Starbucks Karma Cup Concept
A Shared Problem.
A Shared Solution.
A Shared Reward.
The Brief: The Starbucks' sponsored Betacup competition challenged the online community to develop solutions that reduce the 58 billion non-recyclable cups that are thrown out each year.
The Approach: Our team of researchers, strategist and designers dug deep and concluded that consumers today are forced to make a choice between a paper cup which offers personal convenience and a reusable cup that offers social responsibility and sustainability.
There are plenty of great reusable mug available, perfect one's unique needs. But what people need is an incentive to make the behavior change - a free cup of coffee and a bit of peer pressure. Giving incentives to motivate the use reusable mugs doesn't have to be costly to implement or complex to manage.
The Outcome: Our proposed solution, the Karma Cup, is part incentive program, part social experiment. Free coffee is offered to every 10th customer who uses a reusable cup. A intentionally low-tech chalkboard is used to keep track.
The novel approach of tracking the incentive on a community level, not by individual, will trigger people to think collectively. The lottery element of never knowing quite when you'll get a free cup is charming and might compell people to visit with greater frequency. But don't worry, just like karma (or the law of averages) it'll all even out in the end.
Key Results: Karma Cup was the Jury's Choice and awarded $10,000 by Starbucks, beating out 430 entries. Karma Cup was explored by the Starbucks internal teams and piloted in two locations on the West Coast.
In 2014 the Karma Cup team worked with Boston startup Cuppow to roll out "Cup Club" as a rewards and loyalty program. Cuppow's Cup Club program is featured at Boston's Mother Juice, Austin's Picnik and Somerville's Union Square Donuts.
Press & Praise: Karma Cup was featured on Fast Company, The New York Times, Inhabitat, Dexigner,
Role: Concept Development, Illustration, Creative Direction
@Future&Proof, 2010
