Costa Coffee targets city customers with marketing blitz

Costa Coffee is ramping up its competition with Starbucks through the launch of an aggressive marketing push for its new “metropolitan stores”, which aim to fulfil the specific needs of city customers.

To support the launch of its first store in London next week, Meteorite has developed a targeted campaign using the headline ‘Something a little different from Costa’.

It will consist of outdoor, online, DM and in-store activity and aims to inspire Londoners to visit the ‘Metropolitan’ store whether it is to relax in its sinking sofas, conduct a business meeting around its large table or to grab a perfect cup of coffee on the run.             

The new-look stores will rival the  “retro” stores that Starbucks has opened in cities such as London, and will offer special express queues, bespoke loyalty cards and free Wi-fi in store.

Costa Coffee head of UK marketing, Kevin Hydes, says: “Cities are hubs for business and leisure, and we feel the time is right to target these audiences with an offering that matches their personality and lifestyles. It’s much more minimalist and simplistic than our other stores and presents the contemporary lifestyle that city customers want from their coffee shops.”

Costa says it is opening the new-look stores following consumer research, which found city customers wanted high speed of service, express till areas for customers in a hurry, and a more relaxed atmosphere with zoned seating areas.

According to parent company Whitbread’s latest results, Costa’s sales were up 26.9% year-on-year for the 13 weeks to 3 June and like for likes rose by 8.5%.