Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Free Porn With Every Purchase From Starbucks?

At least that is what the Christian group, The Resistance, wants you to believe. Starbucks, as part of a campaign to roll out a new roast (Pike Place Roast) that could compete with cheaper coffee chains, such as Dunkin' Donuts, rolled out with a new logo on their cups. However, The Resistance is so disturbed about the new logo Starbucks is using, it is calling for a boycott of Starbucks and thinks the company should be renamed Slutbucks. Just in case you have not seen the new logo, here it is. The Resistance's press release is upset that the logo has "a topless mermaid with her legs spread." Not to be picky, but does a mermaid actually have legs? And, is the logo so bad or offensive, that Starbucks should be boycotted?

If anything, the new logo has generated some publicity for Starbucks, and as my marketing professor said in college, free publicity is always better than no publicity. It is just a matter of whether Starbucks will be able to spin it in their favor. However you do have to question Starbucks' move. It is true, that the new brown background will grab people's attention because everyone is now used to the bright green background. However, whenever you think of the color brown and a company, UPS comes to mind. Why didn't they choose another bright color? Regardless of the reasons, as evidenced by this blog, Starbucks' CEO Howard Schultz is getting exactly what he wants: pople to talk about the cup and Starbucks.

It is interesting to note that the Wall Street Journal has a poll asking, "Is the new Starbucks cup with its brown, retro logo better or worse than the traditional green-logo version? The results, at the time of this posting, show that over 60% of those participating or over 1,000 people think the new cup is worse.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would be one of those people who voted that they like the old logo better. I think Starbucks made a poor choice switching to this new retro look. However, I'm not up in arms about the naked chest, or the possibility of a "mergina" (as penned on 99.5 radio) since really, this is a fictional character we're seeing who doesn't really even show those parts. Frankly, I think the retro cup is just plain ugly. If I want Starbucks, the new logo isn't going to stop me from buying it. However, I'd much rather look at the old, pretty green logo on my cup than some mer-boobs. It just makes for a more pleasant coffee-sipping experience.

Alli Oops said...

obviously not west coasters. That logo is the very first logo Starbucks ever used at their original one off coffee shop at Pike's market. It is not a 'new' logo, but a retro logo of days past (1971?). The 'old' logo you refer to is indeed the new logo. Confused yet? The original Starbucks location still uses the old logo and the store interior is still in browns, not the modern green of today's giant chain.

I like the old logo. It speaks volumes of the early 70's Seattle scene.

Cheers,
Alli Oops
What Day Is It Anyway