Starbucks celebrates fans and Frappuccinos with six new flavors and a contest
Back in March, Starbucks celebrated the 20th anniversary of the iconic Frappuccino with a special vanilla and hazelnut-flavored Birthday Cake Frappuccino available for only a week. But the coffee chain isn’t done celebrating its most famous drink or the fans whose purchases over the years have helped the Frappuccino achieve its global icon status. So today Starbucks kicked its Frappuccino appreciation up a notch with the launch of six new Frappuccino flavors and the promise of a contest for consumers in the U.S. and Canada to choose a favorite.
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Starbucks used favorite fan-made combinations to create the six new flavors being launched today. The new flavors include (in alphabetical order):
- Caramel Cocoa Cluster: “A blend of toffee nut syrup, Frappuccino® Roast Coffee, milk and ice and topped with a layer of dark caramel sauce, finished with whipped cream and a drizzle of mocha sauce.”
- Cinnamon Roll: “A blend of cinnamon dolce syrup, white chocolate mocha sauce, vanilla bean, Frappuccino® Roast Coffee, milk and ice, finished with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon dolce topping.”
- Cotton Candy: “A blend of vanilla bean, raspberry syrup, milk and ice, finished with whipped cream.” (This one achieved 15 minutes of fame and fortune as the base for the Ariana Grande frappuccino.)
- Cupcake: “A blend of vanilla bean, hazelnut syrup, milk and ice, finished with whipped cream.” (This one is similar to the aforementioned Birthday Cake frappuccino, minus the birthday cake’s raspberry whipped cream.)
- Lemon Bar: “A blend of lemonade, vanilla syrup, milk and ice, finished with whipped cream and a sprinkle of caramel sugar.”
- Red Velvet Cake: “A blend of mocha sauce, raspberry syrup, vanilla syrup and Frappuccino chips with milk and ice, finished with whipped cream.”
All of the drinks are available in Starbucks locations throughout the U.S. and Canada starting today (that’s June 8), but from June 19 through June 30 fans will have the option to vote for their favorites at frappuccino.com. The winning drink will be announced on July 3 on social media, and consumers will be able to pick up that winning flavor for a special discounted price from 2-5PM that day.
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“In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Frappuccino and the thousands of flavor combinations created by our enthusiastic customers, we are excited to introduce six Fan Flavor Frappuccino beverages,” said Renee Jones, marketing director at Starbucks, in a press release announcing the new flavors. “Over the years we have seen many creative recipes from our customers, and the six Fan Flavor Frappuccino beverages featured in the Flav-Off contest represent a few of the most popular recipes.”
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It’s the kind of smart move that Starbucks has become known for, actively engaging with and giving back to its most loyal fans. It’s the kind of targeted yet fun and lighthearted interaction that keeps those fans loyal for life, and the kind of interaction that other brands could learn from.
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