Everyone knows Starbucks for their lattes, but convincing purists of their top-tier roasts required a new approach. At Starbucks Reserve, subtle iBeacons guide visitors on a sensory journey—roasting, brewing, and beyond. This self-guided experience weaves through the store, encouraging curiosity and deeper connections with the artistry behind every cup. It’s not just coffee; it’s a narrative unfolding, revealing a richer relationship with the Starbucks brand.
Starbucks Reserve_
Starbucks Reserve_
The Challenge
Starbucks needed to reframe its reputation among coffee purists by elevating the craft story behind Starbucks Reserve®, their line of rare small-lot coffees, within the newly opened Seattle Roastery—without relying on traditional marketing tactics.
The Insight
True coffee enthusiasts are driven by curiosity and crave deeper connections to sourcing, roasting, and brewing; the Roastery’s physical design could become a stage for discovery if paired with the right kind of layered, location-aware storytelling.
The Solution
We created a self-guided mobile experience powered by iBeacons that subtly triggered contextual stories throughout the Roastery, transforming a store visit into a narrative journey that revealed the full sensory and artisanal process behind every Reserve cup.
The Roastery Discovery Experience redefined how Starbucks connects with its most discerning audience—through immersive storytelling rather than promotion. It helped pioneer the use of ambient mobile tech in retail, deepened emotional brand engagement, and received recognition at Cannes Lions for its innovation in digital experience design.
This self-guided experience weaves through the store, encouraging curiosity and deeper connections with the artistry behind every cup. It’s not just coffee; it’s a narrative unfolding, revealing a richer relationship with the Starbucks brand.