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A Big Mac along with a glass of chardonnay? Who knows? That could be on the way. Starbucks is heading in that direction. The chain will soon be selling beer and wine in select locations. Four to six stores in the Southern California area will offer alcoholic beverages by the end of this year, as will some stores in Atlanta and Chicago

The chain began testing its new spirited approach in Seattle in 2010. Starbucks now offers beers for $5 and wines by the glass for $7 to $9 in five locations in that city and one in Portland, Oregon.

The questions are: what will this move do to the Starbucks brand? And how will customers have to change their habits in order for it to pay off? Currently the chain makes most of its daily sales by 2 p.m., which explains the foray into the spirit business. On the other hand around 75% of Starbucks customers are there for take out. That won’t work in the beer and wine business. These customers will have to say and enjoy their beverages in-house. And what about the kids and teens that have made Starbucks one of their staples. Will mom and dad be happy sending their kids to a beer and wine establishment?

If this were Europe, there would be no issue. There families are used to going to pubs or cafes where coffee, food and spirits are sold. But, the U.S. isn’t France or England and we generally have a different take on where liquor should and shouldn’t be served. And what happens when a Starbucks barista has to 86 someone? What will be the protocol for that?

Starbucks has built an amazing worldwide brand. It has regularly changed its menu offering different types of drinks and food items, but a jump into the world of beer and wine is a big one. Adding a new pastry, sandwich or fruit drink does not risk compromising the chain’s brand, but offering a happy hour where spirits flow freely will challenge the way many of its customers view the company.

Only time will tell if this gamble will pay off. Because it directly impacts their brand recognition, it could either turn out to be a PR miscue or a public relations home run. Chances are it will land somewhere in the middle. Since they are only experimenting with a handful of stores, if the publicity effect is extremely negative, they can quickly shut the program down. But if the reaction is simply lukewarm, or only somewhat negative, they will most likely give the news stores a fair shot and launch a media relations campaign extolling the virtues of this new approach. If it works, it could become a one stop shop for buying one’s stimulants in the morning and depressants in the evening. The next big question could be, how are they going to get people to leave?

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Article Source: http://www.sooperarticles.com/business-articles/marketing-articles/starbucks-spirited-pr-gamble-822322.html

About Author:

Anthony Mora, President and CEO of Anthony Mora Communications, Inc. A Los Angeles PR Firm. Author: Anthony Mora

By Allan Starr

A position is like a chin; everyone has at least one.

For a business, it is important to have a position that is clear, and states benefits for current and prospective clients/customers. Moreover it must differentiate your offer(s) from those of your competitors. The latter characteristic is pivotal, for why else should (they) begin to – or continue to – buy from you?

Whether you are a bicycle shop in Bombay or a marketing agency in Phoenix, a company without a tagline is like a mileage sign without a listed destination; you know, like: 77 miles to (blank).

The fact is, a company name, or product name for that matter, is little more than one-half of a link. Unless you are a McDonalds or a Verizon, it is imperative that the name of your company is paired in the collective mind of consumers with a brief statement with which it can be associated. This line can be changed from time to time to coincide with current offerings or events.

Beyond this, there should be a more detailed (about 30-50 words) ‘positioning statement’ that goes into a little more detail, but still is comprised of consumer benefits. In the face-to-face world, this sometimes is called an elevator speech, while in the viral world of websites it could be your 170-character meta description.

In written communication, your position can be dispersed throughout your selling message, rather than being limited to a single paragraph, or it can be implicit in most of what you write throughout an entire advertisement, press release or, even, website content.

The position itself is, of course, imbedded in the very core of your business model; it is at the heart of your business plan and laced throughout your marketing plan. But boiling it down into a simple, clear and brief description of what it is you have to offer is a turn in the road many business owners or marketers speed past on their way to trying to close a deal.

However, it is imperative to have it on the top of your mind and the tip of your tongue for a quick recitation in the event of that inevitable elevator encounter and/or selling opportunity to an uninitiated prospect. What’s more, your employees should regularly be reminded of it, lest they forget or lose their way amongst the details of everyday business processes.

Many use a mission statement for this purpose, which is well and good, but be advised it doesn’t need to be designated as a mission statement. Doing so, to me, merely adds the element of a distracting label on a description which is better fed gently to consumers rather than being boxed and labeled for dissemination. What better time than now, at the dawning of a new year, could be a more appropriate one for clarifying in your own mind (if this be necessary) and that of your associates and supporters precisely where you stand?

Good luck. And happy marketing!

About the Author: Allan Starr founded Marketing Partners of AZ in 1976. He is former governor of the Southwest District of the American Advertising Federation, two-term president of The Arizona Small Business Assn. and recently completed six terms on the board of directors of The Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. http://www.marketingpartnersaz.com

Source: www.isnare.com

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