Monday, November 3, 2008

The Good Reports

Has anyone else seen the 'Good' Reports that Starbucks is doing right now?
I know that Starbuck's equity has been a bit rocky in recent months, but I think that this is one thing they are doing that goes a long way to rebuilding it. They are taking the time to write these reports on key political, environmental and societal issues that we should all be aware of but perhaps don't spend enough time independently researching our facts. Starbucks has now brought us these handy little guides to help us learn about everything from Carbon Emissions to Immigration. The thing that I like best about them is that they really speak to Starbuck's commitment to bettering our lives in the broadest sense and to doing things that aren't always profit related. One of the biggest problems that a lot of companies have when they get into cause related marketing is doing something that is clearly driven by a desire to benefit society rather than a desire to improve the bottom line. This is becoming increasingly difficult as consumers become savvier and less trusting of the corporate world. Having said that, I do think that Starbucks has found a simple, easy to understand marketing tool with its 'Good' Reports and I would be interested in hearing if other people have an opinion about it or have other good examples of effective cause related marketing.

No comments: