Chasing the Unicorn - a marketing strategy with mythological proportion

 Starbucks has always been recognized by its culinary innovation. From the beginning, they have focused on satisfying the very specific needs of their extremely loyal consumer base. From Frappuccino to secret menus, they have influenced even the lingo used in the industry with a new way of consuming coffee.

Designing marketing strategies that elevate your brand should be at the top of the priority list in everyone’s mind. A campaign that reinvigorates the product and enthuses the consumer to catch the new trend is a hard task to accomplish. So how did they do it?

There were several features that contributed to the success of the Unicorn Frappuccino. From an appealing name to a mesmerizing look, they were able to combine a number of factors that sent everyone on a frenzy trying to catch their own mythological drink.

Appetite appeal – the combination of fruity flavors and vibrant colors enticed consumers interested on experiencing the changing colors and tasting the rainbow.  

Limited availability – inducing a sense of scarcity motivated the urgency to be extra engaged with the offer. This tactic has been used by other companies and proven really successful in categories such as electronics and toys.

Social media – inadvertently consumers, both the general public as well as celebrities, endorsed the product by utilizing social media platforms to:

1. Being the first one in their social network to post about it, and
2. Give their option, whether it was positive or negative.

This made the topic trend and spread virally, as intended by any social media campaign.

The #UnicornFrapp sold out as fast as social media moved on to the next topic. The success of this campaign will continue to spread as other drinks are designed and launched,  and other organization follow suit with their own concoctions. The true challenge will come one year from now, when the investors expect a sustained growth from a YoY analysis, if not better performance.  

How relevant are your marketing tactics to your target consumer? How do you determine the level of success? Is your consumer excited about your next innovation?