1st & Main probably wont take enough risks to appeal to Millennials. The branded element feels too eerie to me, and Starbucks will be too image-cautious to create a lot of value. The Simpsons is funny because it takes risks and addresses real topics, both of which 1st & Main won’t be able to replicate.

I feel like Starbucks should be paying me for watching that clip. Maybe some Millennials will play the series for their children, although I fail to see how that will dispense with the “your parents’ coffee shop” vibe.

Branded entertainment works when it feels authentic. Think Urban Decay’s Snapchat filter, which blew kisses in Vice lipstick colors. Evidently Starbucks is struggling to hit their stride with the hipster demographic, but this show is not the answer.

Well, first of all, listening to the video caused my Amazon Echo to add an ice coffee to my shopping list, so I wish they hadn’t used the name Alexa. Now, on to the question at hand. The web series is actually mocking Starbucks’ patronizing accommodation of Millennials’ pretentious behavior. So the question is, will the Millennials like to be the butt of the joke (with self-deprecation being SO hip) or will they bite the hand that pours that 137.623 degree half-caf, coconut water, almond milk Frappadappa with extra caramel sauce (and don’t forget to pass the cup in the air as an homage to Mother Gaia)? The fact is Starbucks is the craft beer of the coffee bean set, i.e., it allows those with a lack of knowledge a place to appear to be in-the-know. How many real coffee aficionados would add ingredients to their brew more generally applied to ice cream? Not too many. But Starbucks is full of hipsters asking for special blends of syrup to the bean of the season. So… Read more »

It’s all about relevance and, in the case of Starbucks, they are trying to be more relevant to Millennials. I would not be surprised if some episodes take a swipe at the narrative offered by Ric Rhinehart, but in this case to try and change that perception.

I think the promotion of the brand is too blatant and the length is too long to appeal to young Millennials.

Regarding the stores, in an economy with depressed wages, offering a separate concept to appeal to young Millennials at higher prices seems risky. The older Millennials may enjoy the exclusivity and be able to afford the higher prices. Given how ubiquitous Starbucks is, using new flavors or drinks to appeal to younger Millennials may be more successful.

Starbucks is doing a great job of understanding their customers and marketing appropriately. The web series is a great way to connect with a certain segment of their customers and, as usual, they are doing it first-class.

The goal is to connect with customers at a level that fosters some emotion and a sense of inclusion. They need to connect with a new generation of coffee drinkers. If it works, I’m sure we’ll see more of the same. Starbucks is not just a successful brand, they are now woven into the fabric of our culture. To sustain that, they must remain relevant to up-and-coming loyal customers.

Having watched companies fall in love with the idea that entertaining content was important, I’m highly skeptical of the value of this effort. Sounds like someone sold a concept to make this and I fully expect it to disappear after about 6 months.

It won’t damage Starbucks because they are well off enough to dabble in a lot of experimental efforts even if they are extremely unlikely to drive any value. The danger is that other companies, lacking the deep pockets, might come to believe these are good commercial efforts. In my experience, they aren’t effective at driving anything other than a small brand addition (that Starbucks wouldn’t notice if they hadn’t done it).

So my advice? Good for Starbucks. But don’t copy them.

Maybe I am slouching toward being a grumpy old man, but … this “entertainment” is for people with too much time on their hands.