From the Starbucks Idea Blog: blogs.starbucks.com

We've been writing a lot about mobile strategy lately on our Mindshare blog. The Starbucks Card Mobile app is a great example of a digital solution which aligns with our recommended guiding principles for a strong mobile strategy, such as: Considering the mobile device as part of a larger ecosystem of opportunity; Investing in a user-centric approach; and of course, Tailoring the experience to the device.

Starbucks has always been a leader in consistent, 360° customer experience and this new Starbucks Card Mobile app is no exception — this simple app makes it more convenient for the company's mobile device customers to pay for their purchases, easily spend more money reloading their accounts, and enables easy participation in a program which rewards them for loyalty — convenience, deeper brand engagement, loyalty, while also providing a fun experience for customers. Starbucks is brilliant at marketing, and extending customer experience and customer loyalty programs into the digital domain is a natural. What's noteworthy, though, is that Starbucks did so in a way that created a whole new facet to customer interactions — they didn't just optimize their site for mobile or come up with a random iPhone app that helps you find their nearest location (though they do have an app for that) — instead they created yet another avenue for deeper customer loyalty, and I'd bet they see an increased revenue stream as a result.