Leading article: Wake up and smell the coffee
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.You might think the logo on the side of the cup doesn't much matter; that it's the quality of the coffee that counts. But you would be wrong. Wake up and smell the marketing.
If branding wasn't important, why would the coffee giant Starbucks be "refreshing" its logo? Yesterday, the firm announced it is to drop the words "Starbucks" and "coffee" from its logo, leaving only the image of the bare-breasted mermaid it calls The Siren. Immediately, feedback on its website became over-stimulated. When you are spending £2 on a latte, drinkers fulminated, you at least want people to know where you got it from.
People are buying much more than a drink. "We give a great experience," as the head of Starbucks once put it. If you are selling a brand, as much as a product, you need to keep up with a market that thrives on constant novelty. The plan is to broaden the focus of the business to sell other products. Or, as Starbucks puts it, "the freedom and flexibility to think beyond coffee".
But there may be hubris in Starbucks imagining that it is now established enough to survive with a wordless logo like Apple or Nike. The company's share price fell on the news. The Siren, they should recall, was a mythical creature who lured the sailors of ancient Greece to their deaths.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments