Hello, This is my final written portfolio for my education at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. Included in this presentation are some of the highlights of my academic achievements in Merchandise Strategies, Buying, Marketing and Brand Strategies, as well as Business Management. Thank you in advance for taking the time to look through my work. -Laura Stirling

1. Laura Stirling Joffrion
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising: Professional Portfolio
Sunday, May 6, 2012

2. Letter of Introduction
April 15, 2012
To Whom It May Concern,
I currently work full-time as the eCommerce manager for a retail start-up, Hlaska, in the San Francisco Bay Area. I took over this
position after successfully managing all of our physical stores in the Bay Area. It has been an amazing opportunity for me to help
build a solid team for this rising-star brand. In addition, because we are a small brand, I work directly with the merchandise planner
to oversee deployment of merchandise to each store. Prior to Hlaska, I had a successful career in public relations, with an emphasis
in online music streaming technologies.
In addition to working full-time, I also attend the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in San Francisco as a full-time
professional designation student where I have focused my studies in Merchandise Marketing. I am highly involved in the school as a
member of the Honors Society, Phi Theta Kappa, and Premiere Marketing Group. Overall, this program has given me extensive
insight into brand management, merchandise planning strategies, as well as trend forecasting. I have been challenged and pushed out
of my comfort zone repeatedly. However, I have grown as a person and professional leaps and bounds because of the diligent
nature of my curriculum and dedication from my professors.
I am moving to New York this summer after graduation and am very excited to enter the industry. I am looking forward to hearing
from you and would be thrilled to begin the interview process with such a dynamic organization.
All the best,
Laura Stirling Joffrion
Sunday, May 6, 2012

3. 3835 19th Street, Apt 203
San Francisco, CA 94114
Laura Stirling Joffrion C (619) 772-0321
T (415) 895-0580
laura.joffrion@gmail.com
http://www.linkedin.com/ A business-savvy professional demonstrating proven success with raising brand awareness and increasing
in/laurastirling
sales through creative store operations and online merchandise marketing strategies in the fashion
industry.
ECOMMERCE MANAGER, HLASKA
AREA MANAGER, HLASKA
Responsible for managing the online channel for the Hlaska brand through website Held responsible for the management of area retail activity including achieving
maintenance, social media campaigns and strategic virtual media outreach. store sales goals, implementing seamless store operations, lowering losses
through detailed inventory management, maintaining visual merchandising, hiring
• Lead sales ensuring goals are met in terms of both dollars and client satisfaction
and training of store staff, and strategic brand marketing consultation within
• Online inventory management and forecasting of product volumes
three locations.
• Provide updates of online channel results and performance to upper management
• Serve as primary contact for eCommerce buyers, production manager, and project • Increased store sales by 32% in the last quarter
managers • Allocated and distributed all inventory to stores
• Review and recommend process and system improvements • Created formal store operations and training manuals with Chief Operations
Officer
• Utilize customer relationship management, order management and sales data to sell
and support the client experience • Managed the Hlaska trade show booth at MAGIC Marketplace and developed
strategic relationships with vendors
• Ensure timely order processing, communicate relevant updates on product, and
expected order volume
• Maintain relationships with new media contacts through active outreach for product
reviews
PUBLIC RELATIONS AND SOCIAL MEDIA
• Responsible to craft the strategic online marketing campaign through affiliate
networks, social media outlets, and search engines SPECIALIST
Crafted messaging plan strategy, managed product review campaigns, and
STORE MANAGER, CACHE
provided social media strategy and council. Wrote and distributed press
releases as well as speaking and award recommendations.
• Exceeded sales quota by 200 percent as a Co-Manager
• Promoted to Store Manager after company-wide recognition by CEO and CFO for • Eastwick Communications: Managed accounts for Seagate, ShoreTel, Lucid
excellence Imagination, Pentaho, StrongMail and NetBase
• Exceeded sales plan by 146 percent in two months at new location, the highest volume • Sparkpr: Managed accounts for MOG.com, Jelli.net and The Symbian
since November 2004 Foundation
SKILLS SOFTWARE EDUCATION
• eCommunications • JDA Allocation Software Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising --
• Merchandising Strategies
• Microsoft Office Associate of Science Degree, 2012
• Store Management • iWork Suite • GPA: 3.8, Honor Roll
• Territory Planning
• Wikipedia Editorial • Phi Theta Kappa
• Training & Development
• Magento Enterprise • Premiere Marketing Group
• Social Media Relations
• Word Press
• New Media Marketing
• Cision & Vocus Louisiana State University -- Bachelor of Science, 2003
Sunday, May 6, 2012

