Wednesday Wisdom: Starbucks Efficiency Trap

saraboostani

Hi all,

Hope you're all having a great Wednesday (Wisdom 😉💫).

So many great reads out there, so little time - here’s a shorty but goodie!

Our Head of Research, @Kerry, draws a sharp parallel between Starbucks’ shift to mobile ordering and how B2B marketing became overly industrialized. While Starbucks streamlined operations via mobile ordering, they quietly hollowed out the experience that built loyalty. In B2B, marketers optimized for speed and scale - through lead scoring, email cadences, and SDR outreach - only to lose the connection, trust, and brand warmth that drive real engagement.

Kerry challenges us to rethink what marketing should look like in the age of AI: not less automation, but more human intention. The piece lays out a clear path forward - where automation handles the mechanics, and marketers reclaim the creative, connective work that builds long-term buyer relationships.

A must-read - if I do say so myself!

https://6sense.com/science-of-b2b/starbucks-and-the-efficiency-trap-lessons-in-the-mechanization-of-the-brand/