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Corporate Social Responsibility
News
4.04.2006 ET
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Starbucks Invites Customers to D-I-S-C-O-V-E-R the Inspiring Film 'Akeelah and the Bee'
(CSRwire) SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 4, 2006--
Unique, Experiential Promotion Designed to Enhance the
Starbucks Experience and Broaden Film's Reach by Introducing it
to Millions More Movie-goers
Beginning today, the millions of customers at Starbucks (NASDAQ:
SBUX) nearly 8,300 locations in the U.S. and Canada will have the unique
opportunity to discover Akeelah and the Bee, an inspirational new film
co-presented by Lionsgate (NYSE and TSX: LGF), the leading independent
filmed entertainment studio, 2929 Entertainment and Starbucks
Entertainment. Through a fun, innovative and unprecedented experiential
marketing campaign, Starbucks will provide customers the opportunity to
interact with key aspects of the story.
In theaters beginning April 28, Akeelah and the Bee is the inspirational
story of a precocious 11-year-old girl (Keke Palmer) with a gift for
spelling. Despite objections from her mother (Angela Bassett), Akeelah
enters various spelling contests, for which she is tutored by the
forthright Dr. Larabee (Laurence Fishburne) and the proud residents of her
neighborhood. Akeelah's aptitude wins her a spot in the national spelling
bee, and her determination instills all those who help her with a sense of
community pride as they witness the courage and inspiration of one amazing
little girl.
Starbucks in-house creative team designed a multi-dimensional marketing
promotion that is tastefully integrated into the classic Starbucks
Experience to subtly and powerfully pique customer curiosity. Rather than
featuring the standard movie poster used in more traditional promotional
campaigns, the Starbucks campaign builds on the movie's theme of the power
of words by leveraging unique in-store placements and techniques that have
not been implemented before. Customers will be invited to step inside
Akeelah's journey as part of their daily coffee routine. The campaign will
drive buzz and challenge customers to expand their vocabulary and spelling
prowess with difficult-to-spell and exotic words printed on a wide variety
of collateral such as flash cards, magnets, in-store signage, coasters, and
cup sleeves. In addition, beginning April 17, travel-sized SCRABBLE(R) will
be sold in all Starbucks locations in the U.S. and Canada, further
supporting the central theme of the campaign: "Changing the World One Word
at a Time."
"We've experienced great success with the music we offer in our
stores, and we recognized that we had an opportunity to extend the trust
our customers have in the Starbucks brand to bring them other forms of
entertainment," said Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman. "As a result of
that, we've been looking for more than a year to find a great story that
would bring a sense of discovery to our customers, and when we saw Akeelah
and the Bee, we immediately realized that it was the perfect choice. The
film's inspirational message about a community coming together to support
one of its own is emblematic of what Starbucks stands for."
"We could not have found a better partner to help bring this film to
the public in such a unique and creative way," said Jon Feltheimer, chief
executive officer of Lionsgate. "Starbucks brings communities together
every day just as Akeelah brings her community together. With strong trust
from its vast customer base and its proven track record of word-of-mouth
marketing, Starbucks is in a unique position to help millions of customers
learn about a new film to which they might not have otherwise been
exposed."
Adding to Starbucks initial love of the film and its support for community
was its strong education message and its historic support of literacy
programs. Starbucks support of Akeelah and the Bee adds momentum to those
efforts as viewers witness Akeelah's dedication and persistence as she
powers through spelling tough words such as "pulchritude," "elucubrate,"
"prospicience" and "prestidigitation."
"Our goal with entertainment is always to enhance the Starbucks
Experience. Partnering with an innovative company like Lionsgate to
present Akeelah and the Bee enables us to do that," added Ken Lombard,
president, Starbucks Entertainment. "This unique promotion introduces this
uplifting film in a way no other company can. We are excited about
extending our powerful marketing and distribution reach to the movie
industry and feel very confident that our customers will appreciate the
recommendation."
The Akeelah and the Bee soundtrack is available starting today and
features The Jackson Five, The Spinners, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes,
Al Green, The Brothers Johnson and Aretha Franklin. The first singles off
the soundtrack are "Proud" from Heather Small, and Keke Palmer's debut
single "All My Girlz." The album is available at Starbucks
Company-operated locations in the U.S. and Canada as well as traditional
music retail outlets and is the first official motion picture soundtrack
that Starbucks has ever carried.
One of the most important aspects of the Starbucks Experience is the
trusted relationship customers have with their baristas. Before the movie
opens on April 28, Starbucks will host advance screenings for partners
(employees) in select cities (40 cities total). Baristas are not scripted,
and if they are asked by customers, are encouraged to share their
recommendations based on their own personal experience with the film.
Additionally, Starbucks will offer customers complimentary multimedia
content via the T-Mobile HotSpot network, the largest footprint of
internet hotspots in the world. From the welcome page of the T-Mobile
HotSpot network, customers will be able to access the movie trailer, a
clip from the "I Want to Win The National Spelling Bee" scene in the film,
links to the Akeelah and the Bee web page on Starbucks.com, and links to
music from the movie on the Starbucks Hear Music homepage. Starbucks will
also utilize its relationship with XM Satellite Radio to offer special
programming on Hear Music(TM) Channel 75 on XM Satellite Radio. The DVD
will be released in U.S. Company-operated locations simultaneous with its
national release date at traditional retail.
A Lionsgate, 2929 Entertainment and Starbucks Entertainment production,
Akeelah and the Bee was written and directed by Doug Atchison. The film's
producers are Sid Ganis, Nancy Ganis, Michael Romersa, Daniel Llewelyn and
Laurence Fishburne; executive producers are Todd Wagner, Mark Cuban, Marc
Butan, Helen Sugland and Lionsgate's Michael Burns, Michael Paseornek and
Tom Ortenberg.
About Starbucks Entertainment
Starbucks Coffee Company launched Starbucks Entertainment in 2004 to
help customers discover quality entertainment options as part of their
daily coffee routines. Starbucks Coffee Company first acquired Hear Music
in 1999 to become Starbucks Hear Music, the sound of music at Starbucks.
Starbucks Hear Music has made a transformative impact on the music
industry by providing a new and convenient way for consumers to discover,
experience and acquire all genres of great music through its Hear
Music(TM) CD compilations, its innovative partnerships with other music
labels to co-release, market and distribute both exclusive and
non-exclusive music, its 24-hour digital music channel on XM Satellite
Radio (XM Channel 75) and its breakthrough Starbucks Hear Music(TM)
Coffeehouses in Santa Monica, San Antonio and Miami. Starbucks Hear Music
CD selections can be purchased at Starbucks retail locations around the
world, as well as online at www.starbucks.com/hearmusic. In 2006,
Starbucks Entertainment extended beyond music and announced a unique
partnership with Lionsgate to market and distribute the inspirational film
"Akeelah and the Bee." The company expects the film to be the first of many
such partnerships that help customers discover unique and rewarding
entertainment.
About Lionsgate
Lionsgate is the leading independent filmed entertainment studio,
fresh off the number one box office hits Madea's Family Reunion, Hostel,
and Saw II and the Best Picture Academy Award(R) for Crash.
The Company has earned 25 Academy Award(R) nominations and seven Oscar(R)
wins in the past seven years, more than any other independent studio. It
is a premier producer and distributor of motion pictures, television
programming, home entertainment, family entertainment and video-on-demand
content. Its prestigious and prolific library of more than 5,000 titles is
a valuable source of stable, recurring revenue and is a foundation for
growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate brand name is
synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around
the globe. www.lgf.com
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Copyright Business Wire 2006
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