4. Merchandise Marketing
Strategies
• Merchandise Strategies
• Math/ Buying
• Marketing and Brand Strategies
• Business & Management
View of downtown San Francisco from FIDM Campus
Sunday, May 6, 2012

5. Merchandise Strategies
• These courses and projects provided an
opportunity to understand the trends that predict
consumer buying patterns and how a variety of
strategic decisions separate your organization from
the competition.
Sunday, May 6, 2012

6. Merchandise Strategies
• The first three slides in this section deconstruct
Marc Jacob’s core concepts in his recent
collections. These slides are only a part of the
presentation prepared for this exercise. They show
the original source referenced in the collection
along with a comparison to other designers who
used similar sources.
• The second set of slides focus on the concepts of
using color trends as a marketing tool. In this
presentation, I chose a color trend and then
presented how this color theme is being used in
interior decorating, beauty, and automobiles.
Sunday, May 6, 2012

7. Retro Play: 1950’s Throwback
• Art Deco Inspirations
• Inspired by the 2011 Canne Film Festival award-winning movie
“The Artist”
Sunday, May 6, 2012

8. Retro Play: Cloche Hat
Marc Jacobs Ralph Lauren Alberta Ferretti
Sunday, May 6, 2012

9. Retro Play: Drop-waist Shape
Marc Jacobs Chloe Gucci
Sunday, May 6, 2012

10. 2012 Color Palettes
• Bellflower: a distint ornament purple, exudes
uniqueness and creativity.
• Sodalite Blue: classic maritime hue, brings
order and calmness to mind. This dependable color
works with every color in the palette.
• Diftwood: blend of beige and gray with a slightly
weathered feel grounds the palette and offers
depth.
• Sweet Lilac: this delicate pinkish lilac adds a
touch of romance to the palette while evoking
fresh scents of summer.
• Tangerine Tango: enticing orange, is a
vivacious and appealing refresher that lightens
things up this spring.
• Cabaret: sensual and intense rosy-red which
adds a sense of sensuality to the 2012 color
palette.
• Cockatoo: tactile blue-green that adds a
whimiscal touch to the palette and makes a
statement this spring Zeigeist: Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color
Institute, “Consumers look to spring for renewed energy, optimism and
• Starfish: warm summer neutral is a
complimentary color to the palette.
the promise of a brighter day”.
• Margarita: this yellow-green lifts spirits with a
refreshing glow.
Sunday, May 6, 2012

11. 2012 Interior Color Trends
• 1. Cabaret, Cockatoo, and
Solidate Blue - silk and linen
blend
• 2. Margarita, Solar Power, and
Cockatoo
1. 3. 5.
• 3. Solar Power/ Starfish blend,
Cockatoo, Sodalite Blue;
contrast to Cockatoo,
Bellflower, Diftwood; contrast to
Bellflower, Solar Power, and
Diftwood
• 4. Bellflower and Sodalite Blue,
blend with the tiniest hues of
Starfish 2. 4. 6.
• 5. Cabaret, Tangerine Tango,
Sweet Lilac
• 6. Front - Soladite Blue blends
with Cockatoo; Back - Margarita
Sunday, May 6, 2012

