Media Critique: Starbucks Buble

Purpose

The Starbucks ad featuring Michael Buble is very clearly selling Frappuccino, but it is not just a cold glass of coffee you will get with this product.  The reality this commercial is pushing is one of success, education, and dare I say romance all squeezed into a brief “me time” moment of daydreaming.

Audience

The advertisers reach out to middle class Americans, those who are successful, educated, trendy, and even a bit “geek chic”.  As the main character is a mid to late twenties women being serenated by a very popular crooner, Michael Buble, one can argue that women are the main target.  The camera focuses on the woman, but at times you fill her shoes by taking her perspective. Oooh, could this be me! But as soon as you start to connect you are put back in place as an onlooker.

Representation

All characters appear to be successful, middle class, urban, and trendy.  The main character is Caucasian, as are most of the people within the video.  Any hint of diversity is quickly replaced by the singer within the first few seconds.  The main character is educated and hard working obviously, because she wears glasses and has a pencil tucked carelessly (I’m sure painstakingly placed to appear that way) in her bun.  This also gives an appearance of being shy and awkward especially when coupled with her nervousness at the beginning of the serenade.  But do not fear, she quickly gets over her reluctance.  Could the sweet caffeine be washing in?  Michael Buble fills many characters during this video, including gracing the cover of Entertainment magazine and even a window washer.  Hmmm, does that mean that by drinking a Frappuccino you can get any man’s attention or is it that you can change the people around you in a split second to someone you would prefer to see?  Other than Michael Buble and the characters he quickly replaces, everyone else seems slightly above average.  This may be done to make the product appeal to more people as no one really stands out.  While reaching out to the vague stereotype of middle class America, this commercial fails to represent minorities, working class, and heterosexual men. Also, though this is a coffee commercial, the woman consuming (she takes one sip!) seems vaguely interested in the beverage itself and more interested in the attention she is getting from Buble, so it would seem even the drink itself has been left out.  But then again the premise is, “me time” and wouldn’t you leave your cold coffee out of your daydream?

            Design

I think one of the important design decisions made was the set.  The office building is Romanesque, white, and classical.  The furniture is mod, bright oranges and reds.  She is pale while he is fiery or is it the other way around? Another juxtaposition that was important to the overall design is the modern singer crooning a classic Sinatra song.  With the set and music combined one wonders if they are trying to tell us that Starbucks is a modern classic.  All of these opposites and similarities lead to achieving a wider audience and future consumer base.  Modern, vintage, classic, bland, spunky all can find something to enjoy in this commercial and thus in a Frappuccino.  Buble plays many characters that keep popping up in different locations which shows various technological skills being used and this design could appeal to techies or at least shows how hip Starbucks is.  Advertising a Frappuccino in the style of a television commercial is also the best way to spread the product to as many people as possible since so many Americans watch television and I would guess based on the target audience that it would primarily play in between shows that are geared for women during prime time viewing hours: Grey's Anatomy, Revenge, etc.

While the location is an upscale, city office building, it is ambiguous and at first glance I thought she was moving from home, to work, to a hotel.  Are they insinuating Frappuccinos are good anywhere? But it does become obvious that she is in a work place, the perfect environment for not only a quick caffeine boost, but also for the “me time” she has worked so hard for (don’t forget the pencil!). 

So whether you need a quick break from a hard days work or for a glorious man (the comments on YouTube suggest that he is to die for!) to finally notice how amazing you truly are, reach for a Frappuccino.  I have no idea if they are scrumptious, but it seems that after you take that first sip, you will be too distracted to care.  Just remember the effects wear off within a few minutes and you will need to consume more to see Buble again!

** This is an editorial for Starbucks Frappuccino.  The views expressed by this novice blogger are not necessarily those of Starbucks, Entertainment magazine, Micheal Buble, his fans, cold coffee drinkers, office workers, women who leave pencils in their hair, or the person who filled the refrigerator with artsy pudding cups.

Starbucks Buble Commercial