Interesting AdAge article today – Starbucks is now venturing into “premium coffeehouses”. And by premium coffeehouse, Starbucks means one that entices customers to linger and lounge after work hours. The first experimental premium coffeehouse “Fifteenth Avenue Coffee and Tea, Inspired by Starbucks,” will open next week and offer various forms of entertainment such as live music and poetry reading (let’s hope they reject spoken word performances), film screenings (huh?), and, naturally, beer, wine and food stuffs.
Of course, piggybacking on current consumer trends and preferences is nothing new and neither is expanding service or product offerings in a bid to garner new business. This case, however, just feels a little tired. It’s Starbucks. Again. In the media. Offering new products. Products that hopefully do not contain the words ‘oat’ and ‘meal’. Ok, maybe they will sell ‘oatmeal’ stout. I stand corrected.
Every few months Starbucks rolls out a new concept. New concepts have included hot breakfast items, cheaper food and beverage prices and refined espresso systems (not using pre-ground coffee beans, experimenting with the french-press style of coffee making). As an avid coffee drinker (both at home and at the local coffeehouses I frequent), I can attest that all of Starbuck’s fresh concepts and offerings are nothing new compared to the local coffeehouse chains. And the local coffeehouses have been entertaining and comforting us for years. Great music, cozy seats, FREE wifi, community support by way of local publications and message boards – all of these details make up the majority of coffeehouses.
I’m all for adaptation. Starbucks was the first in many areas (we might not enjoy the plethora of local coffeehouses if it wasn’t for Starbucks), but this new “Fifteenth Avenue Coffee and Tea” cafe concept comes off as inauthentic.
I think Starbucks needs to stick to what it does best: providing a hot cup of joe to the bleary-eyed about to enter the workplace as well as providing a quiet place to get some work done. Starbucks hasn’t mastered “what they do best” yet. Locations are stale. Wi-fi comes at a price. Coffee is expensive and mediocre.
At the onset of a new business campaign, we only encourage clients to develop creative, collateral and email/calling campaigns around their core expertise. The targets are refined according to the client’s expertise, and we have a much better chance of delivering a qualified opportunity because the messages and pain points are truly engaging and speaking to the prospect. Alternatively, when a client pushes a new business campaign out to everyone with a generalized case study or two, the message seems too general and stale so it is often ignored.
I wish Starbucks would perfect its atmosphere, products, and customer service at their current locations because these aspects speak to me as a consumer of $5 coffee. Good vibes, good food and beverage and good service make a repeat customer and brand ambassador, not necessarily wine and open mic night.
Cheers to perfecting what your company does best and projecting that expertise onto the prospect to win fans, followers and new business.
