From Unicorn Frappuccinos to VIP meet-and-greets: How 3 brands are turning buzz into business
Article excerpt
The perfect mix of viral moment, urgency, and brand awareness can be summed up in two words: Unicorn Frappuccino. How Starbucks over the summer drummed up interest in a limited-time drink based on a mythical beast - and leveraged it to promote the coffee chain's new look - exemplifies one of the many ways companies are making marketing feel less like, well, marketing. As consumers spread their attention across television, streaming, social media, influencers, and other channels, companies are changing their strategies to reach them. At the same time, better data and technology are giving companies a clearer picture than in the past of which campaigns actually drive sales and where their dollars are best spent. "We're investing in the places where we believe we can drive transactions, drive the brand, build that loyalty and love, and make sure people understand what Starbucks stands for," Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol said on the company's fiscal 2026 third quarter earnings call back in late July. Niccol, a turnaround artist with a proven track record, is two years into breathing life back into Starbucks. In addition to traditional advertising and marketing, out-of-the-box creative strategies and unconventional endeavors are at the core of his mission to get that word out that the once-wayward brand is back. Unicorns and barista influencers The Unicorn Frappuccino, first...
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The company then rolled it out globally for one weekend in August.
