The Other Dan(ny) Brown

I have always been an anti-instant coffee kind of woman. But two weeks ago, my coffee pot broke. This coincided with the Starbucks Via taste testing campaign. I participated, and ate my words about instant.

Not only was this a great way to market a product I was pre-disposed to hate, but now I'm a fan.

Instant will never replace my mocha. But to your point, it gets the job done.

Funny thing is, I was thinking of the Via coffee when I wrote this, and wondering if there's a chance that a company could actually dilute its key sales product by making a quality alternative? I guess Starbucks won't care as the profits still go to them, but folks in the coffee houses might if it affects their jobs....

But yes, it is a great instant!

Great topic Danny! Allow me to embarrass myself with how obsessed I am with coffee and with Starbucks particularly (and forgive me if I waver off-track here). I read Howard Schultz’s “Pour Your Heart into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time,” a few years back and he discusses how Starbucks was founded/its principles of capitalizing on the atmosphere of the coffee shop. Starbucks was meant to be focused on great service, great coffee and above all, the experience. In other words, Starbucks now having drive-thrus and instant coffee irks the “die-hards” like me. BUT, Starbucks did and does have to evolve with changing times. Can’t blame them for that.

Thanks, Danny!

@kottavio

fantastic point danny. its important to offer clients a wide range of services. and yes, sometimes instant is very useful to hold a clients attention.

Great point, Kate! I think that can be the danger that big corporations face - how do we keep the small family mantra that launched us? Some are doing it really well, some not so much. Yet all it needs is to get the right mindset from the top, filter it down to all the employees, and make your employees your customers as well. Let them help guide what the fan wants, and that's going to come through to the "actual fan" (customer) organically.

Maybe the "My Starbucks Idea" is a way for Stabucks to get this feeling back? Although I have to admit, I prefer the small coffee house feel over the big company guys any time :)