12. 2012 Cosmetic Color Trends
• Eyes: Peachy tones make a huge statement
this year with combinations of Tangerine
Tango, Cabaret, Sweet Lilac even blending
with Solar Power.
• Lips: A lot of focus in lip color this season
allowing pops of color. Classic Cabaret mixed
with Tangerine Tango, and Sweet Lilac are
embrassed as are Experimental colors such as
Bellflower, Cockatoo, and Margarita.
• Scents: Fragrance designers played with
color dimensions and contrast this season.
Using Sweet Lilac and Cabaret as the base
tones, they expanded on them with Solar
Power and Tangerine Tango to create a
powerful experience. Cockatoo and
Bellflower also make an appearance.
Sunday, May 6, 2012

13. 2012 Auto Color Trends
• Toyota: Tangerine Tango
• Ford: Solar Power
• Subaru: Blended Tangerine Tango with Solar
Power
• Renault: Solar Power with Margarita
• Bentley: Classic White
Sunday, May 6, 2012

14. Math and Merchandise
Buying
• Buying strategies is an analyzation of a retail
business through merchandise planning, purchasing,
and allocation. This technical skill set is essential in
the success in today’s fashion marketplace.
Sunday, May 6, 2012

15. Math and Merchandise
Buying
• The first slide in this section is a department analysis for Macy’s
private label, Studio M. Through this project, I successfully broke
down this department by class, then analyzed each class by price
point percent to total department, by color percent to total
department, and size percent to total department. This analysis
reflected the department framework and helped deduct changes I
would make in order to yield a greater margin.
• The second slide for this section is a six-month stock to sales plan.
I developed a detailed sales plan using beginning of month, units to
buy, and purchases for Studio M based on the mock history given.
Sunday, May 6, 2012

16. Math and Merchandise
Buying
Class 1
Tops 30% Price Points 39.98 58.00 88.00
Macy’s: Studio M
% of Total 40% 50% 10%
Sizes XS S M L XL
% of Total 10% 20% 30% 30% 10%
Color Ways Black Gold Plum Green Mustard
Department
% of Total 40% 15% 20% 15% 10%
Class 2
Analysis Pants 30% Price Points
% of Total
Sizes
39.98
35%
0
78.00
45%
2
88.00
20%
4 6 8 10
% of Total 5% 10% 10% 20% 20% 20%
Color Ways Black Brown Plaid Tweed Navy Camel
% of Total 30% 20% 15% 10% 15% 10.00%
Class 3
Dresses 25% Price Points 88.00 98.00 118.00
% of Total 25% 30% 45%
Sizes XS S M L XL
% of Total 10% 20% 30% 30% 10%
Color Ways Black Gold Maroon Camel
% of Total 40% 20% 15% 25%
Class 4
Jackets 15% Price Points 98.00 138.00 158.00
% of Total 40% 30% 35%
Sizes XS S M L XL
% of Total 10% 20% 30% 30% 10%
Color Ways Black Brown Plaid Leather Fur
% of Total 25% 20% 15% 15% 15%
Sunday, May 6, 2012

