The Power of Mythology in Social Media Marketing Communication: Unicorn, Starbucks and the Viral #UnicornFrappuccino Campaign
Chapter from the book: Gezgin, U. B. (ed.) 2023. The Latest Approaches in Communication Sciences.

Bengü Başbuğ
İstanbul Esenyurt Üniversitesi

Synopsis

The one-horned horse or “unicorn” refers to a legendary creature in mythology with different depictions which is an oustanding figure in popular culture today. The unicorn is a fascinating being that becomes the subject of fairy tales, novels, films and paintings. Its attractive power, has also been noticed by brands inspiring the global marketing world. In general, the unicorn reflects a kitsch aesthetic which is usually composed of pastel and rainbow colors and a cute motif accompanied by glittering elements that can be adapted to all kinds of products and product campaigns in the context of design. The unicorn-themed concept, which has been used by many brands for commercial purposes, has turned into a remarkable trend that attracts attention in social media, especially since 2017. This research aims to reveal why the unicorn motif from mythology is adopted by brands and how it is used in the context of digital communication in social media marketing. In terms of embodying the unicorn concept in the research, Starbucks’ #UnicornFrappuccino campaign, which reached a viral dimension and became a successful product in the “unicorn food” category, will be examined in the context of its social media marketing communication strategy. As a result of this research, it will be shown that brands can achieve extremely positive results in digital marketing if they integrate eye-catching mythological motifs such as the unicorn with a product and present it to the target audience with an effective digital communication strategy.

How to cite this book

Başbuğ, B. (2023). The Power of Mythology in Social Media Marketing Communication: Unicorn, Starbucks and the Viral #UnicornFrappuccino Campaign. In: Gezgin, U. B. (ed.), The Latest Approaches in Communication Sciences. Özgür Publications. DOI: https://doi.org/10.58830/ozgur.pub135.c704

License

Published

June 23, 2023

DOI