Design at Starbucks
Eleven lessons: managing design in eleven global brands
Design at Starbucks
From its beginnings as a single coffee shop in Seattle 35 years ago, Starbucks is now a global brand which uses design to aid the delivery of a distinctive service experience to its customers. The Starbucks Global Creative team manages regularly changing design themes while working within a global brand.
Overview
Starbucks uses design It has developed a strategy that allows it to balance regularly changing design themes with a consistent set of brand values, and uses design as a way of aiding the delivery of a consistent service experience to its customers. Key elements of that strategy include:
— — — —
The development of detailed guidance for internal and external designers in the company’s brand and design principles The use of a five word filter against which all design concepts are judged A defined Processway to take designs from concept to delivery, encompassing a detailed suite of technical, legal and customer checks The development of an electronic workflow management tool to automate much of the design Processway and to further support designers with access to additional resources.
Meet the team The Starbucks Global Creative team is responsible for the delivery of all in-store collateral and packaging, for the design of much of Starbucks’ advertising and marketing materials, and for a visual merchandising group that works on the visual presentation in the stores and of the products. The group also commissions external creative agencies that deliver worldwide advertising campaigns. A separate store design group is responsible for the design of the furniture, fittings and layout of Starbucks’ retail outlets. The Starbucks brand itself is managed by a brand
Design Council, 34 Bow Street, London WC2E 7DL Tel +44(0)20 7420 5200 Fax +44(0)20 7420 5300 www.designcouncil.org.uk
group that strategise new brand platforms, such as a new product line and new identities.
Design at Starbucks
From its beginnings as a single coffee shop in Seattle 35 years ago, Starbucks is now a global brand which uses design to aid the delivery of a distinctive service experience to its customers. The Starbucks Global Creative team manages regularly changing design themes while working within a global brand.
Overview
Starbucks uses design It has developed a strategy that allows it to balance regularly changing design themes with a consistent set of brand values, and uses design as a way of aiding the delivery of a consistent service experience to its customers. Key elements of that strategy include:
— — — —
The development of detailed guidance for internal and external designers in the company’s brand and design principles The use of a five word filter against which all design concepts are judged A defined Processway to take designs from concept to delivery, encompassing a detailed suite of technical, legal and customer checks The development of an electronic workflow management tool to automate much of the design Processway and to further support designers with access to additional resources.
Meet the team The Starbucks Global Creative team is responsible for the delivery of all in-store collateral and packaging, for the design of much of Starbucks’ advertising and marketing materials, and for a visual merchandising group that works on the visual presentation in the stores and of the products. The group also commissions external creative agencies that deliver worldwide advertising campaigns. A separate store design group is responsible for the design of the furniture, fittings and layout of Starbucks’ retail outlets. The Starbucks brand itself is managed by a brand
Design Council, 34 Bow Street, London WC2E 7DL Tel +44(0)20 7420 5200 Fax +44(0)20 7420 5300 www.designcouncil.org.uk
group that strategise new brand platforms, such as a new product line and new identities.