8 posts from May 2006
Starbucks, starmaker?
Sponsorships are becoming more important
Starbucks first made money by promoting select music in its stores, then tried promoting a movie
Now Starbucks has to figure out how to select future entertainment partners that fit their image.
NY Times May 1, 2006: A Small Step at Starbucks From Mocha to Movies by Sharon Waxman
Howard D. Schultz, the company's chairman, said that in the wake of promoting "Akeelah," it had been deluged with material from film distributors who hope to be Starbucks' next movie partner. It became clear, he said, that the company needed more expertise in handling that work. "We're not prepared in terms of our core business" to respond to such approaches "in a way that is timely," Mr. Schultz said from Seattle, explaining the plan to work with William Morris.