February 8, 2005
starbucks
Hugh MacLeod
I'm a cartoonist.
I sell limited-edition prints.
I wrote a book.
I'm CEO of Stormhoek USA, which markets South African wine in the States.
I also draw private commissions.
Prints |
Opening | Current |
|---|---|---|
Bluetrain |
$900 | |
We Need to Talk |
$650 | |
Portfolio #2 |
$300 | |
NY NY |
$275 |
Heh.
Nice.
I don’t understand how you can call the megabrand Starbucks “generic.” Isn’t the definition of generic not branded, or has that changed?
On the one hand you say branding is bad, but now generic is bad, too? What am I missing here?
Starbucks was first and had a damned good idea. What would make them not generic, in your mind? Honestly, I’d like to know.
I get the expensive part.
Barbara,
http://www.gapingvoid.com/Moveable_Type/archives/001367.html
Tag! You’re it!
Gee, Barb, what is it like to work for SBUX?
Do they really require workers to bow toward what’s his name’s office three times a day?
Hopefully the coffee is better at HQ than in their stores. The coffee IS generic or burnt — depending on how much you know about coffee. At some point, ubiquity won’t overcome mediocrity in product.
That can’t be right, can it? After all, there are too many examples to the contrary.
Like Hugh’s run on about PCs vs. Macs, I do think the lady protest too much.
Did you know that in Perth, Western Australia, Starbucks doesn’t even EXIST?
It’s like a fairy land, where cafes are not McDonalds’ style chains, and Burger King is for some unknown reason called “Hungry Jacks”.
I didn’t walk into a Starbucks until I was 27 years old.
Ha! How many of you can say that?