Starbucks Coffee Korea recently launched a set of limited edition Playmobil toy figures. Customers get one of six tall-size beverages with an accompanying Playmobil figure for $12.
Today at a nearby Starbucks, I found several customers paid extra to have a barista figure. Another Starbucks was crowded even though customers have to leave store shortly due to social distancing regulations. It suggests this campaign increases offline store traffic.
Why do adults like Starbucks toys? Although brand power and scarcity play key roles, a more deeply rooted reason is that Playmobil figures are whimsically cute. “Cute products (e.g., an ice-cream scoop shaped like a miniature person or a dress with tropical colors and pink flamingos) can have whimsical nature, which is associated with capricious humor and playful disposition. Whimsical cuteness is … associated with fun and playfulness.” (Nenkov and Scott 2014, pg. 327).
Interestingly, whimsically cute products do not necessarily appeal when they are designed for kids. Contrary to our belief, whimsical cuteness attracts adults. This argument is supported by the experimental findings obtained from a marketing paper.
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Reference
Nenkov, G., & Scott, M. (2014). “So Cute I Could Eat It Up”: Priming Effects of Cute Products on Indulgent Consumption. Journal of Consumer Research,41(2), 326-341.
This article examines the extent to which consumers engage in more indulgent consumption when they are exposed to whimsically cute products and explores the process by which such products affect indulgence. Prior research on kindchenschema (baby schema) has found that exposure to cute babies or baby animals leads to more careful behavior (see the study by Sherman, Haidt, and Coan), suggesting restraint. The present research uncovers the opposite: consumers become more indulgent in their behavior after exposure to whimsically cute products. Drawing from research on cognitive priming, kindchenschema, anthropomorphization, indulgence, and regulatory focus, this research posits that exposure to whimsically cute products primes mental representations of fun, increasing consumers’ focus on approaching self-rewards and making consumers more likely to choose indulgent options. These effects do not emerge for kindchenschema cute stimuli, since they prime mental representations of vulnerability and caretaking. Four empirical studies provide evidence for the proposed effects and their underlying process.
When two cookies were presented under “The Cookie Shop,” participants indicated significantly weaker preference for the healthy entree when they had earlier viewed the whimsically cute cookie than when they had viewed the neutral cookie. However, no such differences occurred when two cookies were presented under “The Kid’s Cookie Shop.”
When faced with a cute product, animal, or small child, most people maintain high tension like a child. For that moment, we go back to our childhood and enjoy the situation with a charming voice. All people have a childhood heart, a “childish heart” As we grow, we sometimes overlook this, but we cannot completely eliminate the fact that it exists in a corner of our hearts. This article is about stimulating this childishness and applying it to marketing.
At an event held by Starbucks Coffee Korea, limited edition Playmobil toy figures and tall drinks were provided as a set, which is said to have had the effect of attracting many consumers to the store. Unusually, some customers seemed willing to pay extra to obtain a barista figure, emphasizing that cute designs are particularly attractive to adult consumers.
The post also covers the psychological aspects of the effects of cute designs, introducing research by Nenkov and Scott that found cute products can induce more indulgent behavior in consumers. In particular, it is an explanation of how cute designs reach adults, emphasizing the mental representation that cute products symbolize pleasure, which increases the likelihood that consumers will focus on self-reward and make indulgent choices. is dealing with.
This case can be explained in relation to the “Cognitive Load” and “Choice Architecture” learned in consumer behavior theory. Cognitive load refers to the burden of information or decisions that exceed an individual’s cognitive ability or processing capacity. The decision to obtain a special figure from a limited edition event may be a situation that places additional cognitive load on the consumer. Choosing between limited opportunities and various options can cause cognitive difficulties for consumers. Additionally, in limited edition events, consumers must choose between a limited number of figurines and a variety of drinks. There is a clear difference between when consumers have a wide range of choices and when they have a narrow range of choices, that is, when they are making a decision between a few choices. Ultimately, it can be analyzed that one feels a cognitive load due to the range of choices.
In summary, Starbucks’ event attractively attracts adult consumers with drinks with cute figures, and through psychological research results, it addresses the characteristics of cute designs on consumer behavior.
When I came across this post, I was reminded of the Starbucks Frequency event that is popular recently. This is an event where you exchange all the stamps for a calendar. One of Starbucks’ strengths is that it effectively utilizes products other than coffee and desserts. For example, there are Starbucks tumblers, calendars, figures, etc. One of the reasons why Starbucks figures are so popular is the cute aspect of the product itself, but the bigger factor is probably brand loyalty. If it were a figure from another coffee brand other than Starbucks, it would not have gained much popularity and attention. Additionally, I will present a counterargument from the research case. There is a saying that is often joked at dinner: “There is a separate stomach for rice and another stomach for dessert.” People have a desire to satisfy sugar after their meals. In the end, of course, cute cookies have an impact, but we eat them simply because we want to eat them.
In this way, through the two counterarguments of brand loyalty and simple desire for dessert, I would like to present the opinion that although cuteness does have an influence on people, it is not the main reason.
I hope these unique toys will be available soon in our country. They are just lovely.