It’s no secret that 2007-2008 have not been been the best years for coffee giant Starbucks. The chain has lost loads of customers to competitors like McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Donuts — who would’ve thought that people would get tired of spending $4/cup for coffee that tastes like coffee. With around 100 stores closed in the last year and store performance underneath a watchful eye, it sounds like Starbucks is shedding its dead weight so that it can start investing more money into its new rewards program.

I’ll admit, I still go to Starbucks; but when I do, it’s because I have a gift card or I am taking a client there for a cup of coffee. Starbucks isn’t my first stop out the door on my way to work in the morning; I have my first cup of coffee at home. I will say that the rewards program sounds like a great idea and the fact that free wi-fi is available (even if it is only for two hours) makes a visit to Starbucks more doable.

A trip to Starbucks should be an experience, ’cause let’s face it coffee is coffee is coffee and I would venture to argue that Joe’s Coffee Shop has coffee that is pretty comparable to a Starbucks brew. So, Starbucks, keep moving forward with ways to entice consumers, market the hell out of the rewards program, you might even want to try to steal back some of those customers that went to the wayside when McDonald’s launched their in-restaurant coffee bars.

The Starbucks brand still means something to a lot of people, but the experience has slipped a little and it’s time to make it new again.

Article Tags: brand | experience | loyalty programs | Starbucks
Filed under: Branding, Visual Identity