Companies and Online Communication

 For this week's bog post, I have chosen to take a look at Dutch Bros. They have a very present social media presence. 

When looking at the Dutch Bros website, they feature their seasonal drinks at the very top. It has a button to begin an online order, which encourages customers to place an order and visit their nearest location. As you begin to scroll, you are able to access more of their menu, as well as a promotion to download their app. At the bottom of the website, there are different links that take you to different places, for example Dutch Bros' story, their impact, career opportunities, and more. 

The structure of their website is perfect for showing guests what drinks the store has to offer, promote seasonal items, and also encourage customers to download their app to earn points, which lead to rewards. Their use of bright colors draws the customer in and makes the website more visually appealing. 

When taking a look at Dutch Bros' Instagram, they show different variations of their drinks. They also collaborate with different people, who are partnered with the company to create content. I think that this gives customers a sense of community when they stop at Dutch Bros, as well as a sense of belonging. 

When looking at their TikTok page, they tend to showcase younger people enjoying drinks. They also include relatable things into their posts, which drives engagement with customers through social media. 

Overall, I think that Dutch Bros does a good job of using social media platforms to engage with customers and bring more traction into the business. By combining different elements together, they are able to drive engagement with their social media platforms, promote new items, and gain loyalty from customers. “Rhetoric is the deliberate, self-aware, goal-oriented use of language to influence people” (Campbell, Huxman, & Burkholder, 2014, p. 3).

Dutch Bros as a whole identifies as a company that cares about their community, they support different causes, and they boast the motto "love all, serve all". This company displays its inclusivity proudly and allows their employees to express themselves. 

One area for improvement that I have noticed is easier accessibility for their website. There is no alternative text underneath pictures that are included on the website, and that may be difficult for someone to get the full experience of the website if they have a disability. 

References

https://assets.rbl.ms/13615311/980x.jpg

https://img.vendingmarketwatch.com/files/base/cygnus/vmw/image/2021/06/Dutch_Bros_logo.60cb424e4a694.png?auto=format&dpr=2&w=720

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c0/61/95/c06195bcc885301c74bdd5a02ff267de.jpg

Campbell, K. K., Huxman, S. S., & Burkholder, T. A. (2014). The rhetorical act: Thinking, speaking, and writing critically (5th ed.). Cengage Learning.