Category: Social Media

Starbucks love project

At exactly 8:30 a.m. ET on Monday, December 7th, Starbucks joined forces with (RED) and creative agency BBDO to coordinate a global sing-along. Musicians worldwide performed The Beatles classic “All You Need Is Love” at the same moment, positioning the Love Project as a proof point for how connected the world is and how a small decision by one person can make a grand difference elsewhere.

The performances was broadcasted live via the internet from far reaches such as Gabon and Fiji, with participation spanning over 100 countries. The initiative raised money and reinforced awareness for Africa’s fight against AIDS, while giving people a clear way to take part in the solution.

The campaign. A global moment that lives online

The performance was streamed live online at starbucksloveproject.com and acted as the anchor moment.

Homepage of starbucksloveproject.com

After the live sing-along, people continued the campaign by going to the Starbucks website and uploading their own:

  • versions of “All You Need Is Love” videos
  • love drawing sketches

Each uploaded performance generated a donation from Starbucks to the cause, supporting (RED) and the Global Fund’s work.

The distribution layer. Partnering with Facebook

Starbucks partnered with Facebook to spread the message through the social network. The campaign was positioned as the largest global campaign ever for both Facebook and Starbucks.

The commercial layer. Turning participation into a product

The song was also commercially sold in stores on Starbucks’ Love CD, extending the fundraising and awareness beyond the live moment and the online uploads.

The scale signal. A record for global participation

A Guinness World Record was set for the “Most Nations in an Online Sing-Along,” reinforcing the Love Project as a massive organizational task that reaped the benefits of integrated marketing.

A few fast answers before you act

What is the Starbucks Love Project?
A global sing-along campaign with (RED), coordinated with BBDO, anchored by a simultaneous performance of “All You Need Is Love.”

How big is it?
It spans over 100 countries, with performances broadcast live online from locations including Gabon and Fiji.

How does participation continue after the live event?
People upload their own “All You Need Is Love” videos and love drawing sketches on Starbucks’ website.

How does it drive donation impact?
Each uploaded performance generates a donation from Starbucks to the cause, supporting (RED) and the Global Fund.

What role does Facebook play?
Facebook is the distribution partner used to spread the message and participation at global scale.

What else extends the campaign beyond the moment?
The song is commercially sold on Starbucks’ Love CD in stores.

Webcam Social Shopper

Here is a great example of tomorrows upcoming online shopping experience. The Zugara app couples the functionality of Augmented Reality and Motion Capture!

The app allows you to hold articles of clothing up in front of yourself, while it tracks your movements so that you can interact with the site’s content when standing several feet away from your computer’s controls.

Ikea’s Facebook Showroom

You see a photo of an Ikea showroom in a Facebook album. The caption is simple. Tag the product you want. If you are first to tag it with your name, you win the item. One photo turns into a race. One tag turns into a claim.

The challenge. Breaking through Facebook clutter

Facebook is getting cluttered with brands screaming about themselves. Forsman & Bodenfors from Sweden leans into the platform instead of fighting it. They turn a basic Facebook behavior. Photo tagging. Into the promotional mechanic.

The setup. A manager profile as the campaign hub

To promote the opening of Ikea’s new store in Malmö, Sweden, the campaign starts with a profile for the store’s manager, Gordon Gustavsson. With a small media budget, the experience is designed to spread through participation rather than paid impressions.

How it works. Tag to win

  • Gustavsson uploads pictures of the store’s showrooms into a Facebook photo album.
  • People browse the photos and tag the Ikea items they want with their own name.
  • The first person to tag a specific item wins it.

Why this works. Desire, speed, and public proof

The mechanic converts attention into action immediately. People do not just look at product photos. They interact with them. The tagging action creates public proof that others can see, and it naturally spreads Ikea products across networks without adding extra friction.

A few fast answers before you act

What is Ikea’s Facebook Showroom?
A Facebook campaign for Ikea’s Malmö store opening that uses photo tagging as a “tag first, win the item” mechanic.

What is the core user action?
Tag the product you want in the store manager’s photo album. First tag wins.

Who runs the profile and album?
The campaign centers on a profile for the store manager, Gordon Gustavsson, who uploads the showroom photos.

What makes it spread without heavy media?
Tagging is already a native Facebook behavior. Each tag is visible and shareable, so participation creates distribution.

What is the transferable pattern for brands?
Turn a native platform action into the promotional mechanic, and let the audience do the distribution through participation.