Starbucks's 12 Months of Christmas

December 9, 2011 at 1:43 AM UTC

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This article is part of the December 12, 2011 issue of businessweek.

Starbucks has Christmas down to a science. The sweet and spicy aromas, Bing Crosby tunes, and red aprons are rolled out after many months of meetings and tastings. And nothing is final until Howard Schultz, who co-founded the company 40 years ago, says it’s all Christmas-perfect. Last year, Starbucks took in $2.95 billion during its holiday quarter. To figure out what message would jolly up coffee drinkers this holiday season, the company began surveying customers in stores and online more than a year ago. The conclusion? Marketing Senior Vice-President Terry Davenport reports that after a couple of years of austerity, consumers are ready to “have a holiday.” A gingerbread latte to that!

Getting a jump on christmas:
Christmas Blend coffee and other holiday tchotchkes were available on StarbucksStore.com starting on Nov. 1–a full two weeks before the merch hits cafes.

U.S. sales of Starbucks gift cards averaged 42 per second during last year’s holiday season.

The gift cards are available in six all-new motifs this year, with culturally varied greetings such as Joyous Kwanzaa and Feliz Noche Buena.

Winterludes, Starbucks’s first holiday compilation CD, was released in 1995. This year’s Let It Snow features carols from Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, and Fiona Apple.