How Starbucks Wins Locally
Understanding how Starbucks can better connect with college students in Norman, Oklahoma.
Overview
As part of an advertising research course at the University of Oklahoma, our team conducted a market research study for Starbucks focused on the OU student market. The goal was to understand student coffee habits, brand preferences, purchase drivers, and how Starbucks could better connect with students through localized marketing.My Role
Turning Data Into Something Useful
I led the findings portion of the project by analyzing survey responses, spotting patterns in consumer behavior, and helping turn raw data into clear recommendations for Starbucks.
The Challenge
Starbucks remains a category leader, but the Norman market includes strong local competition and a student audience with specific habits, priorities, and media behavior. The question was:
How can Starbucks better appeal to OU students and drive preference in a crowded local coffee market?
Our Approach
We conducted a quantitative survey of OU students measuring:
Likelihood to visit competing coffee brands
Factors that influence coffee shop choice
Social media platform usage
Purchase influence from branded content
Demographics and student behavior
The survey was built in Qualtrics and distributed to a student sample.
Recommendations
Based on the findings, we recommended Starbucks:
Lead with quality and consistency messaging
Use Instagram as the primary local communication channel
Promote discounts / giveaways to drive action
Showcase seating, study space, and store atmosphere
Build localized student-focused content for Norman stores
Key Insights
1. Starbucks Was the Top Choice
Starbucks had the highest average likelihood of visitation among brands tested, outperforming Yellow Dog, Dutch Bros, Gray Owl, and Scooter’s.
2. Quality Matters Most
Students ranked quality of coffee as the most important factor when choosing a coffee shop.
3. Atmosphere Still Matters
Environment and ambience ranked nearly as high as product quality, showing students value experience as much as caffeine.
4. Instagram Was the Strongest Media Channel
Instagram was the most frequently used platform among respondents, making it the clearest opportunity for localized communication.
5. Discounts Beat Aesthetics
The strongest purchase motivator from social media content was discounts or giveaways, significantly outperforming aesthetic product photos or brand messaging.
What I Learned
Strong brands still need local relevance. Even a global brand like Starbucks benefits from understanding specific communities, habits, and motivations. Good research turns assumptions into clearer decisions.