How does sensory marketing play into the success of the Pumpkin Spice Latte?
The pumpkin spice latte‘s popularity is credited to a well-executed strategy of sensory marketing. Far from a simple pumpkin flavor, the blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and spices creates an aroma that helps those who indulge transcend time and places. The pumpkin spice latte (or psl) made its debut in starbucks in 2003: and since then it’s been a firm favorite loved by fans across north america. Its influence has ranged from coffee to pop culture and everything in between.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.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.At Starbucks, the pumpkin spice latte is usually served with 3 pumps of the brand’s signature Pumpkin Spice Syrup, which gives the drink roughly 40 grams of sugar. Ask your barista to opt for 2, or even 1 pump instead to keep up healthy eating habits while maintaining delicious flavor.While it’s unclear who the first person was to add pumpkin spice into a latte (the idea to combine the two likely wasn’t a Starbucks invention), the Starbucks employee credited with bringing the idea to the company is Peter Dukes, then the director of espresso, whose team created other seasonal drinks like the eggnog .
Why is pumpkin spice latte so popular?
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. The pumpkin spice latte’s popularity is credited to a well-executed strategy of Sensory Marketing. Far from a simple pumpkin flavor, the blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and spices creates an aroma that helps those who indulge transcend time and places.Pumpkin spice flavor is made up of two main chemicals: terpene hydrocarbons and phenolic compounds. Terpene hydrocarbons, like limonene and pinene, give pumpkin its unique smell. Phenolic compounds, including vanillin and eugenol, add the warm, spicy taste of pumpkin spice.A traditional and tried and true flavor of fall, pumpkin spice is the perfect combination of warm brown spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.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.Pumpkin pie spice, also known as pumpkin spice, is an American spice mix developed for flavoring the filling of a pumpkin pie.
What does Starbucks use for pumpkin spice flavor?
It’s great that Starbucks is using some all-natural additives, but the final ingredient is a common preservative. Its “Pumpkin Spice Topping” contains cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove, along with sulfiting agents, which help to prevent spoilage and discoloration in foods. In conclusion, Starbucks’ USP lies in its commitment to providing an exceptional customer experience, quality products, customization options, innovation, sustainability, and community engagement.The first key area of Starbucks’ new marketing strategy focuses on coffee. Niccol’s “Back to Starbucks” strategy aims to refocus the brand’s commitment to coffee by improving the product’s quality and committing to marketing efforts that showcase Starbucks’ “premium coffee beverages.The brand ensures that the aroma of freshly ground coffee beans is potent enough to elicit a sensory reaction from its customers. The pleasant lighting and the green and yellow store interiors create visuals that are a sight to sore eyes. The ‘sound of Starbucks’ is the soothing music; that ears will fall for.Starbucks Of course, Starbucks ranks high! They are the OG of the PSL and they use real pumpkin to make their famous drink. This one was so good—perfect spices, perfect pumpkin flavor, strong coffee flavor and it was creamy. What more can you ask for?
How many pumpkin spice lattes are sold by Starbucks every year?
Starbucks’ iconic Pumpkin Spice Latte, or PSL, launches today. The coffee giant sells about 20 million of the drink every year, raking in an estimated $500 million annually. 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.Pumpkin spice continues to reign as a seasonal heavyweight in 2025. Starbucks kicked off fall early this year, relaunching its iconic Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) on August 26 in hot, iced, and Frappuccino formats.Did you know Starbucks sells 20 million Pumpkin Spice Lattes (PSLs) every year—that’s over $800 million in pumpkin spice profits? This fall, what if you traded just a few of those PSLs for a different kind of PSL… Pour Some Love 👉 The average PSL costs $6.Starbucks’ PSL tapped into the huge market for pumpkin products. Its original version fell into the UPF definition and didn’t even contain pumpkin. Today, the PSL does include pumpkin as an ingredient. But it’s also made with some potentially harmful ingredients, including carrageenan, natural flavors and excess sugar.
When did pumpkin spice lattes become popular?
In late 2003, the final recipe was tested at select Starbucks locations in Vancouver and Washington, D. C. The pumpkin spice latte was subsequently rolled out to all U. S. Starbucks locations the following year. Starbucks began selling pumpkin spice lattes in late 2003. It obtained a trademark for the abbreviation PSL in 2015. The flavor has inspired a range of seasonal product variations. The pumpkin spice latte has since been offered by chains including Dunkin’ Donuts and McDonald’s.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.Roughly 20 million pumpkin spice lattes cross the coffee counter each year — that’s a lot of sweater weather fuel. For a drink that’s been available since 2003, it’s difficult to consider it anything other than a success.The seasonal nature of a pumpkin spice latte hacks into the hunter-gatherer parts of our psychology, said Alice. The fact that you can only get them in autumn gives them a sense of scarcity, which drives our desire to get our hands on them.Why is the Pumpkin Spice Latte an excellent example of a successful marketing campaign?The pumpkin spice campaign is a great example of storytelling through the senses,” Harmeling said. It activates nostalgia through smells and tastes. Smell and taste can vividly evoke emotional memories that are pleasant to activate. 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.