Starbucks has hinted at this idea for months now, first with the rollout of nationwide Wi-Fi in July 2010. In an interview with Mashable, Starbucks' Vice President of Digital Ventures Adam Brotman said, “The vision is for Starbucks Digital Network to be a digital version of the community cork board that’s in all of our stores.”
But really, it's more than just that. The unique selling proposition is that SDN makes available content from paywall sites such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. It's partnered with iTunes to provide free music downloads and listening experiences to users. It caters Zagat ratings and entertainment information. And, as Brotman mentioned, provides a local element unique to each area as well. Brotman has noted that Starbucks will keep a close eye on traffic, using web analytics to provide more than 40 unique experiences on the landing page. The idea is to have a full array of content available from the start, but also keep the look, feel, and partners fresh for repeat and regular users.
(via Mashable.com)
Yahoo! not only curated the technology, but is also hosting the portal as well. This in turn has provided Yahoo! inroads to the local search that the company desires, as well as banner space and revenue.
Personally, I like the idea. With the release of branded media in stores, as well as special edition CD's and digital downloads available through Starbucks, its commitment to being as much of a media company as a coffee chain possibly can has always unabashedly been part of their core.
Why this will win: By offering a branded experience that provides useful and in demand content that's not available for free anywhere else, Starbucks created a media portal that is unique and financially beneficial for all involved parties.
What are your thoughts on this? Is Mashable right in questioning whether or not this is information overload? Will you use Starbucks and SDN the next time you're on the road and need Wi-Fi?
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