Samenvatting

In the current postmodern society we live in (a society where social ties are formed around market mediated offerings), brands play very powerful and influential roles over consumers. Since people are likely to use a brand they like as a status symbol or value system to determine and show their self-worth to the outside world, brands indirectly have the power to influence the attitudes and behaviours of people towards each other within society. Therefore, it is said that nowadays, consumption is more a matter of cultural meaning rather than utility.
Starbucks is a very successful and influential company. Therefore, Starbucks as a brand, also has the power to influence people’s behaviours. Through unconventional marketing campaigns, clever use of social media and other ways of attracting and retaining (new) customers, the company knows well how to stay ahead of competition and keep consumers Starbucks-minded. This report aims to discover the main success factors that have made Starbucks a successful company. Since the brand is known for its quality coffee, research has been conducted to find out if the coffee solely has the possibility of being the biggest success factor. The theory behind consumer behaviour will be discussed throughout this report, to discover whether the company’s brand image is strong and attractive enough to be the biggest reason for people to become and remain a Starbucks customer, or not.
The main research question of this report is the following: “What are the key success factors that make Starbucks a fast-growing company in the Netherlands nowadays - does Starbucks’ quality coffee or its brand image have the biggest share?”. The sub-questions are related to the internal- and external analyses, social media, and Starbucks with regards to corporate social responsibility. Since this report is focused on Starbucks in the Netherlands, the research is limited to native Dutch residents and the results are only applicable to Dutch consumers and the Netherlands. This report has been written by means of quantitative research (desk research including internal- and external analyses and discussing theories), and qualitative research (a taste test and questionnaire).
The results of both the quantitative and qualitative research tools are diverse. The taste test, as a part of the qualitative research, brings the most important information. Therefore, the brief summary of the results of this report is the following: Starbucks’ biggest success factor is it’s quality coffee, with the great help of the company’s brand image. This implies that Starbucks’ positive brand image and strong marketing campaigns are effective, but are not solely the biggest success factor. Without great quality coffee, the company would not have grown out to be as big as it is now. However, without great marketing, the company would not have reached such a big audience worldwide.