17. Math and Merchandise
Buying
Macy’s: Studio M Six-Month Assortment Plan
This Year - 6
Month Plan
Plan AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN Total
BOM 575.3 1229.7 857.6 820.4 1025.5 565.5 5074.0
Sales 159.8 614.9 372.9 341.8 512.8 217.5 2219.7
Markdowns 68.8 100.3 121.7 89.9 129.9 68.8 579.4
Purchases 883.0 343.0 457.3 636.8 182.6 979.3 3482.0
EOM 1229.7 857.6 820.4 1025.5 565.5 572.1 5070.8
This Year Class %: 25.00% Avg. Retail: $101.34
This Year
Class: Tops Class %: 30.00% Avg. Retail: $61.99 Class: Dresses
Plan AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN Total Plan AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN Total
BOM 172.6 368.9 257.3 246.1 307.7 169.7 1522.2 BOM 143.8 307.4 214.4 205.1 256.4 141.4 1268.5
Sales 47.9 184.5 111.9 102.5 153.8 65.3 665.9 Sales 40.0 153.7 93.2 85.5 128.2 54.4 554.9
Markdowns 20.6 30.1 36.5 27.0 39.0 20.6 173.8 Markdowns 17.2 25.1 30.4 22.5 32.5 17.2 144.9
Purchases 264.9 102.9 137.2 191.0 54.8 293.8 1044.6 Purchases 220.8 85.8 114.3 159.2 45.7 244.8 870.5
UNITS TO 4273 1660 2213 3082 884 4739 16851 UNITS TO 2178 846 1128 1571 450 2416 8590
BUY BUY
EOM 368.9 257.3 246.1 307.7 169.7 171.6 1521.2 EOM 307.4 214.4 205.1 256.4 141.4 143.0 1267.7
This Year Class %: 30.00% Avg. Retail: $68.66 This Year Class %: 15.00% Avg. Retail: $131.34
Class: Pants Class: Jackets
Plan AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN Total Plan AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN Total
BOM 172.6 368.9 257.3 246.1 307.7 169.7 1522.2 BOM 86.3 184.5 128.6 123.1 153.8 84.8 761.1
Sales 47.9 184.5 111.9 102.5 153.8 65.3 665.9 Sales 24.0 92.2 55.9 51.3 76.9 32.6 333.0
Markdowns 20.6 30.1 36.5 27.0 39.0 20.6 173.8 Markdowns 10.3 15.0 18.3 13.5 19.5 10.3 86.9
Purchases 264.9 102.9 137.2 191.0 54.8 293.8 1044.6 Purchases 132.5 51.5 68.6 95.5 27.4 146.9 522.3
UNITS TO 3858 1499 1998 2782 798 4279 15214 UNITS TO 1008 392 522 727 209 1118 3977
BUY BUY
EOM 368.9 257.3 246.1 307.7 169.7 171.6 1521.2 EOM 184.5 128.6 123.1 153.8 84.8 85.8 760.6
Sunday, May 6, 2012

18. Marketing and Brand
Strategies
• The target market for a given retail/ business
environment is researched and the appropriate
marketing and branding strategies are developed to
ensure success in a competitive marketplace.
Sunday, May 6, 2012

19. Marketing and Brand
Strategies
• The first couple of slides presented in this last section of my
portfolio feature a selection from my complete marketing
analysis of Mini Cooper. The presentation in whole features an
analytical depiction of the business as well as recommendations
on how Mini Cooper could improve their brand image, product
sales performance, and marketing and communications
programs.
• The second part of this section include a few selected slides
from an investigative report I conducted of Goorin Bros, a hat
company based in San Francisco. This project took a deep look
into the company’s overall retail environment and made high-
level recommendations on how it could more effectively
position itself at market.
Sunday, May 6, 2012

