New Starbucks Odyssey experience will give members the ability to earn and purchase digital collectible stamps (NFTs) that will unlock access to new immersive coffee experiences
Starbucks is brewing a revolutionary Web3 experience for its Starbucks Rewards members
As one of the first companies to integrate NFTs with an industry-leading loyalty program at scale, Starbucks will create an accessible Web3 community that will enable new ways to engage with members and partners (employees).
Starbucks today unveiled Starbucks Odyssey, a new experience powered by Web3 technology that will offer Starbucks Rewards members and Starbucks partners (employees) in the United States the opportunity to earn and purchase digital collectibles that will unlock access to new benefits and immersive coffee experiences . Starbucks is one of the first companies to integrate non-fungible tokens (NFTs) with an industry-leading loyalty program at scale, while creating a digital community that will enable new ways for Starbucks to engage with its members and partners. Starting September 12, customers and partners can join the waiting list for a chance to be among the first to access the Starbucks Odyssey experience, which launches later this year.
“Starbucks has always served as the Third Place, a place between home and work where you feel the warmth of connection over coffee, community and belonging. The Starbucks Odyssey experience will extend the Third Place connection into the digital world,” said Brady Brewer, Starbucks Executive Vice President and Marketing Manager. “For the first time, we’re connecting our Starbucks Rewards loyalty program members not just to Starbucks, but to each other.”
“Using Web3 technology will give our members access to experiences and ownership that were not possible before. Starbucks Odyssey will go beyond the core benefits that our Starbucks Rewards members have come to love, unlocking digital, physical and experiential benefits that are uniquely Starbucks,” Brewer continued. “By integrating into the Starbucks Rewards ecosystem and basing the experience around coffee, connection and community, we’re entering the Web3 space differently than any other brand, while strengthening our members’ connection to Starbucks. Our vision is to create a place where our digital community can come together over coffee, engage in immersive experiences and celebrate the legacy and future of Starbucks.”
Overview of Starbucks Odyssey
Starbucks Odyssey will be an extension of the industry-leading Starbucks Rewards program that members can access using their Starbucks Rewards login credentials. Once logged in, members can participate in Starbucks Odyssey journeys, a variety of activities, such as playing interactive games or taking on fun challenges to deepen their knowledge of coffee and Starbucks. Members will be rewarded for completing trips with a digital collectable “travel stamp” (NFT).
Members can also purchase “limited edition stamps” (NFTs) through a built-in marketplace within the Starbucks Odyssey web app experience. Limited edition stamps will be available for all members to purchase directly by credit card. No crypto wallet or cryptocurrency will be required – making the Starbucks Odyssey experience a fun and easy way for members to access this new technology and claim a stake in their loyalty to Starbucks.
Each digital collectible stamp will include a point value based on its rarity, and the stamps can be bought or sold among members on the marketplace, with ownership secured on a blockchain. As stamps are collected, members’ points will increase, giving access to unique benefits and experiences that have never been offered before. These experiences can range from a virtual espresso martini hour, to access to unique merchandise and artist collaborations, to invitations to exclusive events at Starbucks Reserve Roasteries or even trips to the Starbucks Hacienda Alsacia coffee farm in Costa Rica.
All stamps will feature iconic Starbucks artwork in collaboration with Starbucks partners as well as external artists – giving members and partners access to these precious assets for the first time. In addition, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the limited edition stamps will be donated to support causes that matter to Starbucks partners and Starbucks Rewards members.
Customers can register on the waiting list from today. Invitations will be sent to select waitlist members later this year, who will be among the first to explore the experience. As Starbucks Odyssey evolves, the company will continue to gather feedback from members and Starbucks partners, which will help shape the future of this innovative new Starbucks Rewards experience.
Approach to sustainability obligations
Building the Starbucks Odyssey using technology that aligns with Starbucks’ sustainability ambitions and commitments is a top priority. Committed to reducing its carbon, water and waste footprints, Starbucks is taking a thoughtful and thorough approach as the company works toward its launch later this year. Starbucks will use a “proof-of-stake” blockchain technology built by Polygon, which uses less energy than first-generation “proof-of-work” blockchains.
Reinventing third place
Starbucks has a history of taking leading edge technology, innovating and making it available and accessible to mainstream audiences. The company’s success with its industry-leading Starbucks Rewards loyalty program, mobile payment and ordering, and in-store Wi-Fi access has taught the company how to engage customers at scale to unlock opportunities using new technology. Through this approach, the company will provide easier access to Web3 experiences and, in the process, introduce a new, next-generation loyalty program model to the world.
“This is just the beginning; Starbucks Odyssey is one of the ways we’re reinventing Third Place to meet our customers wherever they are—in a Starbucks store, on the go, or online. We’re creating an accessible, digital Third Place community enabled by Web3 technology where Starbucks Rewards members and our partners can connect through unique experiences and come together around the love of coffee,” said Brewer.
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