Seattle’s Best Offers 24 Hours of Free Coffee, Comedy on Facebook

A virtual comedy marathon begins April 13 at 1 p.m. Eastern when Starbucks-owned Seattle’s Best Coffee bows the 24-hour “Declare Your Level Show.” The Emerald City-based brand has joined forces with Chicago-based improvisation troupe Second City Communications for an innovative blend of coffee and comedy that allows Facebook fans to take part by providing content that will serve as the springboard for customized sketches, songs and one-liners.

The groundbreaking event is part of Seattle's Best’s multimillion-dollar marketing campaign in support of its recently introduced Level System, the brand’s simplified take on packaged coffee. The first 100,000 people to participate will receive a free sample of their preferred Level variety, from a light, crisp Level 1 to a bold, dark Level 5.

Twenty-one actors and five directors from Second City will ad lib for the “Declare Your Level Show” over the 24-hour period. Upon declaring their Level, participants will encounter congratulatory video inspired by their Level and starring Second City actors. Fans will then be placed in a queue to be one of approximately 1,000 people who’ll take part in the live show. When the fan-inspired sketches are completed, they’ll be posted directly to their respective Facebook Walls in a first-time use of this technology.

“When it comes to integrated marketing, so often you have to choose between driving an emotional brand connection or a hard-hitting product message; but the beauty of the ‘Declare Your Level Show’ is that it lands both in a very big way,” said Seattle’s Best Coffee president Michelle Gass. “We learned early on that Facebook is a great way to get our coffee into thousands of people’s hands, and this is just one of the many ways we plan to activate consumers as we build a long-term relationship with them.”

To participate, fans can “Like” the Seattle’s Best Coffee Facebook page at www.facebook.com/seattlesbestcoffee. They’ll then be asked to declare their Level and answer brief questions that will inspire the sketch. The first 100,000 people to declare their Level will get a free coffee sample that brews a 10-cup pot of coffee.

To get in on more of the action, fans can follow the brand on Twitter at @SeattlesBest.