We recently had Sauder alumni Andrew McKee come and speak to our class about his many business adventures, but more specifically, his coffee shop, Great Dane. The small coffee shop has been on campus since 2012, however, I did not even know it existed until this September when I moved into the apartments above the shop. I was excited to see a coffee shop so close to me, yet, I did not bother to try it out until after speaking to a few people about it.

The question “So where are you living this year?” is asked by many when they return to UBC for the fall. My answer was always “Above that Great Dane coffee shop, if you know where that is.” It was everyone’s reaction to Great Dane that shocked me the most. Almost everyone I told said, “Their coffee is so good!” It was at this moment that I realized the power in word of mouth marketing. After hearing my friends say they liked the coffee, I felt more compelled to go and check it out.

Mckee told us that the most Great Dane has ever done in terms of marketing has been a couple of signs posted around campus. He explained that they rely heavily on word of mouth marketing and it seems to be working for him; there are daily line ups that extend out of the door.

It was not until this little coffee shop appeared that I realized the power in word of mouth marketing. Great Dane seems to have a devoted customer base that expands due to the fact that their coffee is delicious, their customer service suburb, and their quaint location.