This fall, the Pumpkin Spice Latte celebrated its 10th anniversary at Starbucks and not only has its popularity driven sales through the roof, but more and more pumpkin flavoured baked goods are being introduced, such as scones and muffins.
The PSL’s tasty flavour, appearance, and limited availability creates all the excitement and hype for the fall season. This PSL phenomenon has changed the way people feel about fall and what makes them think about the autumn season. Chunky sweaters, coloured leaves on the ground, and chilly weather are things that are usually associated with fall but now the pumpkin spice can also be added to that list. It has such a strong impact on consumers and excitement, that it has its own hash tag on twitter (#PSL) and has also impacted people in believing that their day will be much more enjoyable with a pumpkin spice latte. One of their target markets, college students, say that drinking this warm frothy latte makes their experience more enjoyable, whether they are walking outside in the cold or catching a bus. The PSL is now one of the things that people look forward to in fall.
Even though the PSL excitement only lasts for a month in October, Starbucks does not fail to continue their seasonal drinks; as soon as November rolls around, their Christmas seasonal drinks are introduced, as well as their seasonal snacks, and red cups. The red cups are a significant marketing strategy that Starbuck’s uses to expose themselves to make their name extremely identifiable out on the streets. This enables Starbucks to have a strong market presence and also reminds the consumers about the upcoming holidays which causes a second wave of excitement. The red cups and seasonal drinks are also easy strategies that recreate the picture of Christmas and winter in the consumer’s head.
