Fun Holiday Cheer from Starbucks

Starbucks has created a special holiday promotional Web site. It's really fun and festive. And it's all about the season. You'll find holiday tips, playful lists, suggestions and interactive screen games. Get recipes and stories to help you get more into the spirit of Christmas. Moreover, I love the style of the artwork, with the line drawings which gives an arts-and-crafts feel to it all. The site is built as a hybrid with Flash and HTML elements and loads in an instant.

The Red Cup site keeps visitors coming back by adding new content each and every day. It's sort of like an online advent calendar. Each day more is revealed and the meaning deepens.

What's more impressive? Coordination. Starbucks timed the launch of this site to coincide on the day that it changed its paper coffee cups in each and every one of its 8,569 worldwide retail locations--from its regular, handsome white and green cups to a seasonal rich, red cup.

I love this ... the whole notion that the Red Cup site is just for fun. Not selling any Starbucks product on this site, nor any merchandise. That's cool. The Red Cup site is an extension of the Starbucks brand and its culture. What Starbucks IS selling, in a very subtle way, is the reinforcement of the deep bond that exists between the brand and its most loyal supports. And I'll admit that I am one of them.

A tip of old Santa's cap, a wink, and a tap on the nose to Howard Schultz and the team of marketing geniuses at Starbucks.