Café Bustelo — Gateway

OBJECTIVE

Over the last decade, Café Bustelo has matured from a beloved Miami-based bodega staple to a thriving brand acquired by Smuckers in 2011. As the brand grew, they chose BMF as their experiential agency partner starting in 2007 to deliver on three goals: use the power of experiential marketing to invite culturally open-minded millennials into the world of Café Bustelo; introduce growth markets to the brand's authentic culture and full-bodied flavor; and retain the brand's loyal Hispanic customer base with meaningful connection points to the community.

Partner Agencies: Sapient Razorfish, CARAT, Ketchum Inc.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

To connect with a millennial audience and grow brand awareness and affinity, BMF conceived and executed a multifaceted, holistic integrated experiential strategy for Café Bustelo through sampling and seeding initiatives at a variety of brand pop-ups and mobile tours across the country.

BMF curated and produced pop-up and mobile tour experiences across the US in markets as diverse as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston, amplified by influencer marketing and PR. From a spot in bustling Williamsburg to an immersive recording studio on the heart of Santa Monica's Main Street, consumers enjoyed programming lineups of highly engaging interactions, influential DJs, performers, and unique photo moments while enjoying complimentary cups of coffee. As an extension of the campaigns each year, BMF created a Café Bustelo coffee truck to hit the streets and busy squares, stopping in high-traffic millennial areas to sample the product and entertain consumers.

BMF also helped Café Bustelo reach the millennial market via strategic festival sponsorships and sampling opportunities with physical footprints at tentpole moments such as SXSW, Life is Beautiful, Lollapalooza, Wynwood Miami Art Week, and Coachella. Among many media partnerships over the years, one highlight BMF brokered was between Café Bustelo and Billboard to host an exclusive content series featuring headlining artists from Third Eye Blind to Bea Miller. Interviews lived on Billboard.com and extended Café Bustelo's passion for music beyond the festival grounds.

As part of the brand's commitment to supporting the Hispanic community, BMF secured and facilitated a partnership between the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities and Café Bustelo to award annual scholarships to deserving students of Hispanic heritage for their higher education.