Three Reads | Feb. 25

Seems like I took an unplanned blogging sabbatical (my last post was Feb. 9). Didn’t mean to—just happened that way. To ease back into posting, here are three recent reads I’m grooving to...

ONE | FREE! Why $0.00 Is the Future of Business
Here’s another free-view of Chris Anderson’s to-be-published book on “… the trend lines that determine the cost of doing business online all point the same way: to zero.” >> MORE

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TWO | Servicing Customer Vigilantes
Pete Blackshaw runs the voodoo down on BusinessWeek’s cover story about Customer Service Champs which highlights how “customer vigilantes” are forcing companies to address critical business issues. The article pairs well with Pete’s upcoming book, Satisfied Customers Tell Three Friends, Angry Customers Tell 3,000. >> MORE

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THREE | Odd Co-Branded Ad
Not really a read, but a look-see. Does anyone else find this GOT MILK ad highlighting how “Starbucks drinks have a lot of milk in them.” odd? I do. It’s less sexy to think of Starbucks as a milk peddler than a coffee peddler. It’s true though. A Grande Latte (16 oz.) has two-ounces of espresso and the rest is milk. Not sure its smart for Starbucks to highlight they are just as much in the milk business as they are the coffee business.

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Comments

[Jacob Morgan]

Hey John,

I actually just read the Chris Anderson article earlier today. I thing his model of a "gift economy" is really interesting and it seems to be getting tractions. It's funny, I never really paid attention to how prominent "free" really was until Chris pointed out all the obvious examples that were already staring me in the face.

Jacob

[Paul (from Idea Sandbox)]

Starbucks *is* one of the largest purchasers of milk in North America.

[Chris Houchens]

Maybe they should just go all the way to lose whatever brand they have left and pull a Waffle House. Just as the Waffle House cheesily reminds you via in-store signage that they are the world's leading server of waffles and T-bone steaks -- SBUX could get some garish signs promoting that they are the world's leading server of milk.

Or maybe not.

[Sonia Simone]

I think the milk thing is aimed at women who are nagged by their doctors to consume a lot more calcium. "I have a three latte a day habit, and that's a good thing! I'm helping my bones!" The demographic that's supposed to be building our calcium stores is probably very close to Starbucks' target.

Where is the ad running? I agree that it won't make a lot of sense to guys.

[Rachel]

They're highlighting the calcium/milk point in stores on the chalkboard in front of the baristas too...it's weird. Same with the new "skinny latte" campaign. Even if I'm ordering non-fat, there was still a decadence factor that the word "skinny" destroys, IMHO.

[John Hardesty]

The link between the Starbucks and Milk brand might seem odd at the ad-level, but I think makes sense deeper down at the core level.

I'm thinking about the audience that Starbucks attracts. The image-aware, trend-following, active individuals. They grab a latte on their way into work. As well as on their way to the gym. Or after.

Thinking along those lines it seems there might be a logical alliance and co-branding opportunity with a brand that promotes some of the same things. Milk is healthy. Health is a current hot trend. Especially for the daily customer of Starbucks.

Also attempts to get the idea that caffeine is bad away from their drink. And a focus on the benefits of your daily dose more.

[Linlin]

Hi, here in Sweden – Europe, our "milk corporate company thingie" same as Got milk company in California actuallt started the Caffe Latte trend to sell more milk.

Or to be more accurate they launched Café au Lait (french coffee with milk) for like 15 years ago and then the "milk in coffee trend" just grew stronger. Today they have several competitions to see who are the best barista/coffee maker in Sweden.

And the trend have been so strong that now everyone has to have their own espresso machine at home and they attending courses in how ta make latte art, you know the different ways of making the milk foam be a heart or a leave at top of the coffee.

So I don´t think Starbucks/Got milk campaign going the wrong way here.