"Over our 50-year history, we have amassed a treasure trove of assets that we can bring to bear in such an ecosystem – such as our rich heritage of coffee art and storytelling...a long line of store designs and Starbucks card art, and other fun ways to bring digital communities and experiences to life in the digital realm," they said.
Additionally, Starbucks also plans to launch a Web3 platform, Starbucks Digital Community. While Starbucks has yet to disclose further details, it said that it will utilise blockchains and infrastructure that is consistent with its "multi-decade commitment to sustainability". The NFT loyalty programme and digital community will kick off in the US and subsequently roll out to other markets.
"We plan to start with our first NFT collection, membership and community later this year, based on coffee art and storytelling. It will come with a host of unique experiences and benefits, worthy of a genesis NFT collection from Starbucks," Brotman and Brewer added. MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Starbucks for additional information about the launch in Asia.
Starbucks joins several other brands that have ventured into the NFT scene in a loyalty marketing push. Just last month, ride-hailing company Ryde launched its debut NFT project as part of its efforts to grow and strengthen its community of users. Additionally, the NFTs will serve as great tools for building loyalty among communities as it offers greater operational efficiencies in administering a membership program than traditional systems, Ryde's spokesperson told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE then.
Ryde said in a statement that each RydePal will be built using generative art, a combination of different design elements such as gender and age, colour, and accessories, to represent the diversity of the users in the Ryde community. The RydePal NFTs will also provide holders access to exclusive reward tiers in the Ryde app. Ryde's spokesperson added that the NFTs will provide holders with cashback as well.
Meanwhile, Singaporean rapper and songwriter Yung Raja also told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE in January that he plans to launch a collection of The Maha Co NFTs this year, following the launch of his Indian-Mexican fusion cafe The Maha Co that month. However, these NFTs will also double as exclusivity passes for cafe patrons, where the first 100 to 150 people to claim the NFT passes will be entitled to benefits such as access to exclusive merchandise, special invites, tasting sessions, as well as meet-and-greet sessions. "We are planning to organise small gigs as well, with hopes of creating a space for musicians and rappers in Singapore to come together when regulations allow," he added.
Separately, Starbucks has appointed Touch PR for a year with an option of a retainer following a pitch. The agency is responsible for all PR and KOL management duties, which include providing innovative and strategic counsel, media strategy and relations, influencer management as well as events management and coordination across the Singapore market.
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Ryde debuts NFT collection in loyalty marketing push
SG rapper Yung Raja ventures into F&B, plans NFT passes as part of marketing
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