PSFK Conference SF Recap: Thoughtful Change

At PSFK Conference SF, Jean-Marie Shields (Starbucks) discussed how brands can connect with consumers by converting ideas into Thoughtful Change. Some insights:

Traditional Culture = Utilitarian, sell a need, production centered

Consumer Culture = only good until 2009, Experiential

Re-Imagined Culture = Creative consumption

Be close to consumers and understand their need and aspirations to be able to address them and exceed them

Surveyed before and after emotions of Starbucks consumers (dreary to peppy)

Ways to understand needs and aspirations:

- use macrotrend to bring relevance (look sideways), follow them from year to year

- ** Wellbeing Trend = physical + mental + spiritual

_*** Raw food, quality ingredients, upleveling of ingredients (once you go up, its hard to go back down), no empty choice, provide shelter and a respite (lounge/relaxation space/get back to nature/escape), playfulness (allow room for play/communal tables/recycled building marterials/showing character/books and reading), upcycling (using recycled materials to make things look interesting)

No easy task. Brand + Culture + Trend + People/Consumer + Global = Opportunity + Conversion = Thoughtful Solution

Monitor macrotrends annually. Use trends that are appropriate to your brand.

Find specialists in each area the help implement. Be a generalist, but respect specialists.

Educate, educate, educate, The art is in conversation. (if you know you’re right keep saying it and build trust - but be ready to fail)

Enable direct conversation: My Starbucks Idea


Pay attention to the top ideas and the bottom ideas (the ones from early adopters and difficult customers)

Celebrate community usage

Let the community decides

Embrace unintended uses and ideas

Celebrate unique behavior in core consumers