and loyalty said the Starbucks Traditions Collection is targeting the Gen Z segment.
“They look up to traditions. They like retro trends. They weren’t part of the start of the Starbucks Traditions when it started more than two decades ago but they like that they can be a part of it now,” said Silva. “One thing that we’ve noticed is that although Gen Z is always online, they also value offline experiences.”
Silva described the 2023 planner as a great one but said the 2022 was even better.
“There were many requests from customers so we listened and considered their requests to come up with a planner that everybody would be happy with.”
The planning for the holiday campaign starts the moment the new planners are out.
“It really takes months. We listen to our customers and every year; the comments are different,” said Silva. “There are different inputs from Marketing, from Product, but we always add our own surprise. This year, it’s the fifth item. For some years, it’s been three. Most years, it’s been four. But this year, it’s five.”
The items in the Starbucks Traditions campaign may seem traditional but they’re also very Gen Z coded. The tumbler and flask is a nod at Gen Z’s passion for sustainability. The additional merchandise—the mug and the tote—also promote reusing. You can carry the mug in the tote, maybe along with your lunch for the day, when you go on a Starbucks run.
There will also be holiday merchandise, including a Philippine exclusive Chartreuse Bling Cup and two rhinestone-studded Bling Cups. I have my eye on the Emerald Green one, as well as the gift boxes with the miniature versions of Bling Cups through the past seasons.
Learn more about the campaign at www.starbuckstraditions.ph.
Image credits: Starbucks Philippines
