September 21, 2026 by Makenzie Yoder
For my customer persona research, I chose Starbucks because it is a brand that has become part of many customers’ everyday routines. Starbucks is more than a place to buy coffee. Customers use Starbucks to study, work, socialize, relax, and try new drinks. The company also uses customization, mobile ordering, and its Rewards program to make the experience more convenient and personal.
After looking at Starbucks’ customers, products, social media presence, and overall customer experience, I created a customer persona named Jess Koleman.
The Persona: Jess Koleman
Jess Koleman is a 22-year-old college student who also works part-time as a marketing assistant. She has a busy schedule balancing school, work, friends, and her personal life. Starbucks fits into her routine because she can quickly get a drink before class, study at a Starbucks location, or meet up with friends. Jess represents a younger Starbucks customer who values convenience, personalization, quality, and social experiences.
Demographic Information
Jess is 22 years old and currently attending college. She works part-time as a marketing assistant and has a moderate income. She lives in a suburban or college-community environment where Starbucks is easily accessible. The larger Starbucks customer base includes high school and college students, young professionals, working adults, teachers, healthcare workers, and other customers with different income levels and lifestyles.
What Jess Cares About
Jess has a very fast-paced lifestyle. Between classes, work, studying, and social activities, she does not have a lot of extra time.
She enjoys:
- Coffee and other specialty drinks
- Studying and working
- Spending time with friends
- Social media
- Entertainment
- Trying new and trending drinks
Convenience is especially important to her. She wants to be able to order a drink quickly and customize it to her preferences. Starbucks fits this lifestyle because customers can customize drinks, order through the Starbucks app, and earn rewards through the Starbucks Rewards program.
Why Jess Goes to Starbucks
Jess does not necessarily go to Starbucks only because she needs coffee. Sometimes she needs energy before class. Other times she wants somewhere to study or work. She might also meet a friend at Starbucks or stop by because she saw a new drink trending on TikTok. This makes Starbucks part of her daily routine. For Jess, the Starbucks experience can provide several things at once:
Coffee + convenience + customization + social experience + rewards
That combination gives her more reasons to return.
Jess’s Buying Behavior
Jess may purchase Starbucks several times a week and occasionally even every day. Her typical purchase is a customized coffee or tea, although she may purchase food as well. Her buying process often starts online. She might see a new drink on TikTok or Instagram and become interested in trying it. She then looks up the drink, finds it in the Starbucks app, chooses her customizations, places her order, and earns Rewards. If she enjoys the drink, she may order it again. The cycle can continue when she sees another Starbucks drink or promotion on social media.
Jess’s Customer Journey
Social media → New drink or promotion → Starbucks app → Customization → Mobile order → Starbucks Rewards → Repeat purchase
This customer journey shows why social media and the Starbucks app are important parts of the customer experience.
Starbucks Helps Solve Jess’s Problems
Jess has a busy schedule, and Starbucks gives her several ways to save time and stay productive. For example, mobile ordering allows her to order before arriving at the store. She can also customize her drink rather than settling for a standard option. Starbucks locations can also provide a place for Jess to study, work, or socialize. The Starbucks Rewards program gives her another reason to continue purchasing from the company. Starbucks has continued to develop its Rewards program around personalization and customer engagement. The company has also emphasized improving the customer experience and strengthening connections between customers and baristas. For a customer like Jess, these features can make Starbucks feel less like a simple coffee purchase and more like part of her routine.
The Biggest Objection: Price
The biggest problem Starbucks faces with a customer like Jess is price. As a college student and part-time worker, Jess has to think about how she spends her money. She can make coffee at home or purchase coffee from a less expensive competitor. That creates an important question:
“Is Starbucks worth the price?”
Starbucks has to provide enough value to convince customers that the convenience, customization, quality, atmosphere, and Rewards benefits are worth paying more for. If Jess decides the price is too high, she has plenty of alternatives.
What Influences Jess?
Jess is influenced by several different sources. Her friends and coworkers may recommend drinks to her. Social-media influencers can introduce her to new Starbucks drinks or customizations. Celebrities and trending content can also create interest in particular products.
Her primary media platforms include:
- TikTok
- YouTube
- Podcasts
- Other social-media platforms
This is important because Starbucks can reach customers like Jess before they even enter a store. A customer may discover a drink online, become curious about it, and then turn that interest into a purchase.
The Starbucks Experience
One of the most interesting parts of Starbucks’ customer persona is that the company focuses on the experience surrounding the coffee. The environment, music, store design, customer service, drink customization, and interactions with baristas can all contribute to how customers feel about the brand. For Jess, that means her experience does not end when she receives her drink. She might sit down and study for an hour, talk with a friend, work on an assignment, or simply take a break from her busy day.
What I Would Do With This
If I were working on Starbucks’ marketing strategy, I would focus heavily on the connection between social media, personalization, and the Starbucks Rewards program. Jess is already spending time on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Starbucks can use those platforms to introduce her to new products and encourage her to try them. The next step is getting her to make the purchase through the Starbucks app and giving her a reason to come back. The biggest opportunity is turning a single purchase into a habit.
The Biggest Takeaway
My biggest takeaway from this customer persona is that Starbucks is not simply selling coffee to customers like Jess. It is selling convenience, personalization, experiences, and routine. Jess might initially visit Starbucks because she wants a coffee. However, she can become a repeat customer because Starbucks fits into her lifestyle. She can order from her phone, customize her drink, earn rewards, study at the store, meet friends, and discover new products through social media. That is what makes Jess Koleman a useful customer persona for Starbucks. She represents a customer who does not just purchase a product from Starbucks — she incorporates the brand into her everyday life.
Sources
Starbucks | Description, History, & Facts | Britannica Money
The Starbucks turnaround is happening one customer connection at a time