You are to choose a modern brand (Starbucks is the brand you will be using) and use the same brand throughout this exercise. Analyze the story that your brand is telling through its advertising, packaging and other marketing communications. After a thorough analysis, answer the following questions:
1. What type of creative appeals does your brand use? How effective are these appeals in reaching your brand’s objectives?
2. Thinking about the criteria the reading outlines on what makes a good story, how effective is your brand’s storytelling? Who are the hero and villains in your brand’s story? How does your brand factor into their relationship?
3. Try to delve into the meanings that consumers are cocreating for your brand. Analyze what consumers are saying about your brand on Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, or other social media sites. Try typing “(your brand’s name Starbucks) parody” in the Youtube search bar and watch what consumers are creating. Search your brand on Instagram and see what pictures consumers are posting. Then, answer the following question-
What new meanings are consumers bringing to the brand? Are these meanings consistent or inconsistent with the existing meaning of the brand? What do these meanings say about the difference between the brand’s identity put forth by the managers and the brand’s image in the minds of the consumers?
4. How is the brand trying to converse with its co-creating consumers? Is it successful or should it stay out of the way?
