What marketing factors contribute to the exclusivity and vip appeal of the pumpkin spice latte?The marketing factors that contribute to the exclusivity and VIP appeal of the pumpkin spice latte include limited availability and seasonal promotion. According to an article from Forbes, Starbucks initially launched the pumpkin spice latte as a limited-time offer, creating a sense of scarcity and exclusivity. Pumpkin spice season is here, but tariffs could make your favorite fall flavors more expensive. From cinnamon to nutmeg, most spices are imported, and new trade costs may hit grocery shelves, restaurants and even your pumpkin spice latte.Why do we love pumpkin spice? Science journalist Alice Gray said the smell rather than the taste of pumpkin spice products is key. The spices used in the pumpkin spice latte have strong associations with holiday seasons, and likely some comforting memories, she said.The Numbers Behind the Gourd The pumpkin spice market in the US is worth over half a billion dollars annually. Starbucks generates about 10% of its seasonal revenue from the PSL alone. Every fall, pumpkin spice product sales grow 10–15% compared to the previous season.One common criticism surrounding pumpkin spice products is that many of them don’t actually contain pumpkin. This makes sense since pumpkin spice is just a blend of spices used to flavor pumpkin desserts.
What can you learn from the pumpkin spice marketing phenomenon?
The pumpkin spice marketing phenomenon says that out-of-the-box thinking can be successful if you stay true to your brand. Positive feedback and interaction can be a great stepping stone to letting your creativity wild. Pumpkin spice became popular in American kitchens as settlers used it to enhance the flavor of pumpkin pie, a dessert that quickly became a staple of autumnal feasts.From supporting your heart health and healthy vision to aiding digestion and boosting your immune system, pumpkin and pumpkin spice can be valuable additions to your diet with numerous health benefits. Always consult your primary care physician before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.According to the McCormick Proprietary Consumer Survey for 2025, a whopping 72% of respondents use pumpkin pie spice at least once a week. Breaking that down further, 25% of respondents use it daily, 32% of respondents use it multiple times per week, and 15% use it weekly.
How does Starbucks promote the pumpkin spice latte?
Social Media Marketing A pumpkin spice latte is mentioned at every turn, urging you to try the drink yourself. Starbucks’ vast social media marketing continues when they create social media accounts from the personified PSL itself, something that had never been done before in the quick-serve coffee industry. You can’t talk about pumpkin spice without the three letters P-S-L coming up, or Pumpkin Spice Latte. The big boom of pumpkin spice truly came in the 1990s with the launch of the PSL. A little coffee shop named Starbucks launched the PSL, hesitantly, and initiated the pumpkin spice craze.The big boom of pumpkin spice truly came in the 1990s with the launch of the PSL. A little coffee shop named Starbucks launched the PSL, hesitantly, and initiated the pumpkin spice craze. The latte became the talk of the town with customers everywhere patiently awaiting the fall season just for their coveted PSL.Peter Dukes, the father of what would become the brand’s fan-favorite beverage, the Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL), tells PEOPLE that pumpkin-flavored things weren’t very popular at the time. We started to brainstorm different ideas that would resonate in the fall seasonal time period.PSA for all PSL lovers: Your beloved seasonal pumpkin spice latte is easy to re-create at home! This syrup is also delicious drizzled over classic pancakes and waffles or even plain oatmeal to take breakfast up a notch.What do you think are the main reasons for the enduring appeal of pumpkin spice flavored products?The spices used in the pumpkin spice latte have strong associations with holiday seasons, and likely some comforting memories, she said. So when you smell those spices, it will immediately activate emotive memories of joy, warmth and happiness. Smell and Association Two Krieger School perception researchers say a key to understanding why people love pumpkin spice is the smell of it. Those notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger trigger deeply rooted cozy memories of autumn.
Why did pumpkin spice become popular?
Some think it relates way back to our colony days where pumpkins were one of the only crops the settlers could sustain and so, subconsciously, pumpkin reminds us of our roots. Others believe that the seasonal appeal of the pumpkin-flavor is what creates the allure. Either way, the pumpkin spice craze is here to stay. But what happens to all those pumpkins after the trick-or-treating and hayrides are done? The ones that aren’t turned into food end up at a local landfill and decompose into methane, a potent greenhouse gas that is contributing to climate change.Fruits and vegetables, especially pumpkins, have a lot of water content. They will create methane because they’re packed into the landfill in a no oxygen environment. This means they break down anaerobically, without oxygen, causing methane release.Key Takeaways While not every pumpkin has the same fate, the majority of pumpkin waste is sent to landfills, leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions, loss of biodiversity, and resource depletion. Pumpkin food waste goes far beyond the pumpkin itself.