In case you have not seen the news, Howard Schultz is back to save Starbucks. One of the words I keep hearing him use is “romance.” When I think of coffee and romance together I get a mental image of a quite, little coffee store with an unassuming little man in a white coat serving me the perfect espresso.I was sitting in a Starbucks the other day trying to have a quick meeting with a business colleague and the noise was almost deafening – “non-fat, extra hot double tall latte” a barista would yell followed by “Cinnamon Dolce Frappuccino with a triple shot and light ice” topped off by a double rendition of “Honey Latte, light whip, extra honey with a triple shot”…..arrrrghhhhh
If Mr Schultz is hell bent on using the Burger King (have it your way!) USP as his platform for growth fine (well not really, but that is another post) – but stop talking about romance. All the shouting and pandering is as far from romance as Saw III is to Gone with the Wind.
Do you think of romance when you walk into Starbucks today?
