In March of 2008, the international coffee and coffee shop company Starbucks launched an ideas forum called "My Starbucks Idea" (MSI) to ask Starbucks customers for suggestions on improving Starbucks' products and service. The website/blog is designed around four main activities: reviewing; discussing and commenting; voting; or suggesting and submitting your own ideas. Starbucks has dedicated a team of 40 "Idea Partners" -Starbucks employees who are experts in their respective fields- to read all ideas and comments and present the best and most popular ideas to the decision makers at the company in order to evaluate potential implementation. The popularity of the ideas is decided based on the vote count, where each member of the MSI community can vote on any idea once and give it 10 points; or based on the number of comments a post has accumulated. Some of the customers' suggestions that recently became a reality are: Starbucks for Android app, destination-themed Starbucks cards, reintroduction of Frappuccino Happy Hour, free coffee for Gold Card members on their birthday, Starbucks VIP cards, etc.
"Share. Vote. Discuss. See."
My Starbucks Idea was a smart initiative which allowed Starbucks to directly connect with customers and make them feel part of a strong community. By giving individuals a way to express their ideas, and then responding to those ideas, it stimulated both brand affiliation and advocacy.
Conversation (?)
This initiative makes others talk a lot about the brand.
Information (?)
This initiative helps me receive and share valuable information with other people.
Advocacy (?)
This initiative makes me talk positively about the brand to others.
Identity (?)
Through this initative I can express a part of myself to others.
Affiliation (?)
Through this initiative, I feel like a member of a community.
Utility (?)
Through this initiative other people can help me get more value from the brand.
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