Starbucks testing $1-a-cup coffee, with free refills (CAW)

Original Starbucks© logo
Apparently some old biddy or someone in Marketing thought the original logo was too risqué. So they changed it to the one you're familiar with.


Actually they've used at least four logos I'm aware of in their history since 1971.

OK. This is news and probably good news to many, but it also gives me a chance to post one of my favorite pictures.

Faced with growing competition from cheaper rivals, Starbucks is selling small cups of drip coffee for $1 with free refills as part of a test in its hometown [Seattle].

Hahaha. All you guys out there thought my favorite would be this one, right?


Click for larger...uh, image
BTW: You are right. It is one of my favorite photos.

Yes, there is a difference. The name Starbucks© is copyrighted and the logo is a registered trademark - ®.

Via National News.

Starbucks©

A rare treat for SPIIDERWEB™ readers, I'm going to give you the advantage of my business acumen.

The board of directors at Starbucks© may not be weasels (my last post?).

Any CEO who didn't go to the board and suggest closing U.S. stores that weren't performing well, introducing new products and store designs, and improving training for baristas as well as taking some of the capital originally intended for U.S. store growth and use it to accelerate international expansion where profits are better deserves to get sacked.

At the very least it would be the board's decision to forgo such plans and he'd have covered his ass. So that speaks to his intelligence and corporate sense.

As for saturating certain markets, as some analysts suspect, I believe McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts, not to mention 7-11, have pretty much proved that's fairly hard to do. Some of their stores are no more than a five minutes walk apart. And lopping off the poorest performing stores would definitely correct that problem.

The legal department, comptroller, those are difficult areas. Day to day planning, strategy, tactics isn't that difficult with a decent staff. They do the analysis, crunch the numbers and most decisions are common sense.

Any comments to expand on this or critique it are very welcome. Hey, I didn't get straight A's in Business Administration, but I did in Psychology. Ya need help?

Starbucks dumps CEO, shares blast off

Original Starbucks© logo.
Considered too sexy.

This is the most complete story I ran into.

There always has to be a scapegoat doesn't there?

Why can't Jim Donald make these changes. They're so simple a ten year old could pull it off. He was only in office a couple years just as the current economic downturn hit and he's taking the fall?

The fucking weasels.

No specific reason was given in the story as to why he needs replacing.

Starbucks Corp. said Monday it is returning its chairman, Howard Schultz, to the chief executive's job to lead a major restructuring initiative, replacing CEO Jim Donald.

The move, coupled with plans to open new U.S. stores at a slower pace, comes as the world's largest chain of coffee houses has seen its stock plummet 50 percent over the last year amid declining traffic in its domestic stores.

Starbucks' announcement after regular markets closed sent the company's shares up $1.67, or 9 percent, in after-hours trading. The shares had gained 27 cents to $18.38 in the regular session.

Starbucks (SBUX, Fortune 500) said the leadership shuffle is part of a series of other initiatives include closing U.S. stores that aren't performing well, introducing new products and store designs, and improving training for baristas.

The company said it plans to take some of the capital originally intended for U.S. store growth and use it to accelerate its international expansion.

Schultz said he is returning to the CEO role "for the long term" and that his agenda will also include streamlining the company's management.

Schultz previously served as CEO from 1987 to 2000.

Donald had been CEO since March 2005, when he was promoted from president of the company's North American division to replace Orin Smith, who retired.

The world's largest chain of coffee houses has struggled in recent months as consumers have cut back on spending amid declining home values and higher fuel prices. Meanwhile, competitors like Dunkin' Donuts and McDonald's Corp (MCD, Fortune 500). have cut into Starbucks' customer base by launching their own lines of gourmet coffee.

Jim Donald could always put "Mc" in front of his name and go to the competition.

And as for McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts, its gonna be difficult for anyone to compete if their gourmet coffees are just as good as Starbucks©, considering the volume of customers those two get. And they gots fries and donuts! Mmmm.

Personally, I like coffee black and strong enough to melt a spoon. And definitely without cinimmon, foam, whip cream and whatever fucking else Starbucks©, puts into it.

Via CNN Money.

For your amusement

I may do this sort of post now and again. That is until one of the corporations issues a cease and desist order. If you have any bastardized logos, please send me the info.

It started with the ol' Starbucks© logo.


And now on to McDonalds©.