VMG believes that every communication—B2C, B2B, internal, external, etc.—should be engaging and relatable, because every type of communication is still, fundamentally, people talking to people. Or possibly beans talking to people. We’ll explain: In 2017, Starbucks’ HR team asked us to make a single animated video about the company’s stock sharing plan. So, we developed animated co ee beans as a storytelling device.
Spoiler alert: The Beans—as everyone now calls them—were an instant hit, and we’ve been making Bean-based videos for Starbucks ever since.
The beauty of the Beans as a communication device is that they are human-like but not actually human, of course. So, when we see them it’s various harrowing situations, it’s relatable but not truly frightening.
With 50+ locations in our environment library, the Beans have traveled all over the world. From barista to biochemist, the Beans have done it all—only to adjust their bow tie and do it all over again.
What began as a one-off animated explainer video subsequently blossomed into a multi-year (and still going strong) relationship encompassing multiple Starbucks teams, dozens of videos, and more than 100 unique Bean characters created to date.