Costa Coffee has named Wunderman Thompson as its global agency of record for brand strategy. This is the first Costa Coffee campaign for WPP’s agency, promoting the British chain’s new “Fridays are a big deal” offers, available to Costa Club members.
The New York-based marketing agency will coordinate the coffee chain’s marketing efforts and branding across its large international market consisting of 41 countries. Wunderman Thompson took over from BBH London, who handled creative marketing for Costa Coffee prior to the latest arrangement.
The marketing campaign will consist of in-store and radio advertisements, each inviting Costa Club reward program members to drop by their nearest Costa Coffee on Friday and enjoy weekly deals. Each Friday, a new type of reward will welcome coffee afficionados who drop by one of the UK’s 2,800 Costa Coffee locations.
Last year, Costa Coffee hired M&C Saatchi Group and Pablo London to rethink its previous loyalty program. Now, amidst growing inflation and general economic downturn, the coffee chain offers “treats” for its loyal customers in hopes of making its product more easily accessible. It will include staple promotions, such as “buy one, get one free” and discounts on certain items after meeting conditions.
The radio ads will run for eight weeks straight, each offering a different promotion than the last one. The ads will feature faux conversations one might hear at a coffee shop, and end with a promotion. After the initial phase of the campaign, Wunderman Thompson will follow up with out-of-home advertising in October.
Fridays and their cultural relevance are the center of the campaign. It’s the special time of the week that most people welcome with open arms.
“Fridays are a big deal at Costa Coffee and we wanted to help people start the weekend with a boost with a series of different weekly offers,” said Kirstey Elston, marketing director for UK&I at Costa Coffee. “These relatable ads remind Costa Club members to treat themselves, so we’ll see you on a Friday!
Wunderman Thompson echoes this sentiment, and emphasizes the importance of small moments in life.
“These ads celebrate the small human moments that people can relate to, with the kind of conversation you’d have while waiting in line for your favorite Flat White.” said Tom Drew, executive creative director at Wunderman Thompson. “The bonus this time around is that there’s a great offer waiting at the end of the ad, giving the perfect excuse for a Friday treat.”
Coca-Cola purchased Costa Coffee in 2018 for $5.4 billion. Since WPP is also the Global Marketing Network Partner to Coca-Cola, the latest partnership means even greater access to Cola’s marketing budget for the creative.
