It’s a little bit of sticker shock, but traditional physical stickers have made a comeback in restaurant marketing.
Beverage brands seem to adhere well to stickers, but other food brands are making their mark. From Dutch Bros Inc., which has more than 60,000 followers on its sticker-drop Facebook page, to Scooter’s Coffee and Island Fin Poke, restaurant brands are riding the sticker wave.
Tana Davila, chief marketing officer for Grants Pass, Ore.-based Dutch Bros, said, “Stickers have been part of the Dutch Bros culture since 1999. They started as a simple way to share the ‘Dutch Luv’ and connect with our customers. They’ve turned into a phenomenon of sorts, with several sticker fan pages, swap groups, and even sales pages.”
The sticker designs have caught on with customers.
“Several of our designs are considered collectors’ items by our fans, and we frequently get pictures and stories from customers who have been building their collections for years,” Davila said via email.
Stickers, which show up far from drive-thru cup holders to laptop decorations and scrapbooks, have become a vital part of the strategy at Dutch Bros, which had 950 locations in 18 states as of Sept. 30.
“Stickers are an essential part of our marketing strategy,” Davila said. “They help tell the Dutch Bros story and continue to create moments of connection between our customers and ‘broistas.’”
“We are constantly coming up with new themes for our stickers based on the time of the year, new menu items, trends in pop culture and more,” Davila explained. The current sticker is a silvered holiday ornament that boldly states: “Groovy and Bright.”
Customers can get Dutch Bros stickers with purchases at their local Dutch Bros shop on the first Wednesday of every month. One Facebook page alerts customers to the sticker drop.
“They can also earn digital stickers through our app and Dutch Rewards program, creating excitement that brings people back while strengthening their connection to our brand,” Davila said.
