If you’re wondering what will go well with that that steaming hot cuppa joe you just spent $4.50 on, Starbucks has the answer: movie advertising! Beginning July 13th, Starbucks will pimp for the movie Arctic Tale with signage, in-store events, and other promotional tie-ins. This is the second time that Starbucks has hitched its wagon to a movie. The first was Akeelah and the Bee, a very good movie about an inner-city girl participating in a spelling bee. Despite Starbucks efforts the movie did not so well, grossing about $19 million. Or about the same that the average Starbucks customer overspends on coffee in their lifetime.
Arctic Tale is a documentary from Paramount and National Geographic about a walrus and a polar bear living in the Arctic wilderness. At least they didn’t make another damn penguin movie. Variety says that Starbucks thinks the movie is good tie in with their customer’s mistaken belief that where you buy your coffee makes you a better person. "The whole idea of discovery is important to our customers and we really have a commitment to our customers in the selection process," noted Ken Lombard, the president of Starbucks Entertainment. I think I would rather discover $3 in a pants pocket rather than give it to Starbucks for something I can make at home for four cents.
Starbucks claims it learned some lessons from the relative failure of selling store advertising for Akeelah and the Bee. Lombard said “The campaign was built around the spelling bee. We weren't as clear as we could have been or should have been that it's a film we would love for our customers to go see.” Well, yes, the point of advertising should be that you want people to go see the film. I’m glad they picked up on that. Arctic Tale, which has a pro-environmental message will be out on July 25th.
