Report on Starbucks' Social Media Presence: YouTube Channel Analysis

This report provides an analysis of Starbucks' social media presence, specifically focusing on their YouTube channel. The report begins with an executive summary and table of contents. It then delves into a discussion of Starbucks' social media strategy using the seven functional blocks of social media: identity, conversations, sharing, presence, relationships, reputation, and groups. The report examines how Starbucks utilizes its YouTube channel to promote its products, engage with customers, and build brand identity. It analyzes subscriber interactions, content sharing, and the overall impact of the channel on Starbucks' marketing efforts. The report concludes that Starbucks has a significant social media presence that facilitates promotion and fosters a growing subscriber base. Finally, the report includes a reference list of sources used in the analysis.

Running head: STARBUCKS: SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
STARBUCKS: SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
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1STARBUCKS: SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
Executive Summary
Starbucks is a leading global beverage conglomerate. This report aims at evaluating its social
media presence using the seven functional blocks of social media. The focuses on the
Youtube channel maintained by Starbucks called “Starbucks Coffee”. It evaluates the social
media presence based on feedback and conversation between various subscribers. The
conclusions inferred by the analysis will show that Starbucks has a massive social media
presence which facilitates promotion to a huge extent. Additionally, it has a growing
subscriber base that’s expanding on a regular basis.

2STARBUCKS: SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Discussion..................................................................................................................................3
Identity:..................................................................................................................................3
Conversations:........................................................................................................................3
Sharing:..................................................................................................................................4
Presence:................................................................................................................................4
Relationships:.........................................................................................................................4
Reputation:.............................................................................................................................4
Groups:...................................................................................................................................5
Conclusion:................................................................................................................................5
Reference list:.............................................................................................................................6

3STARBUCKS: SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
Introduction
Starbucks is a global beverage brand and has evolved into one of the largest
corporations in the world. Their line of various brews has achieved worldwide recognition
and considerable brand identity. Social media has become one of the fastest advertising and
promotional mediums available to companies (Alhabash, Mundel & Hussain, 2017). As
adopted by most leading corporations Starbucks too has launched various social media
campaigns. Their Youtube channel is one of their most dominant social media campaigns and
this report will focus on the social media presence of the Youtube channel.
Discussion
Titled “Starbucks Coffee” the Youtube channel created and maintained by Starbucks
has substantial social following which can be inferred from its 153, 458 subscriber base
("Starbucks Coffee", 2018). This report will evaluate the channel’s releases in the last 3
months based on the seven functional blocks of Social media (Parsons, 2013):
Identity:
Starbucks Coffee posts various videos based on their latest product line, promotional
activities and Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. Their latest product line is the blond
espresso. The comment section is where users (subscribers) can communicate. Youtube does
not ideally reveal geographical locations but subscribers are more than willing to share their
locations and personal experiences with the brand’s products.
Conversations:
The social aspect of social media promotion encompasses the willing of users to
engage in conversations. Youtube comment sections are known to spark conversations and
debates among subscribers. The Starbucks Coffee releases have vocal and conversant

4STARBUCKS: SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
subscribers who repeatedly share their encounters with Starbucks. Though there are debates
they seldom end in favour of their competitors.
Sharing:
The Youtube releases of Starbucks Coffee are frequently shared on various other
social medium especially facebook. This is evident from the views of its releases which are
more than three times their subscriber base. Thus sharing content released on the page is
common practice.
Presence:
Youtube though location specific does not explicitly reveal the geographical locations
of their subscribers. Thus, unless willingly shared subscribers cannot identify where the
others are located. However, it must be noted that Starbucks makes country specific product
releases and through them they subscribers location maybe inferred. Despite this Starbuck
has a massive presence on Youtube and their release are even advertised as a precursor to
other videos.
Relationships:
Starbucks manufactures high quality products and their target audience are the higher
income groups like any leading conglomerate (Nicholas, Carswell & Hletko, 2013). The
Youtube channel promotes Starbucks coffee and their stores which act as a social hub for
consumers of various ages and backgrounds. They promote the Coffee shop/café culture in its
truest sense. Subscribers are often regular customers who visit the outlets in groups and
review their encounters with the products.
Reputation:
Being one of the best known beverage brand in the world the company’s reputation
may not be evaluated. As discussed above there are various users who visit the outlets and

5STARBUCKS: SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
discuss their feedback online on the comments section on the Youtube channel. The comment
section stands as evidence that Starbucks has positive reviews and a massive customer base.
Their CSR activities are well documented and have substantial following as well.
Groups:
The target group of Starbucks consists of the higher income groups and millennial
sections of society that have inculcated the Coffee shop/café culture in them. These groups
are featured on their advertising releases quite conspicuously and their presence on the
Youtube channel is quite evident.
Conclusion:
Social media advertising has helped Starbucks usher in a larger customer base than
ever before and they have capitalized on the opportunity to the fullest. Their well documented
releases on social media are followed religiously by its loyal consumer base and well
discussed in various forums on social media. Thus Starbucks' social media has grown
exponentially in the past years and continues to win it fresh customers daily.

6STARBUCKS: SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
Reference list:
Alhabash, S., Mundel, J., & Hussain, S. A. (2017). Social media advertising. Digital
Advertising: Theory and Research, 285.
Nicholas, F. C., Carswell, I. B., & Hletko, P. M. (2013). U.S. Patent No. 8,538,803.
Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Parsons, A. (2013). Using social media to reach consumers: A content analysis of official
Facebook pages. Academy of Marketing Studies Journal, 17(2), 27.
Starbucks Coffee. (2018). YouTube. Retrieved 7 March 2018, from
https://www.youtube.com/user/Starbucks/videos?sort=dd&flow=grid&view=0