How do you come up with marketing ideas?
We start by listening to our customers, then use market insight as well as feedback from our in-store teams. Our customers are at the heart of any food development initiatives, and we continually trial different products, fresh methods of cooking food and additional ways of merchandising in our stores.
Describe the marketing team in three words
Dynamic, driven and passionate.
What is the main marketing challenge you face?
Finding a platform to boost brand awareness and communication in a genuine way that reflects our core values. Great coffee is our overarching message, but a challenging one to promote.
What are the perks?
We get free Costa Coffee, hand-made by a barista, whenever we want it. There is also a mock-up store as soon as you walk through the doors of our headquarters, complete with comfy leather sofas and newspapers.
Is there a dress code?
Smart casual.
Does the marketing team socialise outside office hours?
We tend to get together once a month in London.
What are the hours like?
Sometimes long, but they are flexible to suit individuals.
What is the company like for training and career progression?
There are lots of opportunities for employees at all levels and we can cross over internally to work on any of parent company Whitbread's other brands.
What about the salary and benefits package?
It is well balanced and good for the wide variety of employees.
Company facts
- Costa's headquarters are at Whitbread Court, Houghton Hall Business Park, Porz Avenue, Dunstable, LU5 5XE.
- It employs 5948 staff in the UK, 14 of whom are marketers.
- Key brands within the Whitbread parent company include Costa, Premier Inn, Brewers Fayre and Beefeater.
- Costa has 821 stores in the UK and more than 1000 globally.
- Costa was acquired by Whitbread in October 1995.Over the past few years Costa has opened, on average, one store every four days.