Observation Three Caribou Coffee Rebrands for the Millennials; and tells them about it through Twitter.

David Owens-Hill Queens University of Charlotte March 15, 2010

Two branding observations in a row. People are going to talk! In my last observation, I recounted the horrors of social media response run amok when a stakeholding public was removed from a rebranding process that they felt they had legitimate right in which to participate. But there are organizations on the other side of the spectrum who are not (intentionally or unintentionally) ignoring their publics. There are organizations that are using social media to propel their change into the limelight and, while building attention for their brand, they are also encouraging dialogue. I wont start an argument here over the merits of Caribou Coffee versus Starbucks Coffee, but rather want to point out a simple truth about Caribous recent rebranding. Their PR firm, full of capable communicators, sent out a message on Twitter. Though the nature of a Twitter timeline is transitory, I remember the basic gist: something big is on the way. Stay tuned. About a week later they rolled out a newer, less northern lodge-y, updated mark and graphics package for their stores and serving wares. The changes were subtle, but well executed. Well executed from a millennial perspective, that is.

Millennials favor the notion that they are taking the road less traveled, and my Caribou iced coffee cup told me to think about becoming a beekeeper. Thats less traveled. Caribou finds itself in the number two position (right behind Starbucks) in a variety of major markets [this information is colloquial look around, who are they competing with?] and being number two means only one thing: expand or

fall behind. To attract millennials to their stores, Caribou needed to revise its image in a way that made it more youthful, slightly more bohemian, more fun and way less Northern Lights. After Caribou rolled out their new brand, I asked myself while standing in line is this going to stick? Are they really more bohemian than they were day before yesterday when I stood in the same line and looked at the previous northern lodge graphics package? I decided that they probably werent, but theyre trying. And theyre trying where the Millennials live. A couple of days after the Twitter post that said to stay tuned for something big, @Caribou_Coffee announced that Change is scary. If you have an old @Caribou_Coffee logo tattoo, reply to win a new one. Theyre giving away tattoos. Caribou Coffee communicated with its stakeholders before, during and after their rebranding. They said to their publics, including me, youre important enough to warn you that something is going on, its big but its good. Youll like it when its over and, more importantly, did provide something that I liked when it was over.