Image from Starbucks.com
In this post I will examine the Rhetorical Situations in the Starbucks “Meet Me at Starbucks” campaign (the video can be found under Post #3: Identifying Organizations’ Rhetorical Strategies)
- Exigencies:
A possible challenge in the Rhetorical Situation for Starbucks is that the company is becoming too large and customers will want to find a smaller coffee company. The unanticipated is that showcasing 28 Starbucks stores around the world will establish the grandness of the chain. The anticipated opportunity of the campaign is that the chain will feel like a close-knit family. The urgency was definitive because the film was processed in only one day. Had Starbucks had more time they maybe could have used more/better material. Like Starbucks, other organizations can glorify what some might see as a problem. This puts a positive spin on the negative.
2. Audiences:
The intended audience are functional audiences because they are composed of customers that help Starbucks function day-to-day.
3. Constraints and Assets:
A few constraints faced by Starbucks are high prices, app failures, and the controversy event of the arrest of two African Americans from a Starbucks store in Philadelphia. The assets associated with Starbucks are hardworking and dedicated employees, long hours of operation, multiple locations, and a large selection of coffees, teas, and pastries.
4. Rhetorical Situations:
The rhetorical situation is similar to a re-branding of identity. The company is attempting to reestablish itself as a small community instead of a large chain.