Attention Coffee Drinkers!

I am currently enrolled as a student at Kennesaw State University and for a project in my English 1102 class I was required to pick a place to research. Out of all the places I could have choose, Starbucks stood out the most to me. There were many things about Starbucks that I was very curious about. The biggest question being, what makes this coffee shop so different from the rest of its competition? Why are they the most well known brand name in the coffee industry? Its not just because the quality of their coffee beans are better than most. Theres something about his place, other than coffee, that makes it special. I came to the conclusion that Starbucks is the most well known coffee brand in the world due to its trendy marketing strategies that allow consumers to view this company as a leading coffee shop moving towards creating a better world. 

The slogan,"Its not just coffee its Starbucks," is right on money when it comes to what the average Starbucks coffee drinker pays for. People don't pay really expensive coffee prices just because they enjoy their coffee. When you buy Starbucks products you paying for the experience. Their marketing strategies have created an image in the minds of the consumers that they are better. From their efforts to reducing wastes by recycling to their outreach programs that give back to the community, they have created their own little world. Thanks to Starbucks, we are a few steps closer to creating a better world. They have been a great example for other companies to follow. Just think about the kinds of companies you support when purchase their product. What are you really paying for? At least with Starbucks you know you money is going to somewhat benefit your community.

Good Memories

My first memory of Starbucks was by far the most memorable experience I have had their. It was the night before my math test and I didn't know the material as well as I should have. So I decided to ask this girl who sat next to me in class if she wanted to go over the test. She also happened to be someone who I had been crushing on for quite some time. She ended up saying yes and asked me if I wanted to study at the Starbucks close to my house. Not a lot of studying actually occurred during that time and even though my test results showed from it I definitely don't regret the time I spent. It was the first of many Starbucks dates to come.

     Another priceless date that I have had with Starbucks was when I drove to Tampa, Florida two weekends ago with three of my best friends to attend a leadership conference for my fraternity. It just so happened that my uncle lived only two miles away from the University of Tampa, where they held the annual convention. My friends and I were able to crash at his extravagant bachelor pad that looked over the city of Tampa. The Yuengling family has a condo on the floor below him if that says anything. The morning before the conference I went to Starbucks with my uncle to meet up with my mom, who had just flown in from Atlanta because she had a meeting. The morning was absolutely beautiful in every aspect. It was gorgeous weather in Tampa being seventy-nine degrees along with clear skies to create the perfect mood to enjoy a nice breakfast with my mom.

Music!

     I have noticed through deep thought and observation that the music seems purposely picked out so that it is unknown to the majority of the customers. There is about a one in fifty chance that a person will actually hear a song that he or she knows. If they played very popular artists that most people have heard of, it is possible customers would be unable to focus on whatever they were doing. Through many years of trial and error, I have learned that I am most productive while doing schoolwork when listening to music that I cannot understand, like rap. Listening to genres like country and pop where I understand the lyrics and can even sing along in my head, prevents me from working. I find it interesting that the music is used to set the tone and mood without anyone ever really realizing it."We're trying to make music selections that fit a customer demographic that's broad and, with that, we've tried to provide great music"(NYTimes) I found an interesting article about the success Starbucks has had over the year with the music industry.  I posted a link at the bottom. I think that its very interesting. I hope anyone that reads this will enjoy it. 

"Music can lift us out of depression or move us to tears – it is a remedy, a tonic, orange juice for the ear. But for many of my neurological patients, music is even more – it can provide access, even when no medication can, to movement, to speech, to life. For them, music is not a luxury, but a necessity."

– Oliver Sacks

On occasions Starbucks puts quotes on their cups. I found this one and thought it was interesting.

Slogan "Its not just coffee its Starbucks"

     The marketing strategies behind this creative atmosphere have played a pivotal role in the success of this business. What makes Starbucks atmosphere so distinct in today’s world is its lack of distractions. While observing the differences between this particular coffee shop and other types of franchises similar to it, I realized how many distractions out there that are only subconsciously noticed. Most restaurants these days are filled with televisions from wall-to-wall. It is almost impossible to sit down and have a nice conversation with someone over dinner or lunch with the constant interruption of television. Starbucks encourages and advertises the ability to stay and enjoy a fresh batch of quality coffee.
     Everything about Starbucks is unique and has been designed to stay in style along with the time period. From the very calm and relaxing décor to the nicely lit illumination of the room, almost every aspect about this coffee chain has been purposely laid out to suit all different comfort levels.In some parts of the shop there are bright lights while on the other there are dimmer lights. This is done in order to accommodate customers of every preference. All these little things add up to create a peaceful atmosphere for their clientele.

Interviews

         I interviewed my older brother, Nathan Souheaver, who currently works at the Starbucks location closest to my home in Suwanee, Georgia. It was a thirty-five minute long interview in which Nathan explained to me the benefits and job training that come along with working there. The information that I obtained from my interview completely backed up the standpoint I was already planning on writing my paper on. He informed me of the training techniques they were taught on how to provide the best customer service. He gave me examples of situations in which customers were displeased with their service and how they would deal with them. He also filled me in on all the benefits that come along with working for them such as stock options, healthy working conditions, scholarships, and flexible scheduling.
          I also interview my best friend’s Dad, Hugh Buice, who has been a habitual Starbucks consumer for many years. We sat down for forty-five minutes at the Starbucks closest to my home, where I interviewed him over a fresh cup of vanilla latte. Mr. Hugh filled me in on his first encounter with the Starbucks in the Mall of Georgia many years ago when it first opened. He portrayed his first encounter as one of intimidation and bewilderment of what and how exactly he was going to order. He claimed that technology such as the espresso machine along with the other trendy advancements that did not exist in traditional coffee shops, drew in the younger crowds. He proclaimed that this first experience triggered a new meaning of coffee for him. He since then strongly believes in the quality Starbucks coffee beans have to offer compared to anything else in the coffee industry.
           Having two interviews with people on opposite ends of the spectrum gave me good perspectives of how Starbucks markets itself in many different aspects of the business to create such a well-known, respectable brand.  

Going Green!

There are many things that I've learned about Starbucks this semester that I have found really interesting. Starbucks has made an enormous effort towards reducing wastes and helping out the environment. Over the years Starbucks has progressively made new technology to reduce the wast of natural resources. For example, a few years back they came out with cup sleeves so that people would not double stack cups in order to prevent burning their hands from the hot coffee. Their latest invention was a cup made up of recycled waste from their own product. It also was thick enough so that customers would not even need cup sleeves. If you look on their main website under their "Responsibilities" column you can find all of their latests techniques for going green. They will even show you a timeline of how their technology has improved over the years and the percentage of wastes prevented. They also list their future goals and ideas for the direction they plan on heading in. You can obviously tell that that they have spent a lot of time and money in moving towards an overall greener image. Not only will you find out about Starbucks strive to become a greener company under their "Responsibilities" heading on their website, you will also find out  coffee shop trying to better the community by offering scholarships, random outreach projects, and loads of charitable donations.