Starbucks Fans Revel in the Return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte

If you've walked past a Starbucks in September of the last 12 years, you've probably noticed a sign similar to this.

This sign represents the return of the renowned Pumpkin Spice Latte, a product favorite that has brisk weather and changing leaves written all over it. For many people, this beverage has served as an annual indication of the beginning of Autumn, and has become a catalyst for other pumpkin-infused products from beer to air fresheners. This drink, a blend of espresso, steamed milk, and pumpkin flavors and spices, has been described by the Starbucks CEO as the most popular seasonal beverage that Starbucks has ever sold and has become a phenomenon that has permeated social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram.

In fact, the Pumpkin Spice Latte has its own Twitter and Instagram accounts (@TheRealPSL), which have a collective 139.1K followers to date. This account serves to entertain Starbucks drinkers and promote the tasty cold weather beverage.

Prior to the official return of the PSL in the Fall of 2015, @TheRealPSL tweeted an exclusive method for fans to get access to the drink before it hit stores.

Folllowing this, @TheRealPSL continued to market the return of the latte and other Fall-related Starbucks news, such as the introduction of the Fall 2015 cups and other new Fall favorites.

Starbucks took the PSL fanbase to a whole new level when it created a secret society that is gaining presence in the social media universe with the hashtag #OrangeSleeveSociety and #OfficialOrangeSleeveSociety. Inductees may be seen with a vibrant orange, knitted sleeve which reads "Team PSL." The selection process and benefits of being in the society remain unknown.

But the PSL account wasn't the only source publishing content to social. Pumpkin-obsessed Twittter and Instagram users were more than happy to do some free-promotion for Starbucks, and The Real PSL was more than happy to engage with them.

Which brings us to our closing question - is this pumpkin-flavored fixation becoming excessive? Is it an unneccessary cultural obsession, or marketing genious? According to a post by CBS News, the sales of pumpkin spice products topped $361 million last year - up 79% since 2011 - largely attributed to Starbucks' introduction of the Pumpkin Spice Latte in 2003. If you look up the hashtag #pumpkinspicelatte on Twitter or Instagram, your feed becomes filled with users getting #fall happy, posting photos of their seasonal coffees from various angles. If you google pumpkin spice, you can find brands you might not expect that are capitalizing on the popular seasonal flavor - Pringles, Oreos, Extra, Chobani, Bath & Body Works, Sweet Water, M&Ms, Glade, and even Pinnacle vodka, to name a few. It's become so prevelant during Fall that a stereotype has developed for pumpkin spice lovers, and many find humor in the obsession.

So next time you order a PSL at Starbucks, ask yourself: Are you ordering it because A) it's only offered for a limited time, B) it makes you feel "warm and fuzzy" inside, C) the marketing takeover has sparked your interest, or D) because it's pumpkin spice perfection only found in two places, heaven and Starbucks. Since I find all of the above to be both ridiculous and true, you might find me with all the crazy pumpkin fanatics in that Starbucks line. Cheers.

#PSL #Starbucks #PumpkinSpiceLatte #latte #coffee