Caribou Coffee Case Study

Caribou Coffee was in a difficult situation in 2013, facing declining sales, over 80 store closures, and scrutiny of the company on social media following the store closures, according to Forbes.com. Forbes cites that Caribou did little to communicate clearly which locations were closing, the reasons behind the closures, and what, if any, employee placement assistance was provided to the employees of the shuttered stores. The company Facebook page was ridden with negative user comments following the closings.
The company needed to use this negative situation as a means of opportunity to encourage positive feedback and brand awareness in its key American Midwest market that was receiving increased corporate focus following the closures. The