My musical coffee experience. Pilot Episode, Part One
ANOUK DYUSSEMBAYEVA | MAY, 5 / 2023
I wrote back in July 2020 that all Starbucks coffee houses have the same exact playlist and that instead, they could feature emerging artists, thus supporting local music and not having to deal with copyright issues headache (and the price of licensing popular songs). This would also create a unique experience for the guests as they sip on their morning coffee.

Earlier this year I returned to this idea, but given how much the brand-client relationship is changing, I wanted to offer more than just a playlist featuring Kazakh artists. What if I tied everything to the coffee experience?
I decided to launch a "musical" coffee – for each one that you purchase, you get a composition from one of the local artists through a special QR code. Through this collaboration, the coffee store would test out something new, attract a wider pool of guests, increase customer engagement with existing clients, and support emerging homeland musicians.

The idea was raw and, like with all projects, I had to validate it first. I began searching for a coffee house to collaborate with and of course, my first choice was Starbucks. Unlike the time when I launched my music designer experience, this time they never responded.

I gathered that it would be even better to try this idea out with local coffee shops and, after being left on read by another two businesses, I got a green light.

I met with Jel Coffee's owner and store manager on April 26 to go over the details. Hands were shaken and the collaboration was set to start. Although we originally planned to begin the pilot on May 1, given that it was a national holiday, we shifted the start date to May 5.

The only thing left was actually finding the artists within two days. After sharing this project with a couple of my friends, everything started to pick up and the list quickly filled: 6 very different but talented musicians/bands.

The project is set to officially launch this evening and I'm very excited to see how this pilot month will go! Will the coffee house increase its sales? Will it attract new clients? Will the guests like this idea? Will the artists gain more listeners? Will anyone actually buy the coffee?

Obviously, I will be sharing everything throughout the process, so make sure to subscribe!
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