20. Marketing and Brand
Strategies
BRAND MANAGEMENT STRATEGY: AUGUST 8, 2011
MINI. REVIEW.
MINI. OBJECTIVES. microcars on the market. The first
BRAND MANAGEMENT STRATEGY: AUGUST 8, 2011
Classic Mini made its debut on
Not very many can express brand August 26, 1959. The Classic Mini TEST YOUR
objective like a board member. was the first mass-produced HANDLING
Dr. Burkhard Göschel, Member of
automobile with a transversally SKILLS.
placed engine. It fit four adults,
the Board of Management of BMW w a s g a s - f r u g a l , h a d g r e a t
AG, “The MINI COOPER is handling, and was priced under
continuing the heritage of its 800. The placement of the engine
successful predecessor on an created a commodious passenger
“The MINI COOPER is continuing the heritage of entirely different, brand-new area and allowed the
technical foundation. The new proportionately large wheelbase.
its successful predecessor on an entirely generation blends the emotion and
different, brand-new technical foundation.” heritage of the brand with modern
quality, safety, and reliability. You Thus, the Classic Mini became the
might well say that we have first sedan to truly handle like a
Dr. Burkhard Göschel,
developed the MINI COOPER the sports car.
Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG
way we believe it would have
MINI. DEFINED. MINI. GENEALOGY. evolved had its predecessor Over the years, the
remained in the process of brand has found a special place in
The MINI brand has been called The Mini brand originally belonged to ongoing, continuous development hearts throughout the world. From
many things including fun, affordable, British Motor Corporation, which in every 10 years.” Queen Elizabeth to suburbanite
fuel-efficient, sporty, technologically 1966 became part of British Motor Joe Smith. As we have loved it,
advanced. Holdings. British Motor Holdings Dr. Göschel continues, “This new the organization has grown and
merged with Leyland Motors in 1968 car carries the MINI brand into the morphed. Now, they use Classic
With a wide bulldog stance, rigid to form British Leyland. In the 1980s 21st century: It is a brand Mini when referring specifically to
body structure, multi-link rear British Leyland was broken-up and in developed to a higher standard the older, classic version of the
suspension and ABS brakes with than ever before, borne out by car, and MINI when referring to the
C o r n e r i n g B r a k e C o n t r o l a n d 1988 Rover Group, including Mini, intelligently built and reliable cars new models or MINI as the brand.
Electronic Brakeforce Distribution was acquired by British Aerospace. In tailored to the individual, personal (4)
MINI is built to deliver a world-class 1994 Rover Group was acquired by taste of the purchaser.” (3)
performance in signature MINI style BMW. In 2000 Rover Group was
at an affordable cost. broken-up by BMW, with BMW
MSRP: $20,100 (1) retaining the Mini brand. (2) MINI. ELEMENTS.
BE MINI.
MINI. HISTORY.
The MINI has a long story behind
its very distinctive brand. In 1956,
during intense fuel shortages there
was a pressing need to design a MINI. WEBSITES:
fuel-efficient car. Lord Nuffield of
British Motor Corporation (BMC) http://mini.com
charged his chief designer, Sir http://www.miniusa.com/
Alec Issigonis to create an “orderly
saloon,” that could still compete
MOTORING with the onslaught of fuel-efficient
4.0 Logo (Above). Motto (Below).
Sunday, May 6, 2012

21. Marketing and Brand
Strategies
Mini Cooper: Consumer Brand Mental Map
Sunday, May 6, 2012

22. Marketing and Brand
Strategies
Goorin Brothers: Case Study
Sunday, May 6, 2012

23. Marketing and Brand
Strategies
Goorin Brothers: Case Study
Sunday, May 6, 2012

24. Business & Management
• The business administration courses at FIDM are
designed to prepare students for the
responsibilities, skills and challenges required of
today’s leaders.
• Emphasis is placed on how to be proactive to
changes in the marketplace, develop and implement
strategies to accomplish goals and exceed
expectations in a team environment.
Sunday, May 6, 2012

25. Business & Management
• The first couple slides in this section focus on a case
study of the GAP, Inc. This study helped to identify
significant holes in who the GAP associates as their
target customer versus who shops in the store. Through
this study I also identified several strategies the company
could utilize to gain a greater portion of the consumer
wallet share.
• The second set of slides are another case study around
Starbucks. Through this project, I analyzed the consumer
experience in Starbucks, Pete’s, and Philz. Then, coming
up with several strategies to help Starbucks go back to
its roots of the ‘coffee shop’.
Sunday, May 6, 2012

26. Business & Management Gap, Inc.: Case Study
Gap, Inc. has been a resilient player in the retail space since the Woodstock era. This iconic brand was built in 1969, and has built a strong place for themselves in casual apparel for men, women, and children
over the past few decades. Not everyone knows that all of the apparel built for this brand and its sister chains are all private-labeling merchandise made exclusively for the company. From the apparel to the store
design, Gap controls all aspects of its trademark. However, it hasn't been all roses for this American-made giant. Gap, Inc. has a history of steep and rocky lows.
After five consecutive years of declining sales, Gap was struggling to stay afloat. In 2007, they decided to make a huge change in leadership and appointed Glenn Murphy of Shoppers Drug Mart to Chief
Executive Officer of the company. Since then, Gap has drastically cut back its store count in the United States and has instead built out the brand in Europe (180 stores) and Asia (145 stores). Gap sales fell to
$14.2 billion in 2009 after a flourishing profits of $14.5 billion in 2008. That said, the profitability has improved with the net income up to 14% in 2009. Still, profits continue to decline. Thus far in 2011, Gap has
reported a 9.26% in net income profit. Also, with competitors like J.Crew and American Eagle creating more diverse lines of clothing with steeper margins and growing consumer support, Gap must continue to
solidify its core customer and come up with new and innovative ways to strengthen this customer relationship bond.
Gap's target customer is a member of the young digerati. They are usually less than 50 years of age and have small families. They appreciate good style so they would expect their shopping experience with
Gap to offer them cutting edge styles. They are also quite tech-savvy with a deep appreciation for culture, music, and living an active lifestyle. Gap has their target customer spot on, however, they are lacking a
stimulating shopping experience. This family wants to be treated with special care. Therefore, Gap would greatly benefit from developing a strong customer relationship management program and training
associates on customer service.
Because of the years of experience customers have with this brand, the program would need to a very personalized experience for the customer to buy into it. A large portion of this program should be
around the shopping experience such as cultivating the sale through the fitting room. Making these customers feel special and dedicated means giving individual care at this point in the shopping experience. Gap
would also want to implement a client follow-back program. Having sales people follow up with customers they serviced the week prior who spent $500 or more in the store. This would help develop a strong
bond with the brand and would also help the sales people feel more connected to their individual customers.
In addition, customer service training programs should be an on-going program throughout all the Gap stores. This customer appreciates good service that is consistent and genuine. Therefore, a
personalized customer service approach would be best. Having customer service response training would empower the sales associates to approach the customers in their own individual ways while
communicating the corporate expectation.
Another way to appeal to this demographic is through their sense of community and social awareness. Therefore, creating a sustainable shopping bag similar to the Bloomingdales small, medium, and large
bags would be a small way to show this demographic that the Gap has them in mind. Even creating a marketing campaign around this bag would raise awareness and solidify the Gap as a socially conscious brand.
The merchandise strategy of the Gap should also be addressed to increase the brand loyalty. There is a stronger influence in the product mix for women's pants than tops. Seeing as women typically
purchase twice as many tops as they do bottoms this is a problem from the start. In addition, across the board, seasonal merchandise is quite low already. We already half way through the first fall season and
only 10% of the mix is sweaters. I also went to J.Crew and American Eagle stores to compare their inventory.
As you can see, both companies greatly expand their tops vs bottoms. They also have a huge amount of sweaters and outerwear in comparison to the Gap. Being in the stores, there is a stark difference in
presentation as well. Inside J.Crew and American Eagle, items are outfitted together. They are also placed out in limited size runs, which safeguards the customers from being overwhelmed by a ton of product. I
recommend that the Gap start merchandising in limited size runs – maximum two runs of each size in the racks – and have the sales staff restocking more often through out the day. This will help make things
look more exclusive to the customer while creating an air of urgency on the sales floor. In turn, giving the sales staff more opportunity to engage with the customers shopping in the store.
To wrap things up, creating this customer relationship program while offering customer service training will help deepen the consumer experience. Creating the Gap sustainable shopping bag will help solidify the
Gap as an environmentally friendly organization. On the merchandise front, creating a better balance between the tops and bottoms throughout all lines is essential. It is also important to plan better with
seasonal merchandise. Another idea would be to go back to the basics of denim by possibly offering a custom fit denim line. The Gap was once a power house in the denim industry and has sense fallen off. With
denim really powering back, it would be great to see the Gap reinvigorate this section of its business.
All in all, the Gap has a lot of potential. However, they do need better management on the store level. The corporate side of the Gap seems to have been rocky and, therefore, it is so important to have
solid store management executing the right moves on a daily basis to keep the customer interaction consistent. My hope is to one day walk into the Gap and feel a sense of pride that this phoenix has once again
risen from the ashes.
Sunday, May 6, 2012

27. Business & Management
Sunday, May 6, 2012

28. Business & Management
Case Study: Starbucks
Over the last ten years Starbucks has become a household name. The company has had steady growth of over 25% in this time, with its total revenue for 2010 hitting over ten
million dollars. Today, the company has over 17,000 stores across the world with 137,00 employees who are all closely trained to give the customer a unified experience every
time they walk through the door. The Starbucks experience has changed the way consumers interact with coffee. From the size of your beverage to the manner in which
customers order, Starbucks has created its own unique atmosphere within its walls. On the surface, this growth and success may seem positive. However, it has also left
customers feeling a loss of a unique, engaging, intimacy they once felt with their local coffee shop. This lack of community and individuality is a serious break from the value once
held by the company, which offers room for growth and opportunity. In addition, the target customer has broadened in this timeframe as well. What started out as a small
Seattle-based company focusing its sales on coffee lovers, has morphed into a mass-marketed giant that has lost its local flavor. While this business model is profitable, it does not
match the company ideals of individuality and community. Instead, many view these stores as being cookie-cutter and corporate.
In 2008, Howard Schultz, the president and CEO of Starbucks, attempted to fix these issues by closing 7,000 stores. In an interview with NPR Schultz said, "The
unprecedented decision to literally close stores ― which cost us millions of dollars ― was done to ensure the fact that I demonstrated how serious and committed I was to
making sure we go back to the core” (NPR.org). Starbucks remains the exclusive owner and operator of all stores to retain a special bond with its consumers. However, the core
values remains the same and, therefore, many ask – was this enough to make the difference?
A deeper dedication to building stronger relationships with the communities in which Starbucks is located would help make an impact on the way consumers view their
interaction with the brand. This bond could be formed by implementing three different focuses within local communities.
First, by creating distribution relationships with local bakeries, and selling their products Starbucks would be seen as a company focused on enriching the communities in
which it is invested. I spoke with a sales representative at the Starbucks on Market Street at Civic Center who told me that currently all food sold in San Francisco Starbucks
come from Parsons City, NV. If they stopped selling food shipped in and shifted focus to sell food made locally, this would have a huge impact on the way the communities view
the brand. This would undoubtedly have a massive effect on their margin as well. Without shipping costs, even if the product is a bit more pricey, Starbucks would come out
ahead.
Another way in which Starbucks could enrich their community relationships is by strengthening local artist relationships. Most patrons of coffee shops appreciate art and
featuring local art would signify a close awareness of the local art community. The local flavor would also create a special environment in each store to help them create a more
distinguishable experience for patrons. For example, every week day there is an artist market in Union Square. Many of these artists focus their work around the Gold Gate
Bridge and views from the Presidio. Having these works in Starbucks would specialize the atmosphere.
Lastly, Starbucks could deepen the customer experience by creating a more engaging atmosphere by implementing social awareness campaigns and seminars within
designated locations in key areas. For example, holding informative seminars on the communities where their coffee is roasted, the methods they use to roast, and people they
employ oversees would empower the customer and make it easier for them to feel invested in their purchase.
In conclusion, Starbucks has built a strong company with a vested interest in their consumer experience. However, enriching the consumer experience by creating a more
local experience could only help their initiatives to strengthen the existing consumer bond they hold. These suggestions would only enrich the experience within individual stores
without taking away from the products they hold so dear.
Sunday, May 6, 2012

29. Business & Management
Sunday, May 6, 2012

30. Laura Stirling Joffrion
c: (619) 772-0321
t: @laurastirling
laura.joffrion@gmail.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/laurastirling
Sunday, May 6